Tom Uttech, an 83-year-old landscape painter who has lived on his 52-acre property in Saukville, Wisconsin, for nearly four decades, may soon face losing a portion of his land due to plans for a massive AI data center. The utility company notified Uttech that a power line, potentially taller than the Statue of Liberty, would need to cross his property to supply electricity to the $15 billion data center project in nearby Port Washington, part of the Trump administration’s $500 billion Stargate initiative with OpenAI and Oracle, reports Baltimore Chronicle with reference to ABC News.
Uttech’s property, filled with rolling hills and mature trees he planted in 1988, has inspired decades of work displayed in museums nationwide. The artist describes the planned transmission lines as a direct threat to the environment he has cultivated and the creative inspiration for his art. “I couldn’t believe it, and I still don’t,” Uttech said, recalling his reaction to receiving the notice.
Across the United States, more than 3,000 data centers exist, with over 1,200 currently under construction, according to Data Center Map. These facilities require immense amounts of energy. “A single warehouse can use as much electricity as a large U.S. city,” Ari Peskoe of Harvard’s Electricity Law Initiative told ABC News, emphasizing that new infrastructure to support these centers is unprecedented in scale.
The Trump administration has prioritized rapid AI deployment to maintain competitive advantage over nations like China, citing national security concerns. During the Stargate initiative announcement in January, former President Trump said, “We have an emergency, we have to get this stuff built. They have to produce a lot of electricity, and we’ll make it possible.”
In Port Washington, Mayor Ted Neitzke highlighted the economic potential of the project. “It’s going to transform our community, create jobs, and increase the tax base,” he said. Neitzke added that once financing is finalized, the data center will contribute significantly to local property taxes, benefiting city services and infrastructure.
Industry representatives emphasized the economic benefits, citing investments, high-wage jobs, and tax revenue that support schools, transportation, and public safety. However, community concerns have grown regarding eminent domain and rising electricity costs. Nationwide, electricity prices increased 6.9% in 2025, more than double the inflation rate, with Goldman Sachs economists projecting data centers to account for about 40% of future electricity demand growth.
Local group Great Lakes Neighbors has organized protests, including a recent rally at the state capitol. Tensions escalated last December when several protesters were arrested during a city council meeting after vocal opposition to the project. Neitzke defended law enforcement, stating the incidents are not typical but acknowledging he has received threats targeting himself and his family due to his support for the project.
Both OpenAI and Oracle have pledged to cover energy costs for the data center to prevent rate increases for local residents. OpenAI spokesperson Jamie Radice confirmed that renewable energy will be utilized to support operations without raising electricity prices. Oracle added that 70% of the Port Washington campus’s power will come from zero-emission sources, with $2,000 MW of new renewable energy added to Wisconsin’s grid, fully funded by the company rather than ratepayers.
The final route for the transmission lines will be determined by the Public Service Commission of Wisconsin, which will review ATC’s proposed options, balancing cost, environmental impact, and landowner concerns. Vantage, the data center operator, expressed support for an alternative route along existing corridors to minimize impact on residents. ATC noted that the preferred route offers lower costs to ratepayers while addressing engineering and environmental considerations.
Uttech, working with the Wisconsin Institute for Law & Liberty, is determined to challenge the potential use of eminent domain. “The use of eminent domain must be the absolute last resort,” the firm stated in a letter to ATC. Lucas Vebber, deputy counsel at WILL, emphasized that the power lines would irreparably damage the natural landscape and wildlife cultivated over decades. Uttech remains committed to defending his property, saying, “They brought the fight to me and I’m not going to just roll over. I plan to fight right to the end.”
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