Illinois: data centers & your electric bill
As of October 1, 2026, AI GridWatch tracks 18 data center moratoriums or pushback actions in Illinois: 14 in force, 3 proposed, 1 expired, rejected or rescinded. The state has 244 tracked data center facilities using an estimated 12.0 TWh of electricity a year.
Everything GridWatch tracks in Illinois on one page — proposed projects, moratoriums, permits, officials, and the 2026 ballot.
Subscribe by RSS — moratorium changes and community headlines for Illinois.
As of July 2026 (3m ago) · changes over months · Source: U.S. Data Center Power Map by State — ElectricChoice.com compilation (updated July 2026; CC-BY 4.0). Underlying load research: LBNL 2024 US Data Center Energy Usage Report; rates: EIA
Facility counts vary by directory because each one draws the boundary differently — DataCenterMap lists 44 in Alabama where this table says 35, since it counts small network rooms alongside hyperscale campuses. Cite the TWh figure rather than the facility count when you can; it is the number that speaks to grid impact. Underlying load research is LBNL-2001637 (Dec 2024).
1Proposed data centers in Illinois (3)
0 still live · 3 decided or withdrawn. Each name links to the full dossier — ownership, intelligence log, and where to read the paper trail.
| Project | Where | Size | Behind it | Stage | Source |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| CloudHQ Mount Prospect | Mount Prospect | — | CloudHQ | Under construction | Source |
| CyrusOne Aurora | Aurora | 40 MW | CyrusOne | Source | |
| Karis Critical Plum Farms Data Center | Hoffman Estates (Cook County) | 180 ac | Karis Critical | Withdrawn | Source read 2026-08-14 |
2Pushback already happening in Illinois
| Where | Level | Status | Note | Source |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Bloomington | Local | Enactedexpires soon — 2026-11-26 | 6-month pause, unanimous; facilities over 5 MW. At least two public hearings required during the moratorium period | SourceNews read 2026-08-13 |
| Rockford | Local | Enactedexpires 2027-02-03 | 6-month pause passed 14-0. Does not cover the Edson Road parcel Monarch Energy is pursuing — an existing annexation agreement already permits data centers there | SourceNews read 2026-08-04 |
| Aurora | Local | Expiredterm ran to 2026-03-24 | 180-day moratorium, 10-1. Expired Mar 24, 2026 and replaced by permanent regulations: noise limits (56/46 dB day/evening), water standards, energy efficiency, annual reporting. 10 existing DCs | SourceNews read 2026-08-13 |
| Mattoon | Local | Enactedno fixed end — runs until a condition is met | 1-year moratorium on large-scale data centers, unanimous; renews automatically each year unless the council acts, so it has no fixed end date | SourceNews read 2026-09-04 |
| Champaign County | Local | Enactedexpires 2027-04-23 | 12-month moratorium on data centers >=10,000 sq ft on unincorporated land. Board reversed committee's 9-month recommendation after hearing from dozens of residents. 100+ attendees. Task force created | SourceNews read 2026-08-13 |
| Normal | Local | Enactedexpires soon — 2026-11-30 | 6-month moratorium through Nov 30, unanimous. Pause while leaders develop regulations | SourceNews read 2026-08-13 |
| Lake County | Local | Enactedexpires 2027-05-08 | 8-month moratorium on data center applications in unincorporated Lake County; unanimous County Board vote. First Chicago-area county to enact a pause. ZBA recommended unanimously Aug 18 | SourceNews read 2026-09-11 |
| Illinois (tax incentives) | State | Enactedexpires 2028-07-01 | Governor Pritzker paused Data Center Investment Program for 2 years. Existing incentive agreements honored. Legislature had adjourned without passing the POWER Act (SB4016/HB5513) | SourceNews read 2026-08-13 |
| Woodford County | Local | Enactedexpires 2027-02-18 | 6-month moratorium on data center applications, extendable once by another 6 months, while the county holds public hearings and drafts an ordinance. Unanimously approved at Aug 18 board meeting | SourceRoundup read 2026-09-11 |
| Chicago | Local | Proposedterm not documented | Mayor Brandon Johnson signed Executive Order 2026-5 on Aug 11, 2026, directing city departments to strengthen data center oversight and calling on City Council to enact a temporary moratorium. Executive order imposes enhanced air pollution, noise, and planned development review requirements immediately. City Council must approve the moratorium for it to take effect. 90-day rulemaking clock set for Dept of Environment. | SourceNews read 2026-09-06 |
| Ottawa | Local | Enactedexpires 2027-08-25 | Original 180-day moratorium established Mar 3, 2026. Unanimously extended Aug 19, 2026 through Aug 25, 2027 due to state inaction on the POWER Act. City drafting its own ordinance but waiting for state guidelines. | SourceNews read 2026-09-11 |
| Tazewell County | County | Proposedterm not documented | Board amended zoning code to prohibit unlisted uses and directed zoning department not to accept DC petitions while ordinance is developed (de facto moratorium). Formal moratorium discussed but opinions varied. Committee recommended removing agricultural land from DC sites. Ordinance still in development as of Aug 2026. | SourceRoundup read 2026-09-06 |
| Bourbonnais | Village | Enactedexpires 2027-01-31 | 180-day moratorium on data center applications; ~100 residents attended June 1 meeting raising concerns | SourceNews read 2026-09-11 |
| Plainfield | Village | Enactedexpires soon — 2026-10-18 | 180-day moratorium on data center and warehouse proposals; unanimous vote | SourceNews read 2026-09-11 |
| Carbondale | City | Enactedexpires 2027-06-23 | One-year moratorium on data center development; city council resolution; will research impacts and draft new zoning rules | SourceNews read 2026-09-11 |
| Effingham | City | Enactedexpires 2027-06-02 | 12-month moratorium on data center and crypto mine applications; 5-0 unanimous vote; applies within city limits and 1.5-mile ETJ | SourceNews read 2026-09-11 |
| Logan County | County | Enactedexpires 2027-05-19 | 12-month moratorium (6-4 vote) on large-scale data centers; declared procedurally invalid by state's attorney June 18 for skipping ZBA advisory vote; county redrafting as of Aug 2026. Related to proposed $5B Hut 8 Logan Prairie Data Center | SourceNews read 2026-09-11 |
| Macon County | County | Proposedterm not documented | Zoning Board of Appeals recommended 1-year moratorium; county board vote pending as of late June 2026 | SourceNews read 2026-09-11 |
As of August 2026 (2m ago) · changes weekly — re-check before citing
Illustrative rather than exhaustive — dozens of localities churn weekly, and this tracks the ones we have read a source for. **Each row carries its own provenance.** Rows showing a verification date link to the ordinance, the enacting body's own page, or a datable report of the vote, and were read on that date. Rows marked *unverified* came from bulk compilation and have not been checked against a primary source — the locality, the year, and the status may all be off. Verify one of those with the town clerk before citing it as precedent. **Expiry is derived, not asserted.** A row with a documented end date flips to *Expired* on its own once that date passes. A time-limited moratorium whose start date was never documented keeps showing as enacted — that is a known gap, not a claim that it is still in force. Moratoriums are also routinely extended, so an expiry date is the earliest it could have ended, not proof that it did.
3Other Illinois communities in the news (2)
Places with archived data-center coverage but no moratorium on file. Grouped automatically from headlines and not verified — a lead worth reading, not a claim to cite.
4Known data center campuses in Illinois
| Operator | Location | Tenant | Filing LLC |
|---|---|---|---|
| Meta | DeKalb | Meta | Codename shells: Greater Kudu, Raven Northbrook, Stadion, Wobniar, Pinnacle Mountain |
| Microsoft | Chicago | Microsoft | Project-name / generic 'Holdings LLC'; less consistently codenamed |
⏳ No verification date recorded · changes over months · Source: Operator ownership & filing-LLC naming patterns — compiled from operator releases and county filings, then checked against SEC EDGAR full-text search. Composite, not a single citation: look the entity up yourself before naming it in a filing
Each row carries its own attribution level — first-party rows come from the operator's own site, but colocation and REIT ownership was compiled from trade press and never passed an independent fact-check. Check the attribution column before citing a row.
5Every data center already built in Illinois
The campuses above are the ones GridWatch tracks by operator and filing LLC. For the full inventory — street addresses of every existing facility, including the smaller colocation and network sites — DataCenterMap keeps a public directory for Illinois.
Browse the Illinois directory →
Two caveats before you cite it at a hearing: it lists facilities that already exist, so a newly proposed campus will not appear; and it counts a small network room the same as a hyperscale campus, so the facility count is not a measure of power draw or community impact.
6Your regulator
Illinois Commerce Commission — website · file a complaint
Official state energy data: EIA Illinois electricity profile — generation, prices, and consumption from the U.S. Energy Information Administration.
7Where the Illinois paper trail lives
Air & environmental permits: Illinois EPA — Bureau of Air
No searchable register. Illinois does not publish a permit database you can query. A public-records request to the agency is the only route to the file.
Grid interconnection queue: PJM Interconnection (Mid-Atlantic, Ohio Valley) · MISO (Midwest & Gulf)
A routing hint only — several states are split between markets, and the serving utility is the only authority on which queue a given site is in.
These are places to look, not evidence that anything has been filed. Links were checked on 2026-08-21; search links are queries, not records.
8Your federal delegation and governor
Grades cross party — this is an issue axis, not a partisan one. A blank grade means no documented action was located, never that the official is neutral.
| Grade | Official | Documented action (sourced) | Reach them |
|---|---|---|---|
| — | JB Pritzker Democratic · Governor | No documented action on data centers located | site · contact |
| A | Richard J. Durbin Democratic · Senator · on the 2026 ballot | Cosponsored the Power for the People Act and introduced the Data Center Water and Energy Transparency Act (S. 4213). — Sen. Durbin introduces the Data Center Water and Energy Transparency Act (2026) Guardrails In March 2026 Durbin introduced the Data Center Water and Energy Transparency Act (S. 4213), requiring data centers to report energy and water use to states and federal agencies. sources | site · contact |
| A | Tammy Duckworth Democratic · Senator · next on the ballot 2028 | Cosponsored the Power for the People Act, making data-center operators pay the grid costs they create. — Sen. Welch joins bill so Americans aren't footing big data-center costs (2026) | site · contact |
| — | Jonathan L. Jackson Democratic · Representative 1 | No documented action on data centers located | site · contact |
| — | Bradley Scott Schneider Democratic · Representative 10 | No documented action on data centers located | site · contact |
| — | Bill Foster Democratic · Representative 11 | No documented action on data centers located | site · contact |
| — | Mike Bost Republican · Representative 12 | No documented action on data centers located | site · contact |
| — | Nikki Budzinski Democratic · Representative 13 | No documented action on data centers located | site · contact |
| — | Lauren Underwood Democratic · Representative 14 | No documented action on data centers located | site · contact |
| — | Mary E. Miller Republican · Representative 15 | No documented action on data centers located | site · contact |
| — | Darin LaHood Republican · Representative 16 | No documented action on data centers located | site · contact |
| — | Eric Sorensen Democratic · Representative 17 | No documented action on data centers located | site · contact |
| — | Robin L. Kelly Democratic · Representative 2 | No documented action on data centers located | site · contact |
| — | Delia C. Ramirez Democratic · Representative 3 | No documented action on data centers located | site · contact |
| — | Jesús G. "Chuy" García Democratic · Representative 4 | No documented action on data centers located | site · contact |
| — | Mike Quigley Democratic · Representative 5 | No documented action on data centers located | site · contact |
| — | Sean Casten Democratic · Representative 6 | No documented action on data centers located | site · contact |
| — | Danny K. Davis Democratic · Representative 7 | No documented action on data centers located | site · contact |
| — | Raja Krishnamoorthi Democratic · Representative 8 | No documented action on data centers located | site · contact |
| — | Janice D. Schakowsky Democratic · Representative 9 | No documented action on data centers located | site · contact |
Roster: regenerated by scripts/refresh_officials.py (Senate XML + congress-legislators + current governors).
Write to your senators → Your senators in detail → Full officials scorecard → Find your state legislators →
92026 U.S. Senate race
PVI D+6 · Seat held by Dick Durbin (Democratic) · Incumbent retiring
Don Tracy (Republican) No record found
No documented statement or action on data centers located. Not scored — see how this page treats silence.
Juliana Stratton (Democratic) No record found
No documented statement or action on data centers located. Not scored — see how this page treats silence.
Ballot roster: state candidate list (read 2026-08-25).
102026 U.S. House races in Illinois (17)
A documented data-center record exists in 12 of 17 districts. A candidate with no badge colour has said nothing we could locate — that is a gap in the record, not a neutral position. ★ marks an incumbent.
| District | PVI | Incumbent | Candidates |
|---|---|---|---|
| IL-1 | D+18 | Jonathan Jackson | Jonathan Jackson ★ Christian Maxwell |
| IL-2 | D+18 | Robin Kelly | Donna Miller Michael Noack |
| IL-3 | D+17 | Delia Ramirez | Delia Ramirez ★ Angel Oakley |
| IL-4 | D+17 | Chuy García | Lupe Castillo Patty Garcia Chris Getty Ed Hershey |
| IL-5 | D+19 | Mike Quigley | Mike Quigley ★ Tommy Hanson |
| IL-6 | D+3 | Sean Casten | Sean Casten ★ Niki Conforti |
| IL-7 | D+34 | Danny Davis | Chad Koppie La Shawn Ford |
| IL-8 | D+5 | Raja Krishnamoorthi | Jennifer Davis Melissa Bean |
| IL-9 | D+19 | Jan Schakowsky | Daniel Biss John Elleson |
| IL-10 | D+12 | Brad Schneider | Brad Schneider ★ Carl Lambrecht |
| IL-11 | D+6 | Bill Foster | Bill Foster ★ Jeff Walter |
| IL-12 | R+22 | Mike Bost | Mike Bost ★ Julie Fortier |
| IL-13 | D+5 | Nikki Budzinski | Nikki Budzinski ★ Jeff Wilson |
| IL-14 | D+3 | Lauren Underwood | Lauren Underwood ★ James Marter |
| IL-15 | R+20 | Mary Miller | Mary Miller ★ Jennifer Todd |
| IL-16 | R+11 | Darin LaHood | Darin LaHood ★ Paul Nolley |
| IL-17 | D+3 | Eric Sorensen | Eric Sorensen ★ Dillan Vancil |
The documented records (12 districts)
IL-1
Jonathan Jackson (Democratic) · incumbent Consensus vote only
On the record only for voting yes on H.R. 9340, the Ratepayer Protection Act (417-3). No other data-center record located yet.
- Voted yes on H.R. 9340, the Ratepayer Protection Act, which passed 417-3 (roll call 312). It directs state utility commissions to consider rate designs making data centers with 100 MW or more of peak demand at one site pay the full incremental cost of the generation and grid upgrades they require. A near-unanimous vote: shown on the record, not scored on its own. (2026-09-16 — source)
Record read 2026-09-22.
IL-3
Delia Ramirez (Democratic) · incumbent Guardrails
Voted no on the Ratepayer Protection Act — not against making data centers pay, but because, she said, it only suggests states act and does not address the threats data centers pose to her district.
- One of three members to vote no on H.R. 9340, the Ratepayer Protection Act (passed 417-3). To NBC News: the bill “does not address the concerns of our constituents and the threats that data centers pose,” and “my district is demanding more than a bill that suggests states take action.” (2026-09-16 — source)
Record read 2026-09-22.
IL-5
Mike Quigley (Democratic) · incumbent Consensus vote only
On the record only for voting yes on H.R. 9340, the Ratepayer Protection Act (417-3). No other data-center record located yet.
- Voted yes on H.R. 9340, the Ratepayer Protection Act, which passed 417-3 (roll call 312). It directs state utility commissions to consider rate designs making data centers with 100 MW or more of peak demand at one site pay the full incremental cost of the generation and grid upgrades they require. A near-unanimous vote: shown on the record, not scored on its own. (2026-09-16 — source)
Record read 2026-09-22.
IL-6
Sean Casten (Democratic) · incumbent Guardrails
Co-led the Energy Bills Relief Act requiring data centers to pay their own energy infrastructure costs rather than passing expenses to residential ratepayers
- Co-introduced the Energy Bills Relief Act with Rep. Mike Levin, requiring data centers to pay their own energy infrastructure costs (2026-03-18 — source)
- Voted yes on H.R. 9340, the Ratepayer Protection Act, which passed 417-3 (roll call 312). It directs state utility commissions to consider rate designs making data centers with 100 MW or more of peak demand at one site pay the full incremental cost of the generation and grid upgrades they require. A near-unanimous vote: shown on the record, not scored on its own. (2026-09-16 — source)
Record read 2026-09-11.
IL-10
Brad Schneider (Democratic) · incumbent Consensus vote only
On the record only for voting yes on H.R. 9340, the Ratepayer Protection Act (417-3). No other data-center record located yet.
- Voted yes on H.R. 9340, the Ratepayer Protection Act, which passed 417-3 (roll call 312). It directs state utility commissions to consider rate designs making data centers with 100 MW or more of peak demand at one site pay the full incremental cost of the generation and grid upgrades they require. A near-unanimous vote: shown on the record, not scored on its own. (2026-09-16 — source)
Record read 2026-09-22.
IL-11
Bill Foster (Democratic) · incumbent Consensus vote only
On the record only for voting yes on H.R. 9340, the Ratepayer Protection Act (417-3). No other data-center record located yet.
- Voted yes on H.R. 9340, the Ratepayer Protection Act, which passed 417-3 (roll call 312). It directs state utility commissions to consider rate designs making data centers with 100 MW or more of peak demand at one site pay the full incremental cost of the generation and grid upgrades they require. A near-unanimous vote: shown on the record, not scored on its own. (2026-09-16 — source)
Record read 2026-09-22.
IL-12
Mike Bost (Republican) · incumbent Consensus vote only
On the record only for voting yes on H.R. 9340, the Ratepayer Protection Act (417-3). No other data-center record located yet.
- Voted yes on H.R. 9340, the Ratepayer Protection Act, which passed 417-3 (roll call 312). It directs state utility commissions to consider rate designs making data centers with 100 MW or more of peak demand at one site pay the full incremental cost of the generation and grid upgrades they require. A near-unanimous vote: shown on the record, not scored on its own. (2026-09-16 — source)
Record read 2026-09-22.
IL-13
Nikki Budzinski (Democratic) · incumbent Consensus vote only
On the record only for voting yes on H.R. 9340, the Ratepayer Protection Act (417-3). No other data-center record located yet.
- Voted yes on H.R. 9340, the Ratepayer Protection Act, which passed 417-3 (roll call 312). It directs state utility commissions to consider rate designs making data centers with 100 MW or more of peak demand at one site pay the full incremental cost of the generation and grid upgrades they require. A near-unanimous vote: shown on the record, not scored on its own. (2026-09-16 — source)
Record read 2026-09-22.
IL-14
Lauren Underwood (Democratic) · incumbent Guardrails
Introduced the Data Center Water and Energy Transparency Act requiring operators to report energy and water use to states, EPA, and federal agencies.
- Introduced H.R. 9825, the Data Center Water and Energy Transparency Act, requiring data center operators to report energy and water use to states, EPA, and the Secretaries of Energy and Agriculture. (2026-07-22 — source)
- Voted yes on H.R. 9340, the Ratepayer Protection Act, which passed 417-3 (roll call 312). It directs state utility commissions to consider rate designs making data centers with 100 MW or more of peak demand at one site pay the full incremental cost of the generation and grid upgrades they require. A near-unanimous vote: shown on the record, not scored on its own. (2026-09-16 — source)
Record read 2026-09-12.
IL-15
Mary Miller (Republican) · incumbent Consensus vote only
On the record only for voting yes on H.R. 9340, the Ratepayer Protection Act (417-3). No other data-center record located yet.
- Voted yes on H.R. 9340, the Ratepayer Protection Act, which passed 417-3 (roll call 312). It directs state utility commissions to consider rate designs making data centers with 100 MW or more of peak demand at one site pay the full incremental cost of the generation and grid upgrades they require. A near-unanimous vote: shown on the record, not scored on its own. (2026-09-16 — source)
Record read 2026-09-22.
IL-16
Darin LaHood (Republican) · incumbent Consensus vote only
On the record only for voting yes on H.R. 9340, the Ratepayer Protection Act (417-3). No other data-center record located yet.
- Voted yes on H.R. 9340, the Ratepayer Protection Act, which passed 417-3 (roll call 312). It directs state utility commissions to consider rate designs making data centers with 100 MW or more of peak demand at one site pay the full incremental cost of the generation and grid upgrades they require. A near-unanimous vote: shown on the record, not scored on its own. (2026-09-16 — source)
Record read 2026-09-22.
IL-17
Eric Sorensen (Democratic) · incumbent Consensus vote only
On the record only for voting yes on H.R. 9340, the Ratepayer Protection Act (417-3). No other data-center record located yet.
- Voted yes on H.R. 9340, the Ratepayer Protection Act, which passed 417-3 (roll call 312). It directs state utility commissions to consider rate designs making data centers with 100 MW or more of peak demand at one site pay the full incremental cost of the generation and grid upgrades they require. A near-unanimous vote: shown on the record, not scored on its own. (2026-09-16 — source)
Record read 2026-09-22.
11Latest Illinois data center news
No Illinois data-center headlines in this week's national scan — local coverage often runs ahead of it.
Search live Illinois data center news → GridWatch news feed →
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State municipal league: Illinois Municipal League