Data center development linked to power plant construction
A proposed $6 billion data center in Christian County, Illinois, faces uncertainty due to a change in developers for the Lincoln Land Energy Center power plant, which was intended to supply its power. The Christian County Board has also decided to delay voting on any data center requests until 2027, pending public hearings and the adoption of new zoning rules. The data center developer, Eagle Rock Partners, is evaluating its options.
A planned $6 billion data center, Meridian Technology Park, in Christian County, Illinois, faces an uncertain future following a developer change for the Lincoln Land Energy Center, a power plant crucial to the data center's energy supply. Eagle Rock Partners, the potential data center developer, had secured a power purchase agreement with Kindle Energy LLC, the previous developer of the natural gas-powered plant near Pawnee in Sangamon County.
However, development authority for the power plant has reverted to its original developer, Canada-based EmberClear, prompting Christian County Board Chairperson Bryan Sharp to seek clarification from Eagle Rock Partners regarding the impact on their plans. Ken Loeber, a founder of North Carolina-based Eagle Rock Partners, previously informed the Christian County Board that the power purchase agreement with Kindle Energy was vital for the Meridian Technology Park data center, southwest of Taylorville, to secure its needed 1,000 to 1,100 megawatts. Loeber stated to Illinois Times, "We are aware of the change and are evaluating options for the project."
Further complicating the project's timeline, Eagle Rock Partners has not yet filed any zoning applications with Christian County. The Christian County Board decided in August 2025 (likely a typo for an earlier year) that it would not vote on any data center requests until public hearings are concluded by the county's Zoning Board of Appeals (ZBA) and the ZBA recommends new protective rules. These steps are not expected to be finalized until sometime in 2027, effectively postponing any potential approval process for years.