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Data center project · Wood County, Wisconsin

PNK Group data center campus, former Wisconsin Rapids paper mill

Proposed · A phased campus reusing a paper mill site faces a recommended denial after city staff found the permit application incomplete. Also known as: DC Rapids LLC.

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Status
Proposed · as of Sept. 16, 2026
Location
950 Fourth Ave. N., former paper mill property, City of Wisconsin Rapids · Wood County
Status note
Plan commission voted 7-0 against recommending the conditional use permit; the Common Council vote was set for Oct. 20, 2026, and no outcome had been reported when this file was checked that day.
Power
150 MW
Applicant's phased load in its April 29, 2026 letter to the city: about 40 MW in 2027, 100 MW by 2028 and 150 MW by 2030. Not the backup generators listed separately.
Floor area
1,200,000 sq ft
Land
209 acres
Developer and team
PNK Group USA; PCH WI Holdings LLC / DC Rapids LLC (applicants)
Utility
Consolidated Water Power Co., with American Transmission Co.
Water
Closed-loop cooling; early estimate about 10,000 gallons a day
Evidence
Primary public records
Size class
50 MW or more (tracker scope)
Map position approximate, from the reported address or area. Updated Oct. 17, 2026.

Updates, newest first

  1. Sept. 16, 2026 The plan commission voted 7-0 against recommending the permit after staff cited missing items, including utility approval. (WSAU (WAOW), Sept. 16, 2026)
  2. Aug. 28, 2026 The city scheduled a Sept. 16 public hearing on the permit application from DC Rapids LLC. (City of Wisconsin Rapids, Aug. 28, 2026)
  3. Aug. 10, 2026 The plan commission voted 6-0 to begin drafting a 12-month data center moratorium that would apply to future projects, not the PNK proposal. (WAOW, Aug. 10, 2026)
  4. April 29, 2026 PNK Group's counsel asked the city for a conditional use permit for about 1.2 million square feet of data center buildings on about 210 acres. (City of Wisconsin Rapids, April 29, 2026; Wausau Pilot & Review (Daily Tribune reporting), May 17, 2026)

Conflicts and open questions

  • A WSAW report described a 670,000-square-foot campus; the application describes about 1.2 million square feet of buildings and structures.

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