Virginia-based QTS Data Centers has proposed a 615-acre, $3 billion campus along Highway V west of DeForest that could include as many as 15 buildings, the Wisconsin State Journal reports. The project, which could create 450 permanent positions along with thousands of temporary construction jobs, would also generate millions of dollars in property tax revenue.
Data centers provide businesses with computing capacity without necessitating that those businesses invest in the physical facilities necessary for storing and maintaining computer servers, which require large amounts of power and cooling systems. With artificial intelligence (AI) on the rise, the demand for server capacity has increased, spurring a boom in data center construction.
QTS operates, is developing or has plans for data centers in 17 U.S. states and in Europe. Its plans in Dane County are in their infancy; the firm filed a request letter on July 1 with local officials to begin the planning process. The company has not yet released specific renderings, potential customers, a project timeline or the amount of energy required for the campus.
