Imagine a huge data center that powers the artificial intelligence (AI) of the future while also taking care of the people and environment around it. That is exactly what Microsoft wants to do as it faces growing opposition from U.S. residents over higher electricity prices and water consumption in places where large data centers are located. The company recently announced a new plan called "community first," under which it promises to pay the full cost of energy, reject local tax breaks, and invest in training local people. All of this comes in response to complaints from places such as Wisconsin, where one of the world's most powerful AI centers is being built.
President Trump commented on the matter on his Truth Social platform, where he praised Microsoft for saying the company would "make major changes" and ensure that Americans would not "foot the bill" for these centers' energy consumption. The Trump administration is working with technology giants to protect consumers from rising prices. Trump called Microsoft the "first in line" and suggested that more announcements would be coming soon. The post appeared one day before Microsoft's official announcement in Washington, D.C., and shows how the issue has reached the highest levels of politics.
The Most Powerful AI Data Center in Mount Pleasant
In Mount Pleasant, Wisconsin, Microsoft is completing construction of the Fairwater data center, which is expected to be the world's most powerful facility for training AI models. The company has already invested $3.3 billion (approximately CZK 75.9 billion) and is now adding another $4 billion (approximately CZK 92 billion) for a second similar center, bringing the total to more than $7 billion (approximately CZK 168 billion). The center will contain hundreds of thousands of NVIDIA's most powerful GPUs, connected by enough fiber-optic cable to circle the Earth four times. These processors will make it possible to train AI models ten times faster than today's supercomputers, helping drive new discoveries in medicine and science.
Construction employs up to 3,000 workers a day, including electricians, plumbers, carpenters, concrete workers, and machine operators. Once the first center becomes fully operational at the beginning of this year, it will employ around 500 people full-time, with the second center increasing that number to 800 jobs. Microsoft is working with local unions and schools such as Gateway Technical College, where it launched Wisconsin's first Datacenter Academy. The academy will train more than 1,000 students over five years for careers in data centers.
Sustainability First
Microsoft is focusing on environmental sustainability to minimize the impact on the surrounding area. More than 90% of the Fairwater center uses a closed-loop liquid cooling system that recycles water without requiring additional consumption. The rest is air-cooled and uses water only on the hottest days. Its total annual water consumption is comparable to that of an average restaurant or the amount used by an 18-hole golf course during the summer weeks.
Microsoft will prepay for all energy infrastructure so that prices do not increase for local residents. Every kilowatt-hour generated from fossil fuels will be matched by the same amount from renewable sources, including a new 250 MW solar project in Portage County. The company is working with WE Energies on transparent rates to ensure grid reliability. It is also investing in habitat restoration. Microsoft is planning 20 prairie and wetland restoration projects in Racine and Kenosha, including Cliffside Park near Lake Michigan, Lamparek Creek in Mount Pleasant, Kirkorian Park in Sturtevant, and the Shagbark Restoration Area in Kenosha.
Community Commitments
Brad Smith, Microsoft's president and vice president, described this shift as "the right and smart thing to do." The company is promising transparency—no more secret land purchases under non-disclosure agreements. Instead, it wants to build strong relationships with communities. Its commitments include improving water efficiency by 40% by 2030, replenishing more water than it consumes, providing training through a partnership with North America’s Building Trades Unions, paying full local taxes without seeking tax breaks, and offering AI education in schools, libraries, and chambers of commerce. Microsoft has already expanded broadband internet access for more than 9,300 rural residents and 1,200 homes and businesses in Sturtevant.
This approach responds to electricity price increases of 12–16% in areas with data centers in Virginia, Illinois, and Ohio, where these facilities are placing additional strain on the grid. Microsoft acknowledges that the old way of operating is no longer sufficient and wants to inspire other companies such as Amazon, Google, and Meta. Brad Smith said that the company is adding internal resources to fulfill these commitments because they are crucial to long-term success.
Sources: wsj.com and geekwire.com
