What has happened in Wiscasset so far?

End of 2024: Members of the Wiscasset town government began discussions with representatives of a company exploring the possibility of constructing a five-billion dollar Hyperscale AI Data Center on a 300-acre (approximate) parcel along the Back River. The parcel is owned by the town of Wiscasset, its southern boundary is Ferry Road, and it is across that road from the Maine Yankee site. (Tax Map R-08, Lot 6 - 297.55 acres) 

July 21st, 2025: Town Manager, Dennis Simmons, notified the Lincoln County Commissioners office that the town was arranging for representatives of the company interested in the data center to meet with the Selectboard to discuss the potential project. That meeting was scheduled for August 19th.  See direct quote below.  There has been no other mention of this meeting so we are not able to provide details of what may or may not have transpired. 

"We are arranging for the individuals proposing the data center to meet with the selectboard to review a proposal.  As our Board is not meeting on August 5th, the meeting will take place on August 19th.  I expect the Board to make a final decision whether to move forward at that meeting."

August 19th, 2025: Town Manager, Dennis Simmons, signed a nondisclosure agreement (NDA) with this company, forbidding the town to disclose any information about the project, including the name of the company. 

September 16th, 2025: News of the potential project became public when it was discussed at a Lincoln County Commissioner’s meeting in regard to federal ARPA funds the town had been awarded to develop housing on the same parcel of land.  This was subsequently publicized by the press. In response, concerned citizens from Wiscasset, Westport Island, and surrounding areas joined together to oppose the potential development, forming Protect Wiscasset in October. 

November 4th, 2025: The Wiscasset Selectboard adopted a resolution to “pause” all discussion and agenda items pertaining to the data center while they design a new, ‘transparent’ process for evaluating future development proposals for both the 300-acre Ferry Road parcel, as well as an adjacent parcel at Mason Station (also called Birch Point). This pause followed strong community concern, including public comment, outreach, and direct communication with town officials.  

• It was not clarified what the new development proposal process will be or how it will differ from the current one.
• The Selectboard voted that a working group of Selectboard members, town officials, and the town attorney will develop this new process.  No community members will be invited to participate.
• No timeline has been provided for the development of the new process. At the meeting, the Selectboard indicated that the process could take weeks or months.
• At the meeting: when asked directly:
  • The Selectboard did not confirm whether the Data Center development company, that the town had signed the NDA with, would be subjected to the new development review process.
  • The Selectboard did not commit to guaranteeing a town vote at the end of the new review process.
  • The Selectboard declined to commit to avoiding NDAs in future development negotiations.

We are actively following the process and will update the timeline as new information becomes available.