Data centers and new power in Illinois
68.2 GW of new power is waiting to connect to the grid in Illinois — 286 requests across 64 counties. That is the 4th largest amount of any state. 163 projects are built, 746 withdrawn. Data as of 14 October 2026.
What is happening with electricity in Illinois
Every new power plant, battery or big customer has to join a waiting list before it can plug into the grid. This is what that list looks like in Illinois right now.
Where every request ever filed here ended up
Most requests in the US are withdrawn — a developer tests a site and moves on. That is normal, not a warning sign for Illinois.
What kind of power is asking to connect
By capacity requested. Data as of 14 October 2026.
All the numbers
1,200 requests ever filed
Source: the interconnection queues of every transmission provider operating in Illinois. Parsed and normalised by Watt Street. Data as of 14 October 2026. A queued project is a request, not a commitment.
Waiting to connect, by type of power
| Type | Projects | Capacity requested |
|---|---|---|
| Solar | 173 | 34.8 GW |
| Wind | 52 | 11.9 GW |
| Nuclear | 4 | 6.5 GW |
| Solar + battery | 29 | 6.4 GW |
| Batteries | 17 | 5.6 GW |
| Natural gas | 3 | 2.0 GW |
| Not stated | 8 | 1.0 GW |
Who runs the waiting list in Illinois
Counties in Illinois
64 with power on the waiting list
Every county with at least five requests on file. Open one to check an address, or see the schools near any mapped data center.
| County | Waiting | Capacity queued | Already built |
|---|---|---|---|
| Lee County | 12 | 6.4 GW | 3.1 GW |
| Will County | 5 | 4.3 GW | 7.6 GW |
| McLean County | 11 | 2.9 GW | 1.0 GW |
| Ogle County | 5 | 2.9 GW | 2.5 GW |
| LaSalle County | 7 | 2.8 GW | 2.7 GW |
| Christian County | 8 | 2.3 GW | 100 MW |
| Peoria County | 7 | 2.1 GW | 0 MW |
| Tazewell County | 10 | 1.9 GW | 250 MW |
| Iroquois County | 8 | 1.8 GW | 0 MW |
| Kankakee County | 8 | 1.7 GW | 350 MW |
| Fulton County | 4 | 1.6 GW | 367 MW |
| Perry County | 7 | 1.4 GW | 600 MW |
| Woodford County | 4 | 1.4 GW | 200 MW |
| Champaign County | 7 | 1.1 GW | 150 MW |
| Sangamon County | 7 | 1.1 GW | 1.1 GW |
| McHenry County | 4 | 1.1 GW | 40 MW |
| Rock Island County | 6 | 1.0 GW | 1.9 GW |
| Mason County | 5 | 1.0 GW | 391 MW |
| Scott County | 4 | 1.0 GW | 0 MW |
| Coles County | 5 | 986 MW | 299 MW |
| Shelby County | 6 | 975 MW | 0 MW |
| Edgar County | 5 | 916 MW | 0 MW |
| Adams County | 7 | 910 MW | 0 MW |
| Macon County | 5 | 880 MW | 1.0 GW |
| Washington County | 3 | 835 MW | 400 MW |
Key dates for projects here
1 dated · next closes 2027-09-10 (MISO)
| Queue | What closes | Closes | Standing |
|---|---|---|---|
| MISO | MISO DPP-2026 Definitive Planning Phase application deadline Attachment X of the tariff and BPM-015. | 2027-09-10 | confirmed source |
| PJM | Dominion GS-5 (Virginia SCC PUR-2025-00058) - ESAs signed on or after this date carry the 14-year term From this date the GS-5 large-load tariff carries a 14-year minimum term, alongside the reported 85% of contracted transmission demand minimum and $1… | No date published yet | disputed source |
| FERC | FERC large-load show cause — stakeholder comments on RTO responses Comments on the six RTO/ISO responses to the FPA section 206 show-cause orders of 18 June 2026 (PJM EL26-67, SPP EL26-68, NYISO EL26-69, MISO EL26-70… | No date published yet | unconfirmed source |
| FERC | FERC RM26-4 — generic large-load rulemaking Still at ANOPR stage. | No date published yet | confirmed source |
| FERC | Georgia PSC - Georgia Power must file large-load contracts 30 days before execution A standing obligation rather than a dated one: large-load contracts must be filed with the commission at least 30 days before they are executed. | No date published yet | confirmed source |
A date marked confirmed was checked by a person against the authority's own tariff, order or form page. Anything else is listed so you know it exists, with a link so you can check it yourself. Full calendar.
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