Microsoft has paused construction on parts of its $3.3 billion data center campus in Mount Pleasant, Wisconsin. While the company has approval to develop up to 1,000 acres in the village, it is proceeding with the first phase of the plan but reviewing the remainder of the development.

Explaining the pause, Microsoft stated to Wisconsin Public Radio: “We have paused early construction work for this second phase while we evaluate scope and recent changes in technology and consider how this might impact the design of our facilities.”

The company plans to meet with state officials once its evaluation is complete. “We anticipate that this process will last months,” the statement continued. “In the meantime, our commitment to and construction of our planned data center campus continues with high priority for our business.”

Microsoft had previously committed to investing $3.3 billion in Wisconsin by 2026, and the company assured WPR that it remains on track to meet that goal.

The construction pause may be related to plans for incorporating advanced technology, such as a closed-loop zero-water evaporation cooling system, at the Mount Pleasant site, which was also reported for a similar facility in Phoenix, Arizona. Microsoft has been approached for comment regarding this.

Regarding the current status of construction, the campus will span three sites in Mount Pleasant. Work is still underway on a 215-acre parcel on 90th Street, expected to be completed later this year. However, construction has stopped on a 115-acre development to the west of this site and a 791-acre plot on Durand Avenue.

Microsoft broke ground on the 90th Street site in 2023, with plans originally to develop 315 acres of land that had been reserved for a Foxconn manufacturing hub. The company also gained approval for a 1,000-acre expansion earlier this year and has been actively acquiring the necessary land, including a 160-acre parcel bought for $43 million in August.

Sean Ryan, spokesperson for Mount Pleasant, commented to WPR, stating that officials “have no reason to believe” that the “overall scope or nature” of the project is changing. He also added: “We appreciate Microsoft being transparent with village leaders about the construction timeline for its Mount Pleasant data centers.”