Data Centers and proposed upside in tax revenue verses energy demands and future job displacement

Don Hanrahan of the Coalition for Springfield's Utility Future appeared on NPR Illinois' "Community Voices" to advocate for a short moratorium on a proposed 600-megawatt hyperscale data center in Sangamon County, Illinois. The project, proposed by CyrusOne, which is owned by BlackRock, would consist of four 250,000 square foot buildings across 280 acres. Hanrahan expressed concern that the Sangamon County Board might approve the conditional permitted use based solely on technical zoning compliance, without adequately considering the health, welfare, and financial well-being of residents. Hanrahan highlighted several major concerns. He questioned the lack of information from CyrusOne regarding the data center's intended use and customers, particularly whether it would be for Artificial Intelligence, which he warned could lead to significant job displacement in Sangamon County's clerical, administrative, and professional sectors. He also raised environmental and health issues, including the facility's immense electricity demand, which could consume all new renewable energy generated in central Illinois, and its potential to create continuous low-frequency noise and vibrations harmful to humans and livestock in the nearby village of Loami and surrounding areas. Hanrahan refuted CyrusOne's claims of learning lessons from its Aurora facility, noting recent complaints about the newest phase built in 2024. He urged the county board to exercise its power under the zoning ordinance to protect residents by denying the permit or pausing the process for further due diligence.