Data Center Campus
QTS is exploring the opportunity to establish a new data center campus in Dane County. We are committed to being a responsible and engaged neighbor, bringing economic growth, environmental stewardship and a focus on community prosperity to the region.
Resources
Join QTS on Wednesday, November 12 for an opportunity to hear about the proposed project and share your questions. Members from QTS will share project details and be able to answer questions from the community.
On Thursday, November 6, QTS hosted a virtual community session about the proposed project and provided an opportunity for attendees to share their questions.
Multibillion dollar investment positions Wisconsin to be a leader in sustainable AI digital infrastructure – built by the union workforce.
Proposed agreement supports sustainable energy generation and lowers costs for customers.
For more than two decades, we’ve built lasting partnerships with the communities where we live and work. We’re proud of these relationships and guided by our social values commitments. Together, we’ll continue to listen, support and grow with the people of Wisconsin as trusted neighbors in a shared future.
We are proud to partner with schools and tech programs to build the next generation of talent.
We build stronger communities by showing up. QTS associates receive nearly a week of paid volunteer time each year.
We invest in local organizations through grants focused on driving meaningful, lasting impact.
We proudly sponsor community initiatives that foster engagement and strengthen the neighborhoods we serve.
We’re committed to keeping Dane County informed and engaged at every stage.
A data center is a purpose-built building that stores a large amount of digital data. This data – and the applications used to create, process and share it – is housed in servers that reside within the data center. Data centers are vital hubs for businesses, governments and organizations that rely on technology.
They drive innovation in agrotechnology, empowering farms and ranches to boost efficiency, yield and profitability. Embracing these technological advancements paves the way for a brighter, more productive future in agriculture.
QTS brings long-term stability, responsible development and a proven track record in sustainable digital infrastructure. This investment will create thousands of jobs and generate lasting economic growth across Dane County – strengthening Wisconsin’s role in powering America’s digital economy and leadership in AI infrastructure.
This project is about more than building a data center in Dane County – it’s about strengthening America’s critical infrastructure and protecting our national security. Data centers like this are essential for keeping AI, cloud capacity and innovation in the U.S.
The project represents a transformative investment in Dane County’s future, infusing billions of dollars into local growth and development.
It is expected to create thousands of construction jobs and hundreds of full-time positions, supporting local families and businesses and partnering with local building trades unions.
The project will generate millions of dollars in tax revenue, creating an opportunity to reduce tax burden for residents and support services and community programs throughout Dane County.
This investment reflects our belief that responsible growth means shared prosperity for the communities where we live, operate and raise our families.
Data centers generate hundreds of permanent jobs and thousands of construction jobs for the community over the course of several years.
Data centers also require ongoing maintenance, which generates tax revenue and job demand for furnishing and equipping, security, maintenance vendors and other on-site support companies.
According to a recent PwC report commissioned by the Data Center Coalition, each job created directly by a data center supports an additional six jobs across the U.S. economy.
The proposed campus reflects QTS’s dedication to the community, investing in both digital infrastructure and the people and programs that strengthen Wisconsin.
QTS is committed to collaborating with local stakeholders in being a valuable partner to DeForest, Vienna and all of Dane County. Specifically, QTS will:
QTS and Alliant Energy announced an agreement in principle to enable renewable energy resources across Wisconsin, lowering the cost for Alliant Energy’s planned renewable facilities.
This proposed agreement will be facilitated by the sale of Renewable Energy Credits (RECs) from approximately 750 megawatts of new renewable energy sources, which helps meet the growing energy needs of Wisconsin and support sustainable growth across the state, all while providing long-term benefits for Alliant Energy customers.
QTS will pay for all project energy infrastructure and there will be no cost impact to existing customers as a result.
Environmental stewardship is central to the approach of QTS. The project will leverage QTS’s industry-leading, water-free cooling technology that does not consume water for cooling and will not impact water supply in Dane County or the Yahara watershed.
The development will also preserve 40 acres of wetland habitat for birds and wildlife, as well as community recreation. Additionally, the data center buildings will meet LEED standards and pursue Energy Star certification once eligible.
As we move through the process, our plans must also meet or exceed state and county environmental, health and safety standards.
QTS is the global leader in water-free cooling. Our data centers are built with a water-free cooling system that does not consume water for cooling, once operational.
Our innovative cooling technology uses a closed-loop system that saves millions of gallons of water annually per megawatt compared to traditional evaporative cooling methods.
In 2024 alone, the QTS water-free cooling design saved nearly 1.5 billion gallons of water worldwide, helping to protect the planet’s natural resources while enabling the digital future.
Once the cooling technology is operational, municipal water is only used for standard building needs such as restrooms, kitchens, cleaning and irrigation — similar to any other commercial facility.
QTS is committed to protecting the environment and wildlife habitats. In the building of our data centers, we conduct independent environmental studies, including wetlands, biological and habitat studies, and consult with environmental specialists during our site exploration and development phases to help protect the natural ecosystem.
In addition, QTS actively seeks to minimize and mitigate impacts to biological species and sensitive ecosystems and habitats by coordinating with environmental and wildlife agencies and implementing construction activities outside of timeframes for mating, nesting and migration of certain species.
To further minimize the impact of our data center builds, QTS has developed a Tree Replacement Program that aims to replant more trees than cleared during the development of our data centers. By replacing the trees, we are minimizing the impact on the community and protecting the natural environment to support the entire ecosystem.
Additionally, the exterior lighting system at our data center campus is designed to reduce impact on wildlife and natural areas while also meeting code requirements.
A common misconception is that living near a data center poses health risks due to radiation. According to the World Health Organization,1 all buildings, regardless of usage and occupancy, emit electromagnetic radiation. Most people are exposed to low levels of electric fields each day and most data centers do not emit more radiation than a typical building.
Despite extensive research, there is no evidence to conclude that exposure to low-level electromagnetic fields is harmful to health.2
Diesel generators are used for emergency backup purposes only and are not the main source of power for our data centers. Our on-site backup generators are equipped with high-efficiency filters to protect air quality and minimize emissions.
After months of due diligence, it became evident that the Village of DeForest provides the most feasible path to responsibly advance this project.
The development will remain in Dane County – as will the many contributions that QTS intends to make to both DeForest and Vienna, and the broader community – underscoring our commitment to investing in Dane County’s growth and advancing America’s leadership in AI infrastructure.
We remain committed to exploring ways to ensure the Vienna community benefits from this regional investment, including through QTS’s $50 million community commitment.
We understand that farmland is central to Dane County’s identity and economy, and we deeply respect the generations of families who have cared for this land.
As we move forward, QTS remains committed to supporting local agriculture and the next generation of farmers through our community investment.
QTS plans to submit its zoning application to the DeForest Village Board in November.
We will continue to work closely with the Village of DeForest and state agencies as the project moves through the review and permitting process, including environmental and infrastructure assessments.
We will share updates and maintain open communication with local leaders, residents and community partners as the project advances.
Residents can contact our team directly with questions or feedback as the project progresses at [email protected].
From your energy provider, Alliant Energy:
New data center developments are expected to boost energy sales. This increase in sales will help distribute fixed costs and transmission expenses across a larger customer base, contributing to more stable and manageable rates for the communities we have the privilege to serve.
From your energy provider, Alliant Energy:
As technology use grows, energy demand grows. Alliant Energy is ready. We are modernizing our energy infrastructure and advancing responsible solutions. Our “all of the above” energy mix balances new energy technology with traditional sources to deliver the reliable, responsible and affordable energy that matters most to the communities we serve. Our investments in new technology will further enhance efficiency and system operations as well.
From your energy provider, Alliant Energy:
As a utility, we continually take steps to ensure an adequate energy supply. While the energy growth we are seeing now is extensive, our systems and processes at Alliant Energy are centered on ensuring we have enough supply to meet demand. No customer, or group of customers, is “taking all the power” as we match supply with demand all day, every day. As a company, we are required to have enough power, plus a reserve margin, to serve customers no matter what and large energy users or data centers haven’t changed this for us.
From your energy provider, Alliant Energy:
New electrical infrastructure will be built on QTS or American Transmission (ATC) property. Any new transmission line infrastructure will be located on the project site, connecting the existing ATC substation to customer-owned substations.
We’re QTS, a global leader in digital infrastructure with over 20 years of experience designing, building, and operating data centers that keep our world running and connected.
QTS is planning a new data center near Madison, Wisconsin.
See how our commitment to community and innovation extends across the Midwest. Check out our work in neighboring Iowa and Illinois to learn more about our Cedar Rapids and Chicago projects.
QTS is Powered by People who are here for you.
Stay tuned for updates on development.
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