Aligned Data Center Holds Public Meeting For Residents To Ask Questions
Aligned Data Centers hosted a public meeting in Coal City, Illinois, to provide information about a proposed data center campus and address community concerns. Residents voiced questions about potential impacts on local well water and electricity rates, while Aligned highlighted projected tax revenues and job creation from the project.
Aligned Data Centers conducted a public meeting last week at Coal City High School to engage residents regarding a proposed data center campus. The planned facility would be constructed just south of Reed Road, adjacent to South Broadway, and the meeting allowed residents to schedule 30-minute slots to ask specific questions directly to company representatives.
During the meeting, a Coal City resident expressed concern about the potential for private wells to run dry due to the data center's water demands. An Aligned representative clarified that the proposed campus would utilize city water services and would not drill any wells on the property, asserting that it would therefore not impact residential wells that draw from different aquifers than the city's supply.
The company also outlined the project's economic benefits, estimating approximately $90 million annually in property taxes for the fully developed campus. Additionally, the data center is projected to contribute about $8 million per year to Coal City in municipal energy taxes once the buildings are at full utilization. Aligned Data Centers anticipates creating 680 jobs within the campus, split evenly between Aligned employees and customer staff who operate their equipment.
Further questions from attendees addressed potential increases in electric rates and the use of generators. Residents seeking more information were directed to the Village of Coal City's official website.