LETTER: PSC ruling was a victory, but power lines battle is not over

To Ozaukee Press:

Last Thursday’s extraordinary decision by the Public Service Commission to revoke its completeness determination for American Transmission Company’s application to transmit massive amounts of power to the Port Washington data center —the first time the agency has done so in its 95-year history—is welcome news for every family, farm and neighborhood along the proposed routes. But it is not the finish line. It is a reminder that this process only works when citizens stay engaged. Over 2,500 citizens provided public comments to the PSC urging the revocation.

This is not over. It is highly likely that ATC will revise its application and reapply. Residents should read the revised filing when it appears, submit public comments and attend the public hearings if they can.

This project is part of a much larger story playing out across Wisconsin and the country: the incredible rush to build transmission capacity for data centers and AI, often at the expense of local landowners and irreplaceable natural and cultural heritage.

We should be grateful for last week’s ruling. We should also recognize it changed the odds, not the outcome. The properties, farmland, wildlife, rural landscapes and ancient effigy mounds of Ozaukee County deserve nothing less than our continued vigilance.

Joseph P. Gromacki

Fredonia