T5 Data Centers CEO defends Grayslake data center construction as local opposition mounts
Construction has begun on T5 Data Centers' more than 400-acre facility in Grayslake, which is expected to become Illinois' second-largest data center. CEO Pete Marin defended the project against residents' concerns about noise, pollution and energy use, while opponents cited electricity costs and quality-of-life impacts and filed a lawsuit alleging an Open Meetings Act violation.
Construction began in August on T5 Data Centers' 400-plus-acre facility in the Grayslake Business Park near Route 83 and Peterson Road. The project is projected to generate billions of dollars in state and Lake County economic activity and tax revenue, but residents of the nearby Saddlebrook Farms community are concerned about noise from backup generators, air pollution, energy demand and potential effects on quality of life.
T5 CEO Pete Marin said the company has conducted acoustic studies, installed sound-attenuation materials and expects the Grayslake site to remain below applicable noise limits. The facility could use up to 1.5 gigawatts of electricity, and Marin said T5 will pay for a new substation. Opponents, including Lake County Data Center Opposition Coalition co-founder Michael Smith, questioned the project's impacts and argued that data centers should provide clean energy and closed-loop water systems. Grayslake residents have filed a lawsuit alleging an Open Meetings Act violation during the approval process, with a court hearing pending.