Rochelle city council delays vote on data center amid community concern

The Rochelle City Council in Illinois recently delayed a vote on a proposed data center development, tabling a development agreement with L-F-F Industrial, also known as Midwest Power Investors. The decision came after an hour-long debate and significant community concern, surprising some residents who had anticipated the project would pass without extensive discussion. Resident Megan Sneyd, a wildlife educator, was the sole public speaker against the data center during the council meeting, expressing deep worries about the project's implications. Mayor John Bearrow also voiced concerns, stating he would prefer to see more industry that creates jobs and benefits schools with students, suggesting the data center's economic contributions might not be sufficient. The proposed facility is a 48-megawatt data center, with potential for expansion to 150 megawatts. Midwest Power Investors indicated they would cover construction costs. However, the project's high resource demands were a point of contention; staff estimated the facility could require up to 50,000 gallons of water per day. While the city, which owns its electric utility, initially projected decreased bills if the center were built, officials conceded that an expanded 150-megawatt facility could exhaust the city's extra power supply. The council ultimately voted four to three to table the data center proposal, with no clear timeline for its return for a vote. Residents like Sneyd hope the delay provides more opportunity for public input.