Data center advocate on POWER Act: “might as well close the Illinois market”—says it would make developing a Data Center in Illinois nearly impossible

Illinois lawmakers have proposed stricter regulations on data centers in the state, but an industry advocate says the legislation would essentially close the market for development.

The POWER Act would prohibit cost shifting, ensure data centers power their own operations, and provide clean energy incentives.

State Rep. Carol Ammons urged her colleagues to support House Bill 5513 and Senate Bill 4016.

Data Center Coalition Director of State Policy Brad Tietz said Illinois was in the top five for data center development from 2019 to 2024, but the state is now declining.