WHY IS LIFE SO HARD?Data-center field guide
Wisconsin facility dossier · sources checked 2026-11-08

Vantage Lighthouse campus — Port Washington, Wisconsin

Vantage Data Centers is developing the Lighthouse campus in Port Washington on 672 acres. Wisconsin's DNR has issued wetland, stormwater and air permits, and the city has approved a development agreement.

At a glance

Operator
Vantage Data Centers (Denver-based)
Jurisdiction
City of Port Washington, Ozaukee County, Wisconsin
Site
672 acres of former farmland about 1 mile inland from Lake Michigan; Vantage owns 1,644 acres
Power
About 1.3 GW (city figure); ATC transmission under PSC review
Investment
About $8 billion in the first phase (city figure)
Status
Under construction; air permits issued June 12, 2026

What the sources establish

  • Vantage is developing the Lighthouse campus on 672 acres of previously agricultural land about one mile inland from Lake Michigan, and it owns 1,644 acres in total. [1]
  • The DNR says the project needs its permits for wetlands, stormwater and air emissions, and the city is seeking sanitary sewer extensions. [1]
  • On Dec. 9, 2025, the DNR released an environmental analysis summary, and on June 12, 2026, a supplemental report. [1]
  • On June 12, 2026, the DNR issued a minor source construction permit and an initial operation permit for 45 diesel-fired emergency generators. [1]
  • The DNR held a public comment period on the draft air permits from March 3 to April 14, 2026, including a hearing on April 14. [1]
  • The city council has approved a development agreement with Vantage, which plans to spend $8 billion on four data center buildings in the first phase. [2]
  • The four buildings are expected to need 1.3 GW of electricity, and the campus will use closed-loop cooling that does not continuously draw fresh water. [2]
  • The city expects 10,852 construction jobs and 508 operations jobs, and construction on both phases is expected to run through 2034. [2]
  • The DNR is also cooperating with the state utility regulator on American Transmission Company's proposed Ozaukee County Distribution Interconnection Project to serve the campus. [1]

Conflicts. The 1.3 GW figure and the job numbers come from the city and reporters, not from the DNR. The DNR page describes the campus as being constructed, while the 2025 article describes groundbreaking as still weeks away. The DNR page is updated over time and was read as it stood on Nov. 8, 2026.

Timeline

  1. Oct. 2025 — City has approved a development agreement; groundbreaking expected within six to eight weeks (per the mayor).
  2. Dec. 9–11, 2025 — DNR releases the environmental analysis summary; issues the WEPA compliance determination, wetland exemptions and stormwater coverage.
  3. Mar. 3–Apr. 14, 2026 — Public comment period and hearing on the draft air permits.
  4. June 12, 2026 — DNR issues air permits for 45 diesel generators and releases a supplemental environmental report.

What this page does not establish

  • Power service timing and the final transmission route.
  • Water supply details beyond the closed-loop design.
  • Whether the 45 generators will run on diesel only for backup.
  • Whether construction has reached all four buildings.

What to check next

  1. DNR Port Washington EIA page for new permits and reports.
  2. Public Service Commission docket for the Ozaukee County interconnection.
  3. City of Port Washington development agreement and tax incremental terms.
  4. Sewer service area amendment filings.