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Batavia officials approved a $500 million data center proposal on Batavia’s east side, a project that was discussed at length during the July 15 Committee of the Whole meeting and July 21 City Council Meeting.
The project promises long-term revenue and local jobs, but also sparked conversation about power grid capacity, future growth, and how best to manage the financial elements.
Key things to know:
Big money, big demand: The developer plans to build a 120,000-square-foot facility near Hubbard Drive that would eventually nearly double Batavia’s current peak energy load. In return, the city could see more than $2 million in annual revenue.
City protected from risk: The developer would front $18 million in infrastructure upgrades to support the new demand. Batavia will only reimburse those costs over time if the company hits a 20-megawatt usage threshold, protecting the city from sunk costs if plans change.
Grid capacity concerns: Officials discussed the strain this project could place on Batavia’s electric system, plus the upgrade costs and the potential number of years the upgrade could take.
Construction could begin soon, with the facility potentially going live by late 2026 or early 2027.
Watch the full July Committee of the Whole meeting and the July 21 City Council Meeting.
Get more details in Alderman Dustin Pieper’s latest “News You Can Peruse” update.
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