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Washington County executive urges public talks on energy independence as data-center interest grows
Summary
County Executive Josh Showman stood beside a county-owned solar field on July 4 and urged residents to join upcoming public discussions about making Washington County a net energy exporter, citing nearby data centers, housing growth and manufacturing as drivers for new power supply.
Washington County Executive Josh Showman on July 4 spoke from a county-owned solar field near Creek Road in Westbend and urged residents to weigh in on how the county should pursue "energy independence" as interest in large computing facilities and local development increases.
"I've gotten a lot of questions and had a lot of discussion lately about AI data centers," Showman said. He noted data centers to the west in Beaver Dam and to the east in Port Washington and added, "I think probably the answer is no, or at least not anytime soon," when asked whether a data center would be built in Washington County.
Showman said conversations with data-center lobbyists and energy-company staff have centered on what such facilities need. "Number one is workforce," he said, and emphasized energy supply as another key requirement. He cited local solar-panel fields as one part of the county's response and named prospective solar projects being contemplated in the towns of Trenton and Aaron just outside Westbend and Hartford.
"How do we make Washington County a little bit more energy independent and become a net energy exporter for all of our neighbors?" Showman asked, framing the issue as a multi-year public-policy discussion. He said residents should expect community listening sessions, expert speakers and other public engagement in the coming months and years.
On possible supply options, Showman listed solar and wind as the primary near-term solutions and mentioned other sources for investigation, including liquefied natural gas, hydroelectricity and ‘‘micronuclear,’’ which he described as likely a decade away. He invited residents to submit feedback to the county executive's office and closed the segment by wishing residents a happy Independence Day and signing off from "Washco Weekly."
The remarks are a call for public input rather than a policy decision; Showman described upcoming deliberations and outreach rather than announcing immediate actions or approvals.
