Illinois General Assembly - Full Text of HR0744

HR0744 LRB104 21162 ECR 35543 r

HOUSE RESOLUTION

WHEREAS, The mass emergence of data centers throughout the United States has drastically increased the demand for energy, and the impact of data center expansion is projected to grow substantially in the coming years, with forecasts suggesting that by 2028, data centers could consume between 6.7% and 12% of total U.S. electricity, equivalent to 325-580 terawatt-hours(TWh); and

WHEREAS, This increased demand for energy in Illinois has raised the energy bills for Illinois residents, as capacity prices in the PJM Interconnection region that covers Northern Illinois rose from a low of $28.92 per megawatt-day (MW-day) in 2024/2025 to $269.92 per MW-day in 2025/2026; in the Midcontinent Independent System Operator (MISO) region that covers Central and Southern Illinois, the 2025/2026 Planning Resource Auction set an auction record for summer capacity prices held since 2015/2016, clearing at $666.50 per MW-day, or 22 times higher than the summer 2024/2025 price of $30 per MW-day and 66 times higher than the summer of 2023/2024; and

WHEREAS, Electric costs will continue to rise with the creation of more data centers unless additional energy generation is added to the energy grid; and

WHEREAS, In 2025, data centers in Illinois had more than 1,200 MW of operational capacity; recently, Commonwealth Edison has received 75 application for data center projects, indicating the demand for energy will continue to increase with the creation of these data centers, which will thereby continue to raise energy bills; and

WHEREAS, The Climate and Equitable Jobs Act has placed artificial deadlines and operational restrictions on Illinois-based fossil fuel electric generators, limiting the State's ability to meet this new demand; and

WHEREAS, The usage of energy by data centers is a strain on Illinois' power grid and natural resources, and the continued use of existing data centers as well as the construction of new data centers will have serious implications for Illinois residents; and

WHEREAS, As required by Section 9.15 of the Illinois Environmental Protection Act, Illinois has 7,000 MW of PJM Interconnection co-located generation that is scheduled to go offline on January 1, 2030; and

WHEREAS, Section 9.15 of the Illinois Environmental Protection Act allows the Illinois Power Agency and the Environmental Protection Agency to, in the event of a resource adequacy shortfall, develop a plan to reduce or delay CO₂e and copollutant emissions reductions, allowing currently running Illinois-based generation capacity to keep running; and

WHEREAS, On December 15, 2025, the Illinois Power Agency, the Illinois Commerce Commission, and the Illinois Environmental Protection Agency published their statutorily required Adequacy Study; and

WHEREAS, The Adequacy Study found that, "Resource adequacy margins in both regions are becoming increasingly constrained due to load growth, thermal generator retirements, and updates to resource adequacy market structures"; therefore, be it

RESOLVED, BY THE HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES OF THE ONE HUNDRED FOURTH GENERAL ASSEMBLY OF THE STATE OF ILLINOIS, that we urge all data centers in Illinois to provide their own energy to alleviate the burden they place on Illinois residents; and be it further

RESOLVED, That we urge the Illinois Power Agency and the Illinois Environmental Protection Agency to, pursuant to 415 ILCS 5/9.15(o), develop a plan to reduce or delay CO₂e and copollutant emissions reductions; and be it further

RESOLVED, That we urge the Illinois Commerce Commission to approve the plan developed by Illinois Power Agency and the Illinois Environmental Protection Agency; and be it further

RESOLVED, That suitable copies of this resolution be delivered to the head of every data center in Illinois, each member of the Illinois Commerce Commission, the Director of the Illinois Power Agency, and the Director of the Illinois Environmental Protection Agency.