Residents discuss data center strategies at Jo Daviess meeting
Residents and advocates in Jo Daviess County, Illinois, discussed the impacts of rapid data center growth on water, energy, utility costs, and environmental health. The meeting highlighted the pending POWER Act, aimed at developer accountability, and strategies local governments can use for future data center projects. Concerns were raised about data centers driving up energy prices and the significant electricity demand from approved projects statewide.
Residents and advocacy groups convened at the Galena Arts and Recreation Center in Jo Daviess County, Illinois, to address the escalating concerns surrounding data center development. The "Let’s Talk Data Centers" event, organized by the League of Women Voters of Jo Daviess County, Prairie Rivers Network, and Citizens Utility Board, focused on the potential impacts of rapid data center expansion on Illinois's water supplies, energy consumption, utility costs, and environmental health.
Attendees were informed about the statewide proliferation of data centers, the proposed POWER Act—a piece of legislation intended to hold developers accountable and protect ratepayers—and strategies local governments can implement when evaluating new projects. Shari Kochman, president of the League of Women Voters of Jo Daviess County, emphasized the event's goal of empowering residents with knowledge to understand and respond to these issues, including supporting the POWER Act at the state level and exploring local actions.
Despite not advancing in the spring session, the POWER Act is expected to be reconsidered during the fall legislative veto session, following Governor JB Pritzker's halt on new data center tax incentives. Scott Allen, an energy policy specialist with Citizens Utility Board, highlighted that data center demand, which accounts for over 5 gigawatts from approved projects in Illinois—exceeding Chicago's energy demand—is a significant factor in rising energy and capacity prices across PJM and MISO territories.
Andrew Rehn, climate policy director at Prairie Rivers Network, noted the increasing challenges communities face as more data center proposals emerge. Event organizers indicated that similar discussions have been hosted in other Illinois communities, aiming to foster information exchange and collaborative solutions to manage data center impacts.