Minooka, Illinois, August 13, 2025
News Summary
Local officials in Minooka have approved a significant data center project, with investments worth billions planned for an extensive site in Kendall County. Covering approximately 300 acres, the project is expected to create construction jobs and stimulate the local economy. However, concerns arise regarding the substantial water and electricity demands it will impose. The project’s design aims to mitigate water usage, but regulatory gaps need to be addressed. Before construction can commence, essential water and power allocations must be secured.
Minooka Approves Multibillion-Dollar Data Center Project; Water and Power Needs Raise Questions
Local officials approved a large data center project in Minooka that represents billions of dollars in planned investment. The board of the Upper Illinois River Valley Development Authority gave the green light for a complex on Ridge Road in Kendall County that would be annexed into the Village of Minooka. The site is roughly 300 acres, with plans for about eight buildings. The overall developed footprint could reach up to 340 acres, a land area larger than Chicago’s Grant Park.
Key details and near-term outlook
The project is expected to create roughly 150 construction and supplier jobs during the build phase. Officials also project the possibility of hundreds of permanent jobs and tens of millions of dollars in annual tax revenue if the project reaches full operation. The development is being marketed with tax incentives available through Illinois enterprise zones, which can include exemptions such as relief from state sales tax to encourage large investments.
Major resource needs
Planners estimate the data center would require about 3 million gallons of water per day. That demand equals roughly one-third of Minooka’s planned allocation from a proposed $1.54 billion pipeline to bring Lake Michigan water to the region. Electricity needs are substantial: the site would seek about 700 megawatts of power, a quantity comparable to the electricity used by half of Chicago’s households.
Environmental and infrastructure concerns
The size of the site and the scale of water and power demand have raised environmental and infrastructure questions. The area would shift from reliance on local aquifers toward dependence on Lake Michigan water through the pipeline, a change that has implications for long-term water planning. Energy demand at this scale also creates questions about air quality and how the region will meet the load while pursuing statewide decarbonization goals.
Design choices and regulatory gaps
To reduce water use, the planned design will include air-cooled systems, lowering the initial water estimate previously put at about 6 million gallons per day down to the projected 3 million. The company has plans to move toward using greywater for cooling, but rules for such reuse currently do not exist in Illinois. That regulatory gap means any greywater strategy will require new local or state guidance before it can be relied upon.
Power hookup and timing hurdles
The project’s ability to move forward depends on securing both water and electricity. Local transmission utility connections are strained, with the utility facing many requests from data center operators across the region. This has created logistical hurdles for obtaining the necessary high-capacity power hookups. Because of those constraints, the start of construction — targeted in planning documents for 2024 — remains uncertain until utility and water allocations are finalized.
Local tradeoffs and broader trends
Village leaders see economic benefits, including possible long-term jobs and added tax revenue, and view the development as a way to shape local traffic patterns, potentially avoiding truck growth tied to other nearby projects. At the same time, the scale of land disturbance and resource use highlights tradeoffs between local economic goals and environmental sustainability. Minooka has been in talks with several data center operators in recent years, reflecting a regional trend toward growing data infrastructure.
What comes next
Before construction can begin, the project team must secure firm commitments for water allocation from the Lake Michigan pipeline and a high-capacity electric connection. Regulatory clarity on water reuse and local environmental approvals will also factor into the schedule. Until those pieces are in place, the project remains approved on paper but not yet ready to break ground.
FAQ
What was approved?
Approval was given to a multibillion-dollar data center project on Ridge Road in Kendall County, planned to be annexed into Minooka. The site covers roughly 300 acres with about eight buildings planned.
How many jobs will the project create?
The project is projected to support about 150 construction and supplier jobs during building. Officials estimate the potential for hundreds of permanent jobs once the center is operating.
How much water will the center need?
The center is estimated to need about 3 million gallons of water per day, about one-third of Minooka’s planned allocation from the Lake Michigan pipeline project.
How much power will it use?
Planned power needs are about 700 megawatts, an amount comparable to the electricity consumption of roughly half of Chicago’s households.
Will the project use less water than first estimated?
Yes. Planned air-cooled systems reduce water use from an earlier estimate of about 6 million gallons per day down to roughly 3 million. There are plans to move toward greywater use, but state rules for that are not yet in place.
When will construction start?
Construction could start only after the developer secures water allocation and a high-capacity power hookup. Those resources have not been finalized, so a firm start date is not confirmed.
What are the main concerns?
Key concerns include the long-term sustainability of water and energy resources, potential air quality impacts, and the scale of land development relative to local open space.
Key project features
| Feature | Details |
|---|---|
| Approving body | Upper Illinois River Valley Development Authority |
| Location | Ridge Road, Kendall County; to be annexed into Village of Minooka |
| Site size | Approximately 300 acres (up to 340 acres developed) |
| Buildings planned | About eight buildings |
| Investment | Billions of dollars (projected) |
| Construction jobs | Approximately 150 (construction and supplier roles) |
| Permanent jobs | Potentially hundreds (projected) |
| Water need | 3 million gallons per day (~1/3 of Minooka’s pipeline allocation) |
| Electricity need | 700 megawatts |
| Cooling approach | Air-cooled systems and planned shift toward greywater |
| Tax incentives | Eligible for enterprise zone exemptions, including possible state sales tax relief |
| Timing | Construction not started; resource commitments needed before work can begin |
| Main challenges | Securing water allocation, obtaining high-capacity power hookups, regulatory rules for greywater, environmental impacts |
Deeper Dive: News & Info About This Topic
Construction IL Resources
Additional Resources
- WCSJ News
- Wikipedia: Data Center
- WSPY News
- Google Search: Data Centers Illinois
- Chicago Tribune
- Google Scholar: Data Centers Environmental Impact
- Data Center Dynamics
- Encyclopedia Britannica: Data Center
- WGN Radio
- Google News: Minooka Data Center
