Stakeholders with diverse perspectives across Illinois are grappling with the implications of local data center developments, and how data centers impact our land, water, electricity, and communities. The Resilient Communities Webinar Series has created space for people to hear perspectives from water and energy experts, utility companies, and affected communities to ensure residents and leaders can make informed decisions about local data center developments. This three-part series, Watt’s Up With Data Centers?, accommodates the wide breadth of concerns and questions related to these projects. Learn more about each webinar by reading our recap blog posts and/or watching the recordings.
- Part 1: Understanding Energy and Water Use (Blog post | Watch the recording)
- Part 2: Community and Utility Perspectives (Blog post below | Watch the recording)
- Part 3: Community Responses to Data Centers, February 24th at 12pm | (Register here)
Community and Utility Perspectives on Data Centers in Illinois
Part 2 of the Watt’s Up with Data Centers series, “Community and Utility Perspectives”, was recorded January 20, 2026, covering community leaders’ and utilities’ perspectives on these large scale data center projects. Speakers included experts from the McHenry County Department of Planning and Development, Ameren, ComEd, and the Farm Bureau.
Scott Kuykendall, Water Resources Specialist in the McHenry County Department of Planning and Development, explained the difficulty and lack of transparency in tracking the water use of data centers. He reiterated concerns we heard in Part I regarding the need for information about total direct and indirect water use to best evaluate overall impact to local water resources. Scott then shared examples of some different types of cooling systems used in these projects, and explained how closed-loop systems require less water (but often need more energy).
Illinois is served by two electric companies, and both ComEd and Ameren joined the webinar to share their perspectives on large-scale data center developments. Ed Sitar, Senior Manager of Economic Development at ComEd, and Alex Scharf, Business Development Executive at Ameren, each projected demand to remain high due to sustained growth in artificial intelligence (AI). They shared insight into the data center markets, boasting $15B in annual revenue for ComEd, and over 80 large load projects in the Ameren project pipeline. They also shared the needs of data center developers, such as large sites (often 100+ acres), as well as proximity to power, water, and existing fiber networks. Other siting considerations include a preference for properties away from the floodplain and away from residential areas.
Our last speaker was Bill Bodine, Director of Business and Regulatory Affairs with the Illinois Farm Bureau. Bill gave us a look at data center developments from a rural perspective. He discussed the data center policies that their organization has developed to help guide how they will navigate data center impacts on rural areas. Specifically, the Illinois Farm Bureau would:
- Support requiring proposed data centers to file a water withdrawal plan as part of a special use permit application where required or with the county prior to construction and operation. The Illinois State Water Survey would review potential impacts and report to the county where the project is proposed.
- Oppose the development of data centers, cryptocurrency mining operations, and similar facilities if they decrease the reliability of the electric grid, increase the cost of electricity to the rural community, or have the potential to deplete aquifers that communities depend on.
The POWER Act: Protecting Communities from Data Center Impacts
In addition to hosting our Data Center Webinar Series to educate communities and spur conversation, Prairie Rivers Network is also working to inform and support legislation to limit the harms of data center development, particularly around water use. Along with our partners at the Illinois Clean Jobs Coalition and leaders in Springfield, we are supporting the newly introduced POWER Act: Protecting Our Water, Energy, and Ratepayers.
The POWER Act (SB4016/HB5513) establishes nation-leading guardrails on data centers that will minimize data center impacts on our water, utility bills, climate, and communities and ensure responsible data center investment. The POWER Act will ensure that:
- Our water is protected. Data centers must report their water usage and meet efficiency requirements to protect Illinois’ drinking water. Establishes a process through the Illinois State Water Survey (ISWS) to review a data center’s water resources plan and report on its likely impacts to our water resources, and the Illinois EPA can only permit a data center if it will not cause an adverse water resources impact.
- Data centers pay their fair share. New rules protect ratepayers by making data centers pay for their energy & water infrastructure upgrade needs.
- Data centers bring their own clean power. Data centers must develop supply plans with new renewable energy and battery storage.
- Communities are protected. Closes pollution loopholes, protects environmental justice communities, mandates transparent community engagement, and creates a fund to lower people’s energy burden.
Prairie Rivers Network and our partners want to see action taken on data centers during this spring’s legislative session in Springfield. Stay tuned to our webpage (or join our mailing list) for opportunities to learn more and support this legislation.
Register for Watt’s Up with Data Centers, Part 3
Part 1 and Part 2 of this data center series were so well-attended, we’ve organized a Part 3! Join us to learn more about how communities are responding to these concerns. Please register to join us Tuesday, February 24th at noon, where we will learn more about practical strategies for navigating data center proposals, understanding their environmental impacts, and knowing what to ask when a data center wants to come to town.
