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Washington County files motion to intervene before PSC in transmission‑line routing for Port Washington data center
Summary
County attorney reported the county filed a motion to intervene in an ATC application before the Public Service Commission regarding proposed transmission‑line routing for a Port Washington data center; the motion was filed to protect the county's interest in preserving existing transmission corridors and to allow the county to present testimony if the PSC grants party status.
Washington County has filed a motion to intervene before the Wisconsin Public Service Commission (PSC) in a routing application by American Transmission Company (ATC) tied to a data center under construction in Port Washington, the county attorney told the executive committee.
Attorney Stern explained the county previously passed a resolution supporting use of the existing transmission‑line corridor for the cables that will serve the data center. Because a notice about the PSC proceeding arrived late, the county had limited time to act. Stern said he contacted outside counsel Jake Curtis—who has represented local towns and has experience on state environmental and utility matters—and authorized Curtis to file the motion to intervene so the county could be recognized as an interested party.
Stern said filing the motion gives the county options: if the PSC accepts the county as a party, the county could present testimony from a technical witness who is familiar with the county’s 2050 comprehensive plan and existing transmission lines, or the county could choose a lighter touch and simply appear at the hearing to make argument. "He believed that it would serve the county well to do that because the comment that we provided the PSC via the resolution that was adopted would sit in that basket, but probably never really be seen by any of the commissioners," Stern said, explaining the rationale for seeking party status.
The motion to intervene has been filed and is now pending before the PSC; Stern said the commission may take weeks to act and the county is not guaranteed party status. Several supervisors urged Stern to continue the county’s efforts, noting strong board support for preserving farmland and existing corridors.
Next steps: if the PSC grants intervention, the county will decide the scope of participation (e.g., discovery, expert testimony, limited hearing appearance) and then pursue that strategy with outside counsel as needed.
