Proposed Joliet data center highlights grid strain, clean energy needs in Illinois

An opinion piece in the Chicago Tribune criticizes the decision by Hull Street Energy to move the Elwood gas plant's turbines to Texas, arguing that the plant's closure was due to its high operating costs and unreliability, not the Climate and Equitable Jobs Act (CEJA). The author, Jen Walling, CEO of the Illinois Environmental Council, highlights a new challenge for Illinois' energy future: the proposed "Joliet Technology Center." This massive 1.8-gigawatt data center, a project by out-of-state corporations Hillwood Investment Properties and PowerHouse Data Centers, is planned for 795 acres adjacent to the former Elwood gas plant. Walling argues that such data centers are creating unprecedented electricity demand, threatening to drive up energy costs and pollute communities if developers are not held accountable. She asserts that without requirements for data centers to provide their own clean energy and capacity resources, the strain on the power grid will be unsustainable. The letter concludes by advocating for the passage of the POWER Act (SB4016/HB5513). This legislation aims to build on CEJA's goals by delivering a clean energy future for Illinois, ensuring that the new energy era, including data center development, does not undermine the state's clean energy objectives.