Residents victorious in fight to stop Pekin, Illinois data center

Residents of Pekin, Illinois successfully opposed the construction of a proposed AI data center in their city. The city council announced it would not move forward with approving the project, citing uncertainty and division in the community. Residents raised concerns about the environmental impact, particularly on electricity and water usage, as well as the rising utility costs for residents. The opposition group had organized extensively, distributing over 1,100 signs and packing city council meetings, which surprised the council. The group is now pushing the city to fully rescind all ordinances and agreements related to the data center project.