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Illinois Data Center Intel
Latest data center news, projects, power and policy across Illinois — updated daily.
Recent Illinois data center news
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Data center champions lose badly as ballot initiatives target AI infrastructure
US voters approved widespread restrictions on data centers in midterm election ballot measures, reflecting growing public opposition to AI infrastructure.
- Voters in at least 43 of 44 jurisdictions passed bans or restrictions on data centers; measures included outright bans, power-consumption thresholds, temporary permitting moratoriums, mandatory public votes, and tax-incentive requirements.
- Notable results included Joliet Township, Illinois passing a restriction with 80% support, Hubbard, Ohio rejecting data centers by more than three-quarters of voters, and bans in Alhambra and Monterey Park, California plus Edgewater, Florida; the article also cites a University of Massachusetts Amherst poll finding 11% support for building an AI data center in one’s community.
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Energy Affordability Depends on Keeping Battery Ownership Competitive
Chad Farrell argues that Minnesota’s battery ownership policy shifts financial risk to ratepayers and should be replaced with competitive bidding for storage capacity.
- The article says the Minnesota Public Utilities Commission approved a plan this year allowing utility ownership of up to 200 MW of batteries with a $430 million budget, while third-party developers were not allowed to compete for the work.
- It frames the piece as commentary by Chad Farrell, founder and president of Encore Renewable Energy, and cites similar concerns about New Hampshire’s new law allowing utilities to own up to 10% of peak load in new generation, with no single unit larger than 5 MW.
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Community engagement is key to on-site battery energy storage, experts say
Facilities Dive reports that panelists at the Greenbuild conference last month described persistent barriers slowing adoption of building battery energy storage systems (BESS). This is a commentary/reporting article summarizing a research-backed discussion, not a first-time announcement.
- The article says 58 GWh of on-site battery storage was installed in 2025, with the sector expected to add 500 GWh between 2026 and 2032, according to an Urban Land Institute and UL Standards & Engagement report using American Clean Power Association data.
- Panelists said the main obstacles are interconnection and permitting delays, regulatory/zoning resistance, community opposition, and fire-risk concerns; they cited New York’s 6 GW by 2030 mandate, Illinois’ 3 GW target, Massachusetts’ 5,000 MW target, and New York’s 415 MW installed as of the presentation.
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AI Data Centers Took a Beating. A Reckoning May Be Ahead for Tech Giants
The Associated Press reports that Democrats won major elections amid a campaign backlash against AI data centers, with candidates and newly elected officials pledging stronger regulation, moratoriums, or tighter permit rules.
- Campaigns spent more than $380 million on television ads mentioning data centers, and Democrats outspent Republicans by more than 3-to-1; the story cites major gains in Texas, Ohio, Georgia, Nevada, Iowa, Pennsylvania, Arizona, Wisconsin, Minnesota, Michigan, and others.
- OpenAI published a framework on Thursday with new commitments to communities where it develops data centers, while the Data Center Coalition and analysts at Morgan Stanley warned that tougher state rules could delay projects and reshape where new data centers are built.
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IBM Unveils Its Most Advanced Quantum Computer in Chicago, Marking a Milestone for Illinois's Quantum Future
IBM has announced the unveiling of its first quantum computer in Illinois, IBM Quantum System Two, in Chicago with the University of Chicago, the State of Illinois, and Illinois Quantum and Microelectronics Park (IQMP).
- The system is initially located at Hyde Park Labs and hosted by the University of Chicago; it is powered by IBM Quantum Nighthawk and will later be moved to IQMP in Chicago.
- IBM says the system is the company’s most advanced and will support the National Quantum Algorithm Center (NQAC), which was established in 2024 by Governor JB Pritzker; the release also references ongoing collaborations with Deloitte, AbbVie, EPRI, Northwestern University, U. of I., and Fermilab.
- The article also mentions IBM’s earlier announcement to establish the FutureNow Chicago center at IQMP in partnership with City Colleges of Chicago, aimed at bringing 750 jobs across AI, cybersecurity, data science, quantum computing, and other technologies.
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Vistra Reports Third Quarter 2026 Results
Vistra Corp. announced its third quarter 2026 financial results and several operating milestones.
- Third-quarter results: Vistra reported net income of $1,140 million and Ongoing Operations Adjusted EBITDA of $2,378 million for Q3 2026, and raised/initiated guidance for 2026 and 2027.
- Operational and strategic updates: The company said it closed the acquisition of Cogentrix Energy in October 2026, adding about 5,500 MW of natural-gas generation, started operations at the 405 MW Pulaski Solar Facility in Illinois and the 100 MW Deer Creek Solar & Energy Storage Facility in California, and announced a 20-year 207 MW PPA with New Era Energy and Digital at its Odessa plant in Texas.
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AI Data Centers Are Fueling a Nuclear Comeback
The article analyzes a broader nuclear energy revival driven by AI data center demand and rising electricity needs, while citing multiple recent deals and policy actions rather than announcing a single new project itself.
- IIR forecasts about $20 billion in new nuclear spending in 2026, rising to nearly $50 billion by 2029; it expects $68.3 billion in new plant spending and about $30 billion for expansion, maintenance, or revamps between late 2026 and 2029.
- The article cites several concrete actions: the US Department of Energy offered Constellation Energy a loan of up to $5 billion for uprates and modernization at eight plants in Illinois, Maryland, and Pennsylvania; Amazon, Microsoft, and Google are each tied to specific nuclear projects or restarts; Type One Energy plans a fusion plant start in 2027 at TVA’s Bull Run Energy Complex in Clinton, Tennessee.
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2026 State AG Election Day Updates
Troutman has published an election-day update summarizing the current results of the 2026 state attorney general races.
- The update states that 30 states and the District of Columbia held AG elections in 2026 and lists the current winners, including multiple newly elected AGs and incumbents reelected to new terms.
- It is a blog-style election results roundup, last updated November 4, 2026, 12:00 p.m. ET, and references the firm’s Regulatory Oversight Blog for continuing updates; it also mentions Meta in the New Mexico section as a prior litigation result.
- This piece is not a first-time policy or deal announcement by a government entity; it is a compiled election-status publication based on reported vote totals.
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Data Centers, Affordability, and the Ballot Box: What the 2026 Midterms Mean for the Power Industry
The article is a Q&A interview with public affairs strategists John Ashford and Jared Dubnow of The Hawthorn Group about how data centers are shaping the 2026 midterms and future power-sector policy.
- They argue that data centers have become a major political issue, citing an October POLITICO poll showing half of Americans would oppose one built within three miles of their home, and they expect data center regulation to persist regardless of election outcomes.
- They discuss state and federal policy pressure in Texas, Illinois, Georgia, Wisconsin, Ohio, and other states, and say the industry should prepare for possible rules on bring-your-own generation, large-load tariffs, and permitting reform tied to H.R. 2347 and the Bipartisan American Affordability and Jobs Act.
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MISO selects consortium of Ameren, GridLiance, Dairyland to deliver foundational energy grid project in Iowa
MISO has announced that it selected a consortium led by Ameren Transmission Company of Illinois, GridLiance Heartland, and Dairyland Power Cooperative to develop, build, operate, and maintain the EASL transmission project in Iowa.
- The East Adair – Minnesota/Iowa State Line – Arbor Hill – York Avenue (EASL) project includes a 765-kV backbone, one new 345/765-kV substation, and two new 345-kV transmission lines; it has an estimated cost of approximately $1.23 billion and ownership stakes of 42.5% ATXI, 42.5% GridLiance, and 15% Dairyland.
- The project is part of MISO’s Long Range Transmission Planning Tranche 2.1 Portfolio (approved in December 2024); expected in-service dates are June 1, 2032 for the 345-kV scope and June 1, 2034 for the 765-kV scope, subject to regulatory review and stakeholder engagement.