Will County, Illinois
DataCentersExposed tracks 3 AI data centers in Will County, Illinois — 0 operating and 2 in the pipeline, drawing 3.6 GW of reported power demand.
Sources: Methodology, Coverage scorecard
Reporting by Eric Keller · Updated May 29, 2026
What's happening in Will County
Facilities here with disclosed capacity draw 3.6 GW from the local grid. Data-center load on this scale is the single biggest driver of recent capacity-market price increases — costs that flow through to every ratepayer in the service territory, not just the operators.
Below: every tracked facility in the county, the active state legislation that names it or its county, and local news. Commissioner vote records arrive in a later release; the placeholders show where that accountability data will land.
2035 Buildout Outlook
Under the model's moderate-growth scenario (5%/yr annual load growth), PNNL's IM3 model sites about 4 standardized 36 MW campuses in Will County by 2035 — roughly 144 MW of new electricity demand and ~139 M gal/yr of cooling water. Under the higher-growth scenario (15%/yr) that climbs to 7 campuses (252 MW). For scale, we currently track 3 real data centers in Will County (3.6 GW of reported power).
- High growth4144 MW · ~139 M gal/yr cooling water
- Higher growth7252 MW · ~244 M gal/yr cooling water
The model assigns ~100% of these campuses' cooling to evaporative water cooling in Will County (the rest to mechanical/air cooling), a split it derives from local water stress and wet-bulb temperature.
These are modeled candidate sites, not announced or permitted facilities. PNNL's IM3 model places identical 36 MW unit-campuses at feasible locations under each scenario — it shows where demand could concentrate, never a specific parcel. Figures use a market-gravity weight of 50. How the model works.
Every tracked facility
| Facility | Operator | Status | MW |
|---|---|---|---|
| PowerHouse Data Centers Jackson Twp/ Joliet | — | Proposed | 1,800 |
| PowerHouse Hillwood Holding Joliet | PowerHouse Hillwood Holding | Under construction | 1,800 |
| Western Hospitality Partners Data Center Braidwood/ Braceville | — | Blocked | — |
County commissioners
How the Will County board votes on each data-center matter — the rezonings, the abatements, the water permits — is built from public-meeting minutes and roll-call records. Know of a vote we should be tracking? Tell us.