Joliet Technology Center
Joliet, Will County, IL[1][7]Developer: Hillwood, PowerHouse Data Centers[1][7]
Also known as Joliet data center
- Rumored
- Proposed
- Approved
- Under construction
- Operating
Follow this project
New dated changes arrive in your feed reader or calendar. No account, no email address, no tracking.
- RSS feed for any feed reader
- Atom feed
- Hearings calendar (.ics, subscribes in Apple, Google or Outlook Calendar)
A proposed 795-acre, 24-building, 1.8 GW data center campus near Rowell and Bernhard roads east of Chicagoland Speedway in Joliet, Illinois, developed by Hillwood and PowerHouse Data Centers and described as Illinois' largest. The Joliet City Council approved annexation-related rezoning 8-1 in March 2026 over resident objections. Nearby residents sued in May 2026 challenging the rezoning and approval process; defendants have moved to dismiss.
- Site size
- 795 acres[1]
- Permanent jobs (promised)
- 700
Key facts
Size & schedule
| Planned capacity | 1.8 GW [1] Power demand at full capacity |
|---|---|
| Site size | 795 acres [1] |
| Floor area | 6,936,000 sq ft [4] |
| Buildings | 24 [1] Four sub-campuses of six buildings each |
| Stated investment | $20 billion [4] As reported in lawsuit coverage |
| Permanent jobs (promised) | 700 [1] |
| Construction jobs | 10,000 [1] 7,000-10,000 construction jobs |
| Target completion | First sub-campus 2028; full build-out through 2032 [1] |
How big is that? Data center sizes compared with football fields and Central Park.
Power
| Utility | ComEd (developer-paid system upgrades) [3] Utility pages: ComEd · data centers and bills |
|---|---|
| Grid operator | PJM [6]Source excerpt“The Regional Transmission Organization (RTO) that coordinates the movement of wholesale electricity throughout the local grid is PJM Interconnection LLC.” |
Water
| Water use | 150,000 gal/day [4] 100,000-150,000 gallons daily, as described in lawsuit coverage |
|---|---|
| Water source | Aquifer (city plans shift to Lake Michigan water in 2030) [4] |
| Cooling | closed-loop [3] |
Money & incentives
| Payments / community benefits | $100 million community benefit contribution to the City of Joliet [6]Source excerpt“Furthermore, the Developer has committed to a $100 million community benefit contribution to the City.” |
|---|
Local decisions & site
| Zoning | I-1 (light industrial), with annexation agreement [6]Source excerpt“The proposed I-1 (light industrial) zoning designation generally aligns with the land use direction from the South Side Comprehensive Plan.” |
|---|---|
| Nearest homes or schools | 0.66 miles [6]Source excerpt“The nearest residential structure is 0.66 miles from the proposed site.” |
Figures are as stated by the cited source. Where sources disagree, each figure is shown.
Water and power
Water
Not disclosed. No source reviewed gives a water figure for this site. The Census does not estimate one.
Disclosed figures only, each as the cited source states it. Many are projections or permit limits, not metered use. How data center water and power use is measured, and every disclosed figure →
Timeline
Herald-News notes a sign posted in October 2025 gave notice of plans to develop the land. [3]
Public notice issued for zoning hearing (lawsuit alleges it failed to describe the data center) [4]
City Council public hearing on the proposal (lawsuit alleges residents were denied due process) [4]
City Council approves project 8-1 (Councilwoman Suzanna Ibarra dissenting) [1]
Residents and Joliet Residents For Responsible Growth sue city and developers in Will County [4]
City and developers' motions to dismiss set for a Sept. 8 hearing before Will County Judge Victoria Breslan [5]
Will County Judge Victoria Breslan hears arguments on the city's and developer's motions to dismiss the residents' lawsuit and says she will rule in October [7]
Issues raised
- Residents raised electricity supply and utility cost concerns, property values, health and proximity [1][2]
- Lawsuit alleges defective public notice, Open Meetings Act and due-process violations, and a planning director conflict of interest [4]
- Opponents say the site's aquifer is projected to no longer meet peak demand by 2030 [4]
Issues are concerns and claims raised by the parties, officials or residents named in the cited sources. They are reported as attributed, not as findings by the Census.
Sources
- Joliet OKs controversial 795-acre data centerShaw Local (The Herald-News) · Mar 20, 2026 · news
- Joliet City Council approves plans for what would be largest data center in IllinoisABC7 Chicago · Mar 20, 2026 · news
- Joliet data center going before plan commission ThursdayShaw Local (The Herald-News) · Mar 3, 2026 · news
- Lawsuit challenges zoning, approval process for Joliet data centerShaw Local (The Herald-News) · May 26, 2026 · news
- Lawsuit against Joliet data center heading to court hearingShaw Local (The Herald-News) · Aug 17, 2026 · news
- City of Joliet Memo, File #178-26: Public Hearing for a Resolution to Approve an Annexation Agreement for the Annexation of Approximately 795 Acres Surrounding S. Rowell Road and Bernhard Road (A-4-25)City of Joliet (via Capitol News Illinois) · Mar 16, 2026 · government
- Judge to decide fate of Joliet data center lawsuit in OctoberShaw Local (The Herald-News) · Sep 9, 2026 · news
Cite this page
Last updated Sep 24, 2026. Figures may change as records are updated — include the date you retrieved them.
| APA | Data Center Census. (2026). Joliet Technology Center. Retrieved from https://datacentercensus.com/dc/joliet-technology-center-il |
|---|---|
| MLA | “Joliet Technology Center.” Data Center Census, Sep 24, 2026, https://datacentercensus.com/dc/joliet-technology-center-il. |
| Link | https://datacentercensus.com/dc/joliet-technology-center-il |
Republishing a figure or table? Attribute it to Data Center Census with a link to this page. The underlying data is downloadable as JSON and CSV; the press kit has standing figures and contact details.