Illinois Approves a Data Center the Size of Central Park That Will Consume More Power Than Half of Chicago
The largest AI data center in the US has been approved in Illinois, and its projected energy draw is staggering — raising hard questions about whether the power grid can sustain the AI infrastructure buildout.
Illinois has approved construction of what is reportedly the largest data center in the country, a facility comparable in footprint to New York's Central Park and projected to draw more electricity than half the city of Chicago, as flagged by @barkmeta. The approval immediately sparked backlash from local communities and energy policy advocates concerned about water usage, grid strain, and the opportunity cost of dedicating that much power capacity to AI workloads.
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