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A growing imbalance between what data centers pay for electricity and what local residents pay has raised concerns among members of the Kane County Legislative Committee.
During the group's May 20 meeting, officials questioned whether data centers are paying their fair share for electricity as local ComEd customers are days away from seeing noticeably higher bills.
Here's what to know:
Bills are going up: Starting in June, the average monthly ComEd residential bill is expected to rise from roughly $107 to more than $120, according to the Daily Herald. This is because power companies are raising prices (causing ComEd to pass a rate hike to consumers) and a credit that has been saving residential customers roughly $13 a month under the state's Climate and Equitable Jobs Act is expiring.
Data centers pay less: Kane County officials noted that data centers currently pay roughly six cents per kilowatt-hour for electricity, compared to 12 to 18 cents for residential customers. One official said she has raised this issue directly with state legislators, calling the current structure backwards.
The demand problem: Data center growth tied to AI is among the key factors pushing electricity demand higher. ComEd officials told state lawmakers that if all the data center projects currently in their development pipeline reach full capacity, total system demand could more than double by 2040.
More than just energy costs: Committee members raised concerns beyond electricity costs, including heavy water consumption from shared county supplies, diesel backup generator pollution, noise, and vibrations that members said can damage home foundations.
State lawmakers may take up data center regulation before the legislative session ends. A member of the committee said they prefer to see what Springfield does before drafting any county-level ordinances.
Watch the full committee meeting recording.
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