Wisconsin ratepayers still owe $1B on “zombie” power plants. (PBS Wisconsin)
Ratepayers are currently on the hook for ~$1B in “stranded assets”—retired coal plants that have stopped producing power but will remain on monthly bills until as late as 2039.
Utilities earn a guaranteed profit on dead assets like these, raising fears that the rush to build massive new capacity for AI could leave the public holding the bag for another generation of expensive infrastructure if the boom goes bust.