Data center profile · North side of Beaver Dam, Dodge County, Wisconsin (Beaver Dam Commerce Park)

Meta Beaver Dam

A $1B, 700,000 sq ft Meta campus in Beaver Dam, Wisconsin, on a state-approved 220 MW Alliant Energy contract, with buildings rising.

Under construction. Meta announced the campus Nov. 12, 2025; photos from Jan. and Mar. 2026 show buildings rising; regulators approved its 220 MW power contract May 7, 2026. Meta says the first phase opens in 2027; no air or stormwater permit found.
220 MW
utility supply contracted
two 110 MW blocks, the first expected in Q2 2026 and the second in Q1 2027 per the utility's filing (press); IT capacity not stated
$1B
investment, Meta's figure
self-funded; no project debt disclosed
700,000 sq ft
campus, Meta's figure
on a 561-acre parcel owned by Degas LLC
2027
first phase online, per Meta
the 2025 announcement and later press both say 2027
OperatorMeta Platforms (through its subsidiary Degas LLC)
CustomerMeta itself (owner-occupied)
Planned IT capacity176 MW at full build-out (our estimate from the company or utility power figure)
First building in serviceOur estimate: 2027 (range 2026 to 2027); company says 2026.
Next deadline2027: Meta says the first phase goes online in 2027; no month is published
Power

Power and the grid

220 MW contracted plus sources of undisclosed size

Alliant Energy (Wisconsin Power and Light) grid serviceApproved
220 MW
individual contract approved May 7, 2026; 10-year term, Meta guarantees the termination charge Utility regulator · June 2026
Contracted
Other sources, size not disclosed

Getting on the grid

Who supplies what, what it costs, and what is still not public.

  1. Feb. 1, 2025
    Transmission application filed
    American Transmission Co. asks the state to expand electrical service to the site. see Permits
  2. Feb. 27, 2026
    Contract refiled with fewer redactions
    After the state ordered it, the utility refiles and discloses 220 MW of total demand (press). News report · Feb. 2026
  3. May 7, 2026
    State approves the contract
    Regulators approve it with changes: a stronger termination charge, reporting, financial safeguards, and a standalone large-load tariff for future data centers. see Permits
  4. June 18, 2026
    Final order issued
    The final decision sets a 10-year term and names Meta as guarantor. Utility regulator · June 2026
  5. Sept. 4, 2026
    Large-load tariff filed
    The utility files the standard rate for customers of 100 MW or more, as ordered. see Permits

What is next door

campus0.66 km · power line2.63 km · substationcampus0.66 km · power line2.63 km · substation

Distances from mapped lines and plants. OpenStreetMap · Oct. 2026

Permits

Permits checklist

2 pending · 5 granted · 2 checked, nothing on file

Approvals a campus like this normally needs (including an air permit for backup generators), and what we found.

Risks

What could slow it down

Lawsuits

1 case on record

Money

Money on record

$1B
investment
Meta's figure; self-funded Company · Nov. 2025
Nearly $200M
energy infrastructure Meta underwrites
network upgrades, substations and transmission lines (press) News report · Nov. 2025
Up to $110M
city tax reimbursements to Meta
two $50M incentives plus up to $10M for public works, paid only from new tax revenue, expiring 2041 and 2042 Dataset · Dec. 2024
$15M
Meta donation over ten years
to Alliant Energy's Hometown Care Energy Fund Company · Nov. 2025
Timeline

What happened, and what is due

SitePaper trailConstructionPowerPermitsMoneyLegalUpcoming
  1. Dec. 1, 2023
    Site The city's development arm signs an NDA with a shell company, Balloonist LLC, covering even the project's existence (press) News report · Dec. 2023
  2. July 1, 2024
    Permits Council approves a predevelopment agreement with another shell, Degas LLC, 12-0 News report · July 2024
  3. Dec. 9, 2024
    Permits Development agreement signed with the city and its development arm Local government · Dec. 2024
  4. May 1, 2025
    Construction Site work is under way; a neighbor reports a nearby creek running cloudy (press) News report · May 2025
  5. Sept. 29, 2025
    Construction Satellite imagery shows about 105 hectares cleared Satellite · Sept. 2025
  6. Nov. 12, 2025
    Site Meta announces its first Wisconsin data center: $1B, 700,000 sq ft, online in 2027 Company · Nov. 2025
  7. Feb. 27, 2026
    Power Utility refiles its power contract with fewer redactions, disclosing 220 MW News report · Feb. 2026
  8. March 13, 2026
    Construction Reporters see buildings going up and transmission substation equipment staged on site News report · March 2026
  9. May 7, 2026
    Permits State regulators approve the 220 MW power contract with modifications News report · May 2026
  10. Aug. 17, 2026
    Legal A court rules the state unlawfully withheld the campus's power demand records News report · Aug. 2026
  11. Sept. 4, 2026
    Power Alliant files its standard large-load tariff News report · Sept. 2026
  12. 2027
    Construction Meta says the first phase goes online News report · Sept. 2026
Construction activity

Satellite captures by quarter

Since Feb. 2022: 42 satellite captures. The chart starts in the first quarter of 2023; 4 earlier records are not drawn.

Satellite
’23
’24
’25
’26
Dot size: records in the quarter, largest = 4. Two-digit years mark each first quarter.
The buildings

Specs

561.64 acres
deeded land held by Degas LLC (press puts the project at 520 acres)
State agency · Oct. 2026
Up to 50M gallons a year
city water contract cap at full build-out; closed-loop cooling uses little water (press)
News report · May 2026
2 phases
city estimates of construction finishing in 2028 and 2031
News report · Feb. 2025
1,000 jobs at peak
construction; more than 100 permanent jobs, Meta says
Company · Nov. 2025
Who is involved

Owners, partners and builders

Owners and developers
  • Meta Platforms: owner and operator
  • Degas LLC: Meta subsidiary that owns the land and holds the power contract
  • Balloonist LLC: earlier shell company used for the NDA
  • Mortenson: general contractor
Power
  • Alliant Energy (Wisconsin Power and Light): serving utility
  • American Transmission Co.: substation and transmission lines
Decision-makers
  • Public Service Commission of Wisconsin
  • Beaver Dam Common Council
  • Beaver Dam Area Development Corporation: the city's development arm
  • Wisconsin Economic Development Corporation
Watchdogs and opponents
  • Midwest Environmental Advocates: won the records case
  • Citizens Utility Board of Wisconsin: intervened in the power contract case
  • Local residents
Still unknown

Open questions

Where this comes from

201 records from 33 documents

Drawn from news reports, public and commercial datasets, satellite captures, utility regulator dockets, company statements, local government records, state agency records and our own analysis, each kept with its date and source. The bar shows documents by type.

News report 20Dataset 5Satellite 3Utility regulator 2Company 2Local government 1State agency 1Analysis 1
Evidence

Every quote behind this page

Grade key: A = the primary record itself (permit, filing, exhibit) · B = a dated official statement · C = news reporting. Map distances are our own measurements on OpenStreetMap and carry no grade. Allegations in lawsuits are marked as such in the quotes.

Power (25)
  • Nearest power line: 0.66 km (138 kV unnamed, American Transmission Company)
    Measured on OpenStreetMap map data.
    OpenStreetMap · Oct. 2026
  • Nearest power line of 230 kV or more: none within 15 km on the map
    Measured on OpenStreetMap map data.
    OpenStreetMap · Oct. 2026
  • Nearest substation: 2.63 km (North Beaver Dam (138 kV))
    Measured on OpenStreetMap map data.
    OpenStreetMap · Oct. 2026
  • Nearest gas pipeline: none tagged within 15 km on the map
    Measured on OpenStreetMap map data.
    OpenStreetMap · Oct. 2026
  • Power plants within 5 km: none within 5 km on the map
    Measured on OpenStreetMap map data.
    OpenStreetMap · Oct. 2026
  • ESA docket: 6680-TE-115
    “Background on Docket 6680-TE-115”
    Utility regulator · May 2026 · grade B
  • Developer: Meta Platforms, Inc. (via Degas LLC)
    “We're thrilled to announce Meta's first Wisconsin data center in Beaver Dam”
    Company · Nov. 2025 · grade B
  • On-site power technology: none found
    “backup fleet, if any, not in DNR sources checked)”
    grade C
  • Development Agreement (City of Beaver Dam / Beaver Dam ADC / Degas LLC, eff. Dec. 9, 2024): no termination, default or clawback clauses captured anywhere in this folder - only dataset summaries of the money clauses (incent
    “Repayment comes only from available project tax increments and annual appropriations”
    Dataset · Oct. 2026 · grade C
  • City water supply agreement (Degas LLC / Meta): only the 50 million gallons/year full-build-out cap was captured, via public-records reporting; term, termination and condition clauses were never captured anywhere in this
    “Meta has secured a water supply agreement with the City of Beaver Dam for up to 50 million gallons per year at full build-out”
    News report · Oct. 2026 · grade C
  • Rate class: Individual contract rate (ESA); standalone large-load tariff for >=100 MW ordered, WP&L application filed Sept. 4, 2026
    “Alliant Energy submitted an application Sept. 4 to create a standard utility-wide electric rate for 'large load' customers of at least 100 megawatts”
    News report · Sept. 2026 · grade C
  • large-load (Very Large Customer) tariff application: filed by WP&L per PSC order
    “Madison-based Alliant Energy submitted an application Sept. 4 to create a standard utility-wide electric rate for 'large load' customers of at least 100 megawatts”
    News report · Sept. 2026 · grade C
  • WP&L files application for a standard utility-wide large-load rate (>=100 MW), as ordered in the May 7, 2026 ESA decision
    “In response to an order from state regulators, a southern Wisconsin utility is seeking its own special electric rate for large data centers”
    News report · Sept. 2026 · grade C
  • Owner companies: Degas LLC
    “Alliant Energy's application for a contract rate with Meta's affiliate Degas LLC faced criticism due to redactions”
    News report · May 2026 · grade C
  • Utility service: 220 MW
    “Alliant will supply up to 220 megawatts to the project, according the application”
    News report · May 2026 · grade C
  • Utility: Alliant Energy (Wisconsin Power and Light Company)
    “approved a modified private contract agreement between the Madison-based utility and Meta to power the tech giant's 220-megawatt data center campus”
    News report · May 2026 · grade C
  • Electric service agreement signed: May 7, 2026 (PSC approval of individual contract)
    “The three-member Public Service Commission approved a modified private contract agreement between the Madison-based utility and Meta”
    News report · May 2026 · grade C
  • Power plan: grid
    “power the tech giant's 220-megawatt data center campus in Beaver Dam”
    News report · May 2026 · grade C
  • Conditions of approval: PSC: WP&L covers transmission costs; underpayment protections; reporting, credit and consumer-protection conditions; standalone >=100 MW large-load tariff ordered
    “Modifications included safeguards requiring the utility to cover transmission costs and to address the potential for underpayments from the data center”
    News report · May 2026 · grade C
  • Interconnection status: ESA approved May 7, 2026; ATC substation under construction on site (equipment staged Mar 2026); ATC transmission application filed with PSC
    “At the north end, electrical equipment to power an ATC substation is strewn out on the ground”
    News report · March 2026 · grade C
  • Site visit reporting: buildings going up at the south end of the site; electrical equipment for an ATC substation staged at the north end; dump-truck traffic on County W
    “Buildings are going up at the south end of the road. As you drive up, you can see white hoop shelters”
    News report · March 2026 · grade C
  • First power: 2026-Q2 (first 110 MW per ESA application; second 110 MW Q1 2027)
    “The first 110 megawatts was expected to go online in the second quarter of 2026, and the second 110 would follow in Q1 of 2027”
    News report · Feb. 2026 · grade C
  • Aliases: Degas LLC; Balloonist LLC; Beaver Dam Commerce Park
    “Beaver Dam city and economic development officials worked with two shell companies as they developed a $1 billion, 520-acre data center”
    News report · Jan. 2026 · grade C
  • transmission expansion application: filed (reported Feb 2025; ATC demand/ramp filing spring 2026 released Aug. 27, 2026)
    “One such effort is an application by the American Transmission Company to the state Public Service Commission”
    News report · Feb. 2025 · grade C
  • Land control date: July 2024 (city predevelopment agreement with Degas LLC)
    “July 2024: The city council voted 12-0 to approve a predevelopment agreement with another shell company, Degas LLC”
    News report · July 2024 · grade C
Money and contracts (45)
  • electric service agreement (individual contract rate): docket and approval 6680-TE-115; Final Decision PSC Ref 594678 docket
    “Application of Wisconsin Power and Light Company for Approval of an Individual Contract Rate Service Agreement for a Large Load Customer in Beaver Dam”
    Utility regulator · June 2026 · grade A
  • electric service agreement (individual contract rate): guarantor Meta Platforms, Inc. serves as guarantor; guaranty amount equals termination-charge exposure USD
    “Meta shall serve as guarantor of the guaranty”
    Utility regulator · June 2026 · grade A
  • electric service agreement (individual contract rate): transmission cost allocation Transmission Charge in ESA; WP&L + ATC cost-allocation method required; itemized ICR vs non-ICR allocations in future rate cases terms
    “shall work with ATC on a cost allocation method to alleviate concerns about cross-subsidization”
    Utility regulator · June 2026 · grade A
  • electric service agreement (individual contract rate): termination charge (PSC-modified) Termination Charge included largely as proposed; ESA Section 5.2 modified to reference the remaining duration of the agreement term
    “Termination Charge included largely as proposed, modified so Section 5.2 references the remaining duration of the agreement”
    Utility regulator · June 2026 · grade A
  • electric service agreement (individual contract rate): term (PSC order condition) 10 years
    “the ESA shall include the proposed term length of 10 years”
    Utility regulator · June 2026 · grade A
  • Conditions of approval: PSC modified ESA: strengthened termination charge; additional reporting + adjustment mechanism; financial safeguard protections; EE/RE program contribution; REPAs approved; stand-alone large-load
    “The Commission strengthened the proposed termination charge, further protecting existing customers if the data center customer leaves.”
    Utility regulator · May 2026 · grade B
  • Electric Service Agreement (Individual Contract Rate): termination charge (strengthened by PSC) amount not stated in release
    “The Commission strengthened the proposed termination charge, further protecting existing customers if the data center customer leaves.”
    Utility regulator · May 2026 · grade B
  • Electric Service Agreement (Individual Contract Rate): reporting requirements + Commission adjustment mechanism amount not stated in release
    “The Commission ordered additional reporting requirements to provide visibility into how the contract works in practice and created a mechanism for the Commission to make future adjustments if needed.”
    Utility regulator · May 2026 · grade B
  • Electric Service Agreement (Individual Contract Rate): financial safeguards / credit amount not stated in release
    “The Commission imposed appropriate financial safeguard protections.”
    Utility regulator · May 2026 · grade B
  • Electric Service Agreement (Individual Contract Rate): statewide energy efficiency & renewables program contribution amount not stated in release
    “The PSC required the data center customer to contribute to the statewide energy efficiency and renewable energy program.”
    Utility regulator · May 2026 · grade B
  • Electric Service Agreement (Individual Contract Rate): Renewable Energy Procurement Agreements approved amount not stated in release
    “The Commission approved Renewable Energy Procurement Agreements for the data center customer to utilize renewable energy resources.”
    Utility regulator · May 2026 · grade B
  • Tenant status: owner-occupied
    “Once completed, the Beaver Dam Data Center will represent an investment of $1 billion dollars”
    Company · Nov. 2025 · grade B
  • Square feet: 700000 sq ft
    “This data center campus will span over 700,000 square feet and be optimized for our AI workloads”
    Company · Nov. 2025 · grade B
  • Stated capital cost: 1000000000 USD
    “Once completed, the Beaver Dam Data Center will represent an investment of $1 billion dollars”
    Company · Nov. 2025 · grade B
  • General contractor: Mortenson
    “general contractor Mortenson”
    Company · Nov. 2025 · grade B
  • community commitment: donation 15000000 USD over ten years
    “Over the next ten years, Meta will also donate $15 million to Alliant Energy's Hometown Care Energy Fund”
    Company · Nov. 2025 · grade B
  • Financing: Self-funded by Meta Platforms; no project debt disclosed
    “self-funded; no project debt disclosed”
    grade C
  • PSC tells MEA it will not appeal and releases a single ATC-filed page containing the Beaver Dam energy demand totals and ramp schedule
    “On Aug. 27, the PSC told Midwest Environmental Advocates it would not appeal the decision and provided a single page submitted by ATC containing the energy demand totals”
    News report · Aug. 2026 · grade C
  • County: Dodge County, WI
    “Wisconsin's PSC approved a Meta-Alliant Energy data center contract with revised language”
    News report · May 2026 · grade C
  • electric service agreement (individual contract): term 10 years + two 5-year extension options
    “Under the current proposal, Meta would enter a 10-year service agreement with the option for two five-year extensions”
    News report · May 2026 · grade C
  • electric service agreement (individual contract): PSC modification: transmission costs borne by utility
    “Modifications included safeguards requiring the utility to cover transmission costs and to address the potential for underpayments from the data center”
    News report · May 2026 · grade C
  • Water use stated: 50000000
    “Meta has secured a water supply agreement with the City of Beaver Dam for up to 50 million gallons per year at full build-out”
    News report · May 2026 · grade C
  • water supply agreement: supply cap 50000000 gallons per year at full build-out
    “Meta has secured a water supply agreement with the City of Beaver Dam for up to 50 million gallons per year at full build-out”
    News report · May 2026 · grade C
  • Minimum bill terms: Fee to cover system costs if usage below anticipated levels; termination charges on early exit
    “The company would pay a fee to cover system costs if it uses less energy than anticipated”
    News report · March 2026 · grade C
  • electric service agreement (individual contract): minimum bill shortfall fee to cover system costs if usage below anticipated levels
    “The company would pay a fee to cover system costs if it uses less energy than anticipated”
    News report · March 2026 · grade C
  • electric service agreement (individual contract): termination charges termination charges on early exit
    “The contract also includes termination charges should Meta end the service agreement early”
    News report · March 2026 · grade C
  • electric service agreement (individual contract): contract demand 220 MW (110 MW Q2 2026 + 110 MW Q1 2027)
    “Alliant will supply up to 220 megawatts to the project, according the application”
    News report · Feb. 2026 · grade C
  • Tenants: Meta (self-tenanted)
    “In Beaver Dam, Meta used two shell companies to develop its project in secret”
    News report · Jan. 2026 · grade C
  • Acres: 520 acres
    “worked with two shell companies as they developed a $1 billion, 520-acre data center”
    News report · Jan. 2026 · grade C
  • Groundbreaking date: Nov. 12, 2025
    “Meta confirmed it is building a more-than-$1 billion data center campus in Beaver Dam”
    News report · Nov. 2025 · grade C
  • energy infrastructure underwriting: network upgrades / substations / transmission lines 200000000 USD (nearly)
    “Meta will underwrite nearly $200 million in energy-infrastructure upgrades, including network improvements, substations and transmission lines”
    News report · Nov. 2025 · grade C
  • Incentives: WEDC qualified data center sales & use tax exemption (Degas LLC eligible Feb. 18, 2025); pay-as-you-go TID: two $50M development incentives + up to $10M public-works reimbursement
    “a Degas LLC data center in Beaver Dam that only because eligible [sic] on Feb. 18 for the incentives”
    News report · Feb. 2025 · grade C
  • Phases: 2 phases
    “$567.6 million worth of construction over two phases of building that would conclude in 2028 and 2031”
    News report · Feb. 2025 · grade C
  • development agreement: development incentive phase 1 50000000 USD
    “Provides up to $10 million in reimbursement for developer-funded public works and two $50 million development incentives, issued when construction starts in each phase”
    Dataset · Dec. 2024 · grade C
  • development agreement: development incentive phase 2 50000000 USD
    “two $50 million development incentives, issued when construction starts in each phase”
    Dataset · Dec. 2024 · grade C
  • development agreement: public works reimbursement 10000000 USD (up to)
    “Provides up to $10 million in reimbursement for developer-funded public works”
    Dataset · Dec. 2024 · grade C
  • development agreement: repayment source pay-as-you-go: available project tax increments and annual appropriations only
    “Repayment comes only from available project tax increments and annual appropriations”
    Dataset · Dec. 2024 · grade C
  • development agreement: incentive expiry
    “Unpaid balances expire in 2041 for public works and phase one, and 2042 for phase two”
    Dataset · Dec. 2024 · grade C
  • development agreement: developer public improvements cap 10000000 USD (up to; city publicly bids work; overruns fall to city)
    “The developer pays up to $10 million for the agreed public improvements, including water work. The city must publicly bid the work; costs above that cap fall to the city”
    Dataset · Dec. 2024 · grade C
  • development agreement: utility corridor 30 feet wide (up to) for underground water/wastewater infrastructure
    “The developer also grants a corridor up to 30 feet wide for underground water and wastewater infrastructure”
    Dataset · Dec. 2024 · grade C
  • TID project plan: projected tax increments 2027: $1.1M; 2028: $5.4M; 2029: $5.7M; 2030: $6.8M; 2031: $10.7M; 2032+: $11.2M/yr USD per year
    “2032 and every year thereafter: $11.2M”
    News report · Nov. 2024 · grade C
  • TID project plan: total obligations $110M tax reimbursements to Meta + $18M city infrastructure (case-study figures) USD
    “In this TID, you have two sources of obligations: 1) $18M of city infrastructure 2) You promised Meta $110M in tax reimbursements”
    News report · Nov. 2024 · grade C
  • predevelopment agreement: approval 12-0 council vote
    “The city council voted 12-0 to approve a predevelopment agreement with another shell company, Degas LLC”
    News report · July 2024 · grade C
  • nondisclosure agreement: confidentiality (covers existence of the project)
    “could not reveal its discussions with Balloonist, or even disclose 'the existence of the project'”
    News report · Dec. 2023 · grade C
  • Alliant Energy sought a large tract near Beaver Dam from ~2019 (reported ~$20,000/acre options); Commerce Park a state-certified site since 2019; Harmony Baptist Church later declined a $250,000 buyout and remains a ~5-a
    “the Ostranders recall Alliant Energy coming through the area around 2019, seeking a large tract of land to attract a large industrial development”
    News report · Jan. 2019 · grade C
Permits and government (16)
  • individual contract (ESA) application: filed by Alliant Energy (WP&L) under Individual Contract Rate tariff
    “In April 2025, Alliant Energy submitted an application seeking approval of an Electric Service Agreement under its Individual Contract Rate tariff.”
    Utility regulator · May 2026 · grade B
  • individual contract (ESA) decision: approved as modified at open meeting; written Final Order to follow
    “All documents related to this proceeding are available under Docket 6680-TE-115 on the PSC's Electronic Records Filing (ERF) System. The Commission's Final Order will be posted to ERF in the coming weeks”
    Utility regulator · May 2026 · grade B
  • development agreement: approved unanimously (closed session); effective Dec. 9, 2024
    “The City of Beaver Dam and the Beaver Dam Area Development Corporation signed our agreement with the site developer on December 9, 2024”
    Local government · Dec. 2024 · grade B
  • GOP lawmakers circulate a bill to end the state data center sales tax exemption; a separate legislative proposal would ban data center NDAs statewide; Legislative Fiscal Bureau (Mar 2026) estimated $1.5B in foregone sale
    “The Legislative Fiscal Bureau in March estimated the state would forgo $1.5 billion in sales tax from those four facilities during construction”
    News report · Oct. 2026 · grade C
  • individual contract (ESA) approval: approved with modifications
    “State regulators approved Alliant Energy's proposal to power a hyperscale data center in Beaver Dam, but the utility must set a standard electric rate for all large data center customers”
    News report · May 2026 · grade C
  • Public Service Commission of Wisconsin: Approval of WP&L-Meta individual contract (ESA) with modifications; order to file standalone large-load tariff
    “The three-member Public Service Commission approved a modified private contract agreement between the Madison-based utility and Meta”
    News report · May 2026 · grade C
  • individual contract (ESA) amended application: refiled with fewer redactions
    “Those filings submitted on Feb. 27 shared that the project would require a total of 220 megawatts”
    News report · Feb. 2026 · grade C
  • Public Service Commission of Wisconsin: Hearing on WP&L individual contract (ESA) application
    “During a commission hearing Feb. 26, commission officials told Alliant to refile the agreement with fewer redactions”
    News report · Feb. 2026 · grade C
  • individual contract (ESA) application: filed; PSC staff comments Feb. 10, 2026; hearing Feb. 26, 2026 ordered less-redacted refiling
    “In public filings submitted on Feb. 10, PSC staff raised concerns that Alliant's service agreement is shorter than similar contracts in other states”
    News report · Feb. 2026 · grade C
  • TID value-cap exemption legislation: enacted; signed July 8, 2025
    “The act mentions both Port Washington and Beaver Dam by name and was signed into law by Democratic Governor Tony Evers on July 8, 2025”
    News report · July 2025 · grade C
  • qualified data center certification (sales/use tax exemption): certified; eligible Feb. 18, 2025
    “including Microsoft's first data center on the former Foxconn property in Mount Pleasant, Epic Hosting's data center in Verona and a Degas LLC data center in Beaver Dam”
    News report · Feb. 2025 · grade C
  • City of Beaver Dam Common Council (closed session): Development agreement with Degas LLC
    “In December, the council met in closed session to consider a development agreement with Degras LLC [sic], which it approved unanimously”
    News report · Dec. 2024 · grade C
  • tax incremental district: created
    “November 2024: The city council created a tax incremental finance (TIF) district for the data center to help fund development”
    News report · Nov. 2024 · grade C
  • City of Beaver Dam Common Council: Creation of tax incremental district encompassing entire project property
    “November 2024: The city council created a tax incremental finance (TIF) district for the data center to help fund development”
    News report · Nov. 2024 · grade C
  • predevelopment agreement: approved (12-0)
    “July 2024: The city council voted 12-0 to approve a predevelopment agreement with another shell company, Degas LLC”
    News report · July 2024 · grade C
  • City of Beaver Dam Common Council: Predevelopment agreement with Degas LLC
    “The city council voted 12-0 to approve a predevelopment agreement with another shell company, Degas LLC, that only later was identified with the data center”
    News report · July 2024 · grade C
Legal (4)
  • Announced: Nov. 12, 2025
    “November 12, 2025 Wisconsin - Beaver Dam”
    Company · Nov. 2025 · grade B
  • Lawsuits: Midwest Environmental Advocates v. Public Service Commission of Wisconsin (Dane County Circuit Court, Judge Stephen Ehlke), open-records suit over withheld load records; ruled for MEA Aug. 17, 2026; PSC declined
    “Dane County Judge Stephen Ehlke's decision on Aug. 17, 2026, affirmed that energy demand information is not a trade secret”
    News report · Aug. 2026 · grade C
  • Dane County Circuit Court (Judge Stephen Ehlke) rules in Midwest Environmental Advocates' open-records suit that the PSC unlawfully withheld Beaver Dam load records; energy demand information is not a trade secret
    “Dane County Judge Stephen Ehlke's decision on Aug. 17, 2026, affirmed that energy demand information is not a trade secret and the commission had unlawfully withheld it”
    News report · Aug. 2026 · grade C
  • Public announcement/groundbreaking held Nov 12, 2025; Wisconsin Public Radio reported a small group of protesters at the announcement; residents raise groundwater and transparency concerns
    “Wisconsin Public Radio reported a small group of protesters at the Nov. 12 announcement”
    News report · Nov. 2025 · grade C
Site and other (18)
  • Parcel ID: 20612141521002 (WI statewide parcel layer, point query at the OSM polygon centroid)
    “PARCELID 20612141521002, PARCELDATE 7/16/2025, layer LOADDATE 3/10/2026”
    State agency · Oct. 2026 · grade A
  • Parcel acres: 561.64 deeded acres (DEEDACRES); assessed value fields are null in the layer for this parcel ac
    “DEEDACRES 561.64; CNTASSDVALUE/LNDVALUE/IMPVALUE all null (recent 2025 parcel)”
    State agency · Oct. 2026 · grade A
  • Data-center buildings on the map: 0
    Measured on OpenStreetMap map data.
    OpenStreetMap · Oct. 2026
  • Name: Meta Beaver Dam
    “Beaver Dam, Wisconsin, will be home to our next state-of-the-art data center”
    Company · Nov. 2025 · grade B
  • Operator: Meta Platforms, Inc.
    “Meta custom designs and builds our own industry-leading infrastructure at scale”
    Company · Nov. 2025 · grade B
  • Cooling: dry cooling / closed-loop liquid cooling (zero water for most of the year)
    “Closed-loop liquid cooling that uses zero water for most of the year”
    Local government · Nov. 2025 · grade B
  • Original target date: 2027
    “The data center is expected to come online in 2027, after which it will support more than 100 operational jobs”
    Company · Nov. 2025 · grade B
  • Workforce estimate: 1,000+ construction jobs at peak; 100+ operational jobs
    “support approximately 1,000 construction jobs and over 100 operational jobs in Beaver Dam”
    Company · Nov. 2025 · grade B
  • Source record
    “construction under way at the 350+ acre Beaver Dam Commerce Park)”
    grade C
  • Current target date: 2027
    “In previous statements to the Journal Sentinel, Meta has said the first phase is expected to go online in 2027”
    News report · Sept. 2026 · grade C
  • Address: Beaver Dam Commerce Park, north side of Beaver Dam, WI, between US-151 and County Highways A and W
    “situated in rough triangle between US Highway 151, and County Highways A and W”
    News report · March 2026 · grade C
  • Construction stage: vertical (buildings under construction; crane on site Jan 2026)
    “Buildings are going up at the south end of the road”
    News report · March 2026 · grade C
  • Paper or real: Real: vertical construction photographed Jan-Mar 2026, ESA approved, GC named; phase 2 (TID build-out to 2031) is the soft part
    “Drive northeast from Madison on Highway 151 and within the hour, you'll enter Beaver Dam, where construction on a Meta data center campus is underway”
    Analysis · March 2026 · grade C
  • Opposition: Local residents (groundwater / Horicon Marsh concerns; protesters at Nov 12 2025 announcement); Midwest Environmental Advocates records litigation; statewide proposals to ban data-center NDAs and repeal the s
    “Blowback from residents who have been kept in the dark has spurred a new legislative proposal that would ban data center NDAs statewide”
    News report · Jan. 2026 · grade C
  • Construction photographed at the Commerce Park: large industrial building under construction, crane on site, snow-covered ground (Wisconsin Watch photojournalism)
    “Construction is ongoing at the 350-plus-acre Beaver Dam Commerce Park where a new Meta data center is being built, photographed on Jan. 20, 2026”
    News report · Jan. 2026 · grade C
  • Site construction under way by May 2025; a Town of Trenton neighbor ~1.6 miles away reports her creek stopping and returning cloudy 'like milk' from May 2025, attributed to site runoff
    “Back in May 2025, as construction began on the data center, Kocinski noticed some irregularities in the local creek that flows through her property”
    News report · May 2025 · grade C
  • WPR news report identifies Meta as the company likely behind the then-unnamed project, seven months before Meta's announcement
    “Eventually, a news report in April 2025 identified Meta, which declined comment for this story, as the company likely behind the data center”
    News report · April 2025 · grade C
  • Beaver Dam Area Development Corp. signs NDA with Balloonist LLC covering even the existence of the project; city then acts for 14+ months without naming a data center
    “signed an NDA on Dec. 1, 2023, not with Meta, but with a shell company no one had ever heard of, Balloonist LLC”
    News report · Dec. 2023 · grade C