Bugle Newspapers 02-26-26

FEBRUARY 25-26, 2026 • VOL. 65 ISSUE 17

BUSINESS & REAL ESTATE

How online reviews help small businesses See Page 6:

Battle over data centers in Illinois pits consumer costs vs. state competitiveness

Lawmakers trying again to regulate industry as Pritzker moves to pause incentives

See ’DIGITAL’ on page 2

While the AI race sparked heightened interest in data centers, most of the centers in the state are multi-tenant retail centers — shared by numerous organizations and highly connected with telecommunications, cloud computing and other providers. The Digital Realty center on Chicago’s South loop is an example.

(Medill Illinois News Bureau photo by Gabriel Castilho)

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FEBRUARY 25-26, 2026 | BUGLENEWSPAPERS.COM | PAGE 2

LOCAL NEWS

from the cover: ‘DIGITAL’

Data centers house computer systems that store, process and distribute data but require large amounts of energy to power that workload. A growing number of these facilities are used to power AI. A state report published in December projects energy shortfalls would begin in northern Illinois by 2029 and the rest of the state by 2031, driven in large part by data centers’ increased power usage.

That’s led Gov. JB Pritzker to backtrack on a proposal he signed in his first year as governor to incentivize data center development in the state.

“With the shifting energy landscape, it is imperative that our growth does not undermine affordability and stability for our families,” he said, proposing a two-year moratorium on the incentives in his budget address Wednesday.

Illinois consumers blame data centers — which often receive generous tax incentives in Illinois — for straining the grid and driving up prices, and they want relief. But companies that operate the centers are seeking ways to build more quickly and pushing for looser regulation, arguing the centers are key to the state’s economic future.

And the state, from the governor’s office to the legislature, is struggling with ways to balance the economic interests tied to data center development with environmental and consumer cost concerns.

Read more: Lawmakers seek ways to prevent data centers from straining Illinois’ power grids “We don’t want them to overwhelm our electrical capabilities and our water resources,” Sen. Steve Stadelman, D-Caledonia, said. “If we’re going to allow them and track them, how can we make sure it benefits Illinois residents and rate payers

in the state?”

Data center negotiations continue

These are the same issues and tensions legislators hoped to address in their fall veto session. But no broad consensus was reached, and instead, Gov. JB Pritzker signed the Clean and Reliable Grid Affordability Act, adding new air regulations for backup generators used by data centers.

Lawmakers in Springfield have already begun negotiating a new round of data center regulations.

Sen. Ram Villivalam, D-Chicago, recently announced the introduction of Senate Bill 4016, known as the POWER Act, to place prohibitions on cost shifting, introduce “bring your own new clean capacity and energy,” guarantee transparent public engagement and implement water efficiency standards on data centers.

State Sen. Terri Bryant, R-Murphysboro, with State Sen. Chapin Rose, R-Mahomet, speaks on her support for data centers supplying their own energy generators. (Medill Illinois News Bureau photo by Gabriel Matias Castilho)

“By establishing policies that ensure data centers, not consumers, bear the increasing energy costs, and critical protections for our environment and sustainable water use, we can work toward a future built for technology to support our daily lives,” Villivalam said, “not deplete our resources and price us out of our homes.”

Read more: POWER Act: Lawmakers seek to regulate new data centers’ power, water usage | Pritzker touts Illinois’ economic development at data center groundbreaking

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Environmentalists want new data centers to build their own renewable energy sources on site to prevent new projects from further stressing energy infrastructure and creating more pollution.

Pritzker said something similar earlier this month: “If they are, in any way, going to increase the price of electricity for consumers, they should pay for that increase,

(Continued on page 7, see ‘DIGITAL’)

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FEBRUARY 25-26, 2026 | BUGLENEWSPAPERS.COM | PAGE 3

YOUR LOCAL NEWS

District 202 high schools present 2026 spring musicals Plainfield – District 202 high school student musicians and performers will get your hearts leaping and toes tapping as they present a slate of spring musicals this March and April.

Here are this year’s shows, in chronological order:

Plainfield North High School

Plainfield North High School presents “Hadestown: Teen Edition” at 7 p.m. on Friday, March 13 and Saturday, March 14; and 2 p.m. on March 15, 2026.

Hadestown is a modern, folk-jazz retelling of the Greek myth of Orpheus and Eurydice. Guided by the narrator Hermes, the story follows two young lovers navigating poverty, hope, and sacrifice, while also exploring the complicated relationship between Hades and Persephone, rulers of the Underworld.

At its core, this is a story about love— and the courage it takes to choose hope in a challenging world.

Tickets are $10 and seating will be assigned.

Online sales are now open and will

close one hour before each performance. Tickets will be available for purchase at the door.

BO_1nUZnYvkhmc0aEeORuXtDvbY-nR6uqj-awu3PveXUDQ/viewform.

Please direct questions or requests to Ashley Kratschmer at aarneson@ psd202.org.

PEHS is located at 12001 S. Naperville Road, Plainfield.

Reserve seats at https://pnhschoirs.ludus.com/index.php.

Plainfield Central High School presents “Chicago: Teen Edition” at 6:30 p.m. on Friday, March 20 and Saturday, March 21; and 2 p.m. on Saturday, March 21 and Sunday, March 22, 2026.

PNHS is located at 12005 S. 248th Street, Plainfield.

Plainfield East High School

Plainfield East High School presents “Frozen: The Broadway Musical” at 7 p.m. on Thursday, March 19, Friday, March 20 and Saturday, March 21; and 2 p.m. on Sunday, March 22, 2026.

Tickets cost $8 for adults and $6 for children (3 and older), students, and seniors.

Tickets may be purchased online at https://events.ticketleap.com/tickets/ plainfield-east-high-school-choir/pehs-presents-frozen or at the door.

If you need accessible seating, please complete the Frozen 2026 - Accessible Seating form at https://docs. google.com/forms/d/e/1FAIpQLSen-

Plainfield Central High School

In “Roaring Twenties” Chicago, Roxie Hart murders a faithless lover and convinces her hapless husband, Amos, to take the rap... until he finds out he’s been duped and turns on Roxie.

Convicted and sent to death row, Roxie and another Merry Murderess,” Velma Kelly, vie for the spotlight and the headlines, ultimately joining forces in search of the “American Dream”: fame, fortune, and acquittal.

Tickets cost $10 for general admission and $5 for PHS-CC students (with current, valid ID, purchased only at the door).

Tickets may be purchased online at https://pchsmusic.ludus.com/index.

php, the high school’s website or at the door.

PHS-CC is located at 24120 W. Fort Beggs Drive, Plainfield.

Plainfield South High School

Plainfield South High School presents “Frozen: The Broadway Musical” at 7 p.m. on Friday, April 10 and Saturday, April 11; and 2:30 p.m. on Sunday, April 12, 2026.

The gates to Arendelle are open. In the beautiful mountainous kingdom of Arendelle, Princesses Anna and Elsa grow up sheltered inside their castle, isolated from the world and increasingly distant from each other.

When Elsa is crowned queen, the magical powers she’s desperately tried to conceal from her sister take control, and she flees into the mountains.

As a ferocious winter descends on Arendelle, Anna sets off on an epic journey to find Elsa and bring her home – with the help of hardworking ice harvester Kristoff, his loyal reindeer Sven, and a happy-go-lucky snowman named Olaf.

Full of magic, humor, and a stunning

musical score, “Frozen” is a powerful tale of sisterhood, acceptance, and finding the real meaning of true love.

Tickets cost $10 for general admission and $5 for PSHS students (only available at the door).

Tickets may be purchased online at https://cur8.com/23594/project/136827 or at the door.

PSHS is located at 7800 W. Caton Farm Road, Plainfield.

For more information please contact: Plainfield High School – Central Campus: Nathan Rancatore, (815) 436-3200; nrancato@psd202.org Plainfield South High School: (815) 439-5555, Jessica Carey jcarey@psd202.org Plainfield North High School: Cristian Larios, clarios@psd202.org or Ashley Kratschmer, aarneson@psd202.org or ashley.arneson1227@psd202.org Plainfield East High School: Ali Kordelwewski (815) 577-0324;

FEBRUARY 25-26, 2026 | BUGLENEWSPAPERS.COM | PAGE 4

LOCAL NEWS

NORTH CENTRAL COLLEGE FINE AND PERFORMING ARTS CALENDAR FOR MARCH Naperville, Ill., February 24, 2026 – Following is a calendar for fine and performing arts events taking place in March at North Central College:

March 6 Music: Chicago Sinfonietta presents “Still I Rise.” Conducted by Mei-Ann Chen, Chicago Sinfonietta ignites the stage with an empowered tribute to women who break molds, blaze trails, and rise again and again.

The competition begins at 7:30 p.m. in Wentz Concert Hall. Tickets are $35; call 630-637-SHOW (7469) or visit northcentralcollege.edu/show.

Start the new year clog-free!

Feb. 28–March 1 Dance: Department of Theatre Spring Dance Production.

This original production fuses several forms of dance as performers engage the audience in action and story.

Devised by the ensemble, the production explores contemporary themes through movement.

Performances are Feb. 28 at 2 p.m. and 7 p.m. and March 1 at 2 p.m. in Pfeiffer Hall.

Tickets are $14; call 630-637-SHOW (7469) or visit northcentralcollege.edu/ show.

Chicago’s own Deeply Rooted Dance Theater joins the orchestra in an interdisciplinary collaboration, bringing Florence Price’s Dances in the Canebrakes and Shirley J. Thompson’s Seventh Sense to life through dance.

The program also includes Amy Beach’s Gaelic Symphony and Marianna Martines’s Sinfonia in C. The concert begins at 7 p.m. in Wentz Concert Hall. Tickets range from $45–$65; call 630-637SHOW (7469) or visit northcentralcollege.edu/show.

March 26–29 Theatre: Department of Theatre presents The Grown-Ups. Following a group of camp counselors trying to mold the leaders of tomorrow when tomorrow is looking bleaker and bleaker, The Grown-Ups explores the traditions that change us, what it takes to change them, and how daunting it can be to reshape the world that shaped who you are—and why it might be worth doing it anyway.

Performances take place March 26 at 7:30 p.m., March 27 at 7:30 p.m., March 28 at 2 p.m. and 7:30 p.m., and March 29 at 2 p.m. in the Theatre at Meiley-Swallow Hall. Tickets are $14; call 630-637SHOW (7469) or visit northcentralcollege.edu/show.

joined by Chris White (piano), Dan Anderson (bass), Juan Pastor (drum set), and Mitch Paliga (saxophone). Originally from Minden, Nebraska, Stirtz is a Chicago-based vibraphonist who has performed internationally in Uganda, Trinidad, and throughout the United States.

He has performed with jazz artists Ed Thigpen, Patricia Barber, and Jerry Goodman, as well as contemporary artists Joe Walsh, Dennis DeYoung, and Charlie Pride. Stirtz has served on the faculties of the American Conservatory of Music, Roosevelt University, Benedictine University, Northern Illinois University, and North Central College and has been an instructor at Birch Creek Music Center for more than 40 years.

Marchgutter 14 Music: 2026 Chicago HarmoHe is currently the full-time Director Get a FREE full inspection ny Sweepstakes. Come see the annual of Music at Peace Lutheran Church in Marchand 1 Music: West Suburban Sym- competition that inspired NBC’s The Lombard, Illinois. estimate: 1-855-971-2900 phony presents “Power and Beauty.” Sing-Off and the Pitch Perfect films.

March 27 Music: Faculty Recital Series Carl Orff ’s primal 1936 cantata Carmina Burana will thrill audiences with its The best all-vocal ensembles in the dramatic opening and closing move- Midwest will perform before a panel ment, “O Fortuna,” based on medieval of celebrity judges to be crowned the 1.We Clean poems exploring the pleasures and per- 2026 Chicago Regional Champion. The ils of drinking, gluttony, gambling, and winner will advance to face five other relove as Fortuna spins her fateful wheel. gional champions at the National Finals in California.

The program also includes Overture for the End of a Century by Grammy The event features Vocalight from DayAward-winning composer Libby Lars- ton, Ohio (2025 Chicago First Place, en. The concert takes place at 4 p.m. in 2025 National Finals Second Place) as Wentz Concert Hall. Tickets range from special guest hosts and two-time cham$0–$35; visit northcentralcollege.edu/ pion David Wilner as master of ceremoshow for details. nies.

– An Evening of Jazz: “100 Years of Vibraphone” featuring Brad Stirtz. “100 Years of Vibraphone” traces the evolution of one of jazz’s most distinctive 2.We Reinforce instruments from its early roots in the 1920s swing era to the modern sounds of today, featuring music made popular by legendary vibraphonists such as Milt Jackson and contemporary voices like Gary Burton.

The concert begins at 7:30 p.m. in Madden Theatre. Tickets are $15; call 630637-SHOW (7469) or visit northcentralcollege.edu/show.

The program also includes original compositions by Brad Stirtz, offering a personal perspective on the instrument’s ongoing evolution. Stirtz is

Aaron Copland’s Third Symphony evokes majestic landscapes and postwar optimism, culminating in the iconic Fanfare for the Common Man. The

program also includes Carlos Chávez’s Sinfonía india and Michael Abels’ Delights & Dances, featuring soloists from the Black chamber music collective D-Composed. The concert begins at 6 p.m. in Wentz Concert Hall. For more information and to purchase tickets, visit the Chicago Symphony Orchestra’s website. Tickets are available beginning March 13.

North Central College’s 2025–2026 Fine and Performing Arts Season is partially supported by the following sponsors and partners: City of Naperville Special Events and Community Arts Fund, Dommermuth, Cobine, West, Gensler, Philipchuck and Corrigan, Ltd. These upcoming events are among many ongoing programs at North Central College to enrich and broaden the cultural and academic outlook for the College and community. North Central offers a variety of venues that accommodate a rich range of local and world-class events, performances and space needs for the public.

a comprehensive schedule of musi3.WeFor Install

March 29 Music: Civic Orchestra of Chicago presents “Civic Plays Copland 3.” Conducted by Carlos Miguel Prieto, this program explores the vitality of music from across North America.

cal performances, theatrical and dance productions, visit northcentralcollege. edu/show or call the box office at 630637-SHOW (7469).

Media Contact Jennifer Berosek, Associate Director of Fine Arts North Central College 630-637-5341, jlberosek@noctrl.edu

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FEBRUARY 25-26, 2026 | BUGLENEWSPAPERS.COM | PAGE 6

BUSINESS AND REAL ESTATE

How to protect your home when you’re away Vacation often serves as a well-deserved break from the hustle and bustle of daily life.

When relaxing and recharging away from home, the last thing vacationers want to think about is the safety of their homes and everything inside them.

However, the National Council for Home Safety and Security and Statistics Canada estimate that more than two million burglaries occur in the United States and Canada every year.

That underscores the importance of protecting your home at all times, including when you’re not there.

• Create the impression that someone is home. Just because you’re heading off for parts unknown doesn’t mean you can’t create the impression that life is carrying on as usual within the walls of your home. Smart home technology now enables homeowners to set timers on lights and even home electronics like televisions and radios.

Homeowners also can ask neighbors to pick up their mail or halt delivery until they return from their trips. Nothing says “no one’s home” as definitively as an overflowing mailbox.

• Keep quiet on social media. A Credit Sesame survey of former burglars in the United Kingdom found that 78 percent acknowledged monitoring social media platforms such as Facebook and Twitter as they try to find homes to burglarize. Individuals about to go on vacation should avoid sharing that on social media.

• Stay silent while you’re away as well.

Social media silence should be continued while you’re on vacation as well. No matter how tempting it may be to share photos from an exotic location, such posts could catch the attention of all the wrong people.

A recent report from MetLife indicated that 35 percent of Americans between the ages of 18 and 34 check in from their locations via social media. That can alert criminals that no one is manning the fort

When relaxing and recharging away from home, the last thing vacationers want to think about is the safety of their homes and everything inside them.

back home.

• Switch from a traditional lock and key to a lockbox. Individuals who travel frequently can take a page from the realtor notebook and switch from a traditional lock and key lock system to a lockbox.

Lockboxes require that a code is entered before a box containing a key can be unlocked.

Homeowners who want this added measure of protection don’t even need to put a key inside the lockbox, which typically

covers a lock, making it extremely difficult for potential thieves to pick the lock.

Before leaving for vacation, individuals can implement various strategies and safety measures to protect their homes and their belongings while they’re away.

SENIORS

Hobbies to get seniors out and about The threat posed by social isolation has been known to medical researchers and health care professionals for years, but the issue gained wider attention during the pandemic. Restrictions on social gatherings during the pandemic opened millions of people’s eyes to the ill effects of social isolation, and while that threat proved temporary for the majority of people across the globe, many seniors continue to live largely isolated lives.

According to the Mayo Clinic, depression, anxiety, increased risk of suicide, and various chronic health problems are some of the outcomes associated with loneliness.

That’s a troubling assessment that becomes even more disconcerting when considering a general decline in socialization as evidenced by the 2021 American Perspectives Survey. Survey participants indicated they have fewer close friendships than they once did, speak with their friends less often and rely less on friends for personal support.

That’s challenging for adults of all ages, but it can be especially difficult for aging adults, who may be dealing with the loss of a spouse or other close confidantes they would otherwise rely on when confronting personal problems.

Hobbies that promote socialization can help aging adults reestablish friendships and build new ones, paying dividends

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Adults who feel as though their social circles are shrinking in mid-life or in retirement can look to these activities as means to rebuilding their social lives.

that can have a profound impact on their overall health. With that in mind, adults who feel as though their social circles are shrinking in mid-life or in retirement can look to these activities as means to rebuilding their social lives.

• Book club: A book club offers multiple benefits to adults. Book clubs are inherently social and tend to bring like-minded individuals together, which can help build new and lasting friendships that extend beyond weekly discussions. A 2021 study published in the journal Neurology also linked regular reading to a lower risk of developing dementia.

• Sports: Sports provide another avenue to socialize with like-minded individuals. Golf is not a team sport, but it is typically played in groups of two or four, making it an ideal activity for adults with free time on their hands to get out and about and meet other people. Leagues for softball, bowling and pickleball also

provide opportunities to socialize, and many adults are participating in such leagues for that very reason. A CivicScience study released in 2025 found that 49 percent of adults who planned to participate in adult recreational sports leagues were doing so for social interaction and the chance to make friends.

• Travel: Travel can provide another means for aging adults to make friends.

Group tours to foreign countries, day trips to local attractions arranged by township recreational offices or even overseas trips with friends you’ve fallen out of touch with can be a great means to build new friendships and reinvigorate old ones, all the while getting you out of the house.

These are just some ways for men and women to get out of the house and socialize with others their age, a worthy endeavor that can be highly beneficial to adults’ overall health.

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FEBRUARY 25-26, 2026 | BUGLENEWSPAPERS.COM | PAGE 7

LEGAL NOTICES STATE OF WISCONSIN

CIRCUIT COURT

GITSIT Solutions, LLC, not in its individual capacity but solely in its capacity as Separate Trustee of GV Trust 2025-1 333 S. Anita Drive, Suite 400 Orange, CA 92868 vs.

Plaintiff,

IRON COUNTY

PUBLICATION SUMMONS Case No. 26-CV-000001 The Honorable Anthony J. Stella Jr.

The Estate of Gloria F. Hudek, Deceased 2560 W North Mercer Lake Circle Mercer, WI 54547

Case Code 30404 (Foreclosure of Mortgage) The amount claimed exceeds $10,000.00

Jason C. Hudek 2013 Poyntz Ave Apt 1411 Charlotte, NC 28215-5806

Jane Doe Hudek 2013 Poyntz Ave Apt 1411 Charlotte, NC 28215-5806

Read more: Judge dismisses biometric data privacy lawsuit citing revised state law

Jane Moe Dudek 24823 W Gates Ct Plainfield, IL 60585-2232 Defendants.

THE STATE OF WISCONSIN To each person named above as a defendant: You are hereby notified that the plaintiff named above has filed a lawsuit or other legal action against you.

Within 40 days after February 20, 2026 you must respond with a written demand for a copy of the complaint. The demand must be sent or delivered to the court, whose address is 300 Taconite Street #207, Hurley, WI 54534-1546 and to Gray & Associates, L.L.P., plaintiff ’s attorney, whose address is 16345 West Glendale Drive, New Berlin, WI 53151-2841. You may have an attorney help or represent you.

If you do not demand a copy of the complaint within 40 days, the court may grant judgment against you for the award of money or other legal action requested in the complaint, and you may lose your right to object to anything that is or may be incorrect in the complaint. A judgment may be enforced as provided by law. A judgment awarding money may become a lien against any real estate you own now or in the future, and may also be enforced by garnishment or seizure of property.

Gray & Associates, L.L.P. Attorneys for Plaintiff

By: ______________________________

Robert M. Piette

State Bar No. 1018058

Case No. 26-CV-000001

16345 West Glendale Drive

New Berlin, WI 53151-2841

(414) 224-1987 Gray & Associates, L.L.P. is attempting to collect a debt and any information obtained will be used for that purpose. If you have previously received a discharge in a chapter 7 bankruptcy case, this communication should not be construed as an attempt to hold you personally liable for the debt.

Published 2/26/26, 3/5/26 & 3/12/26

not the consumers.”.

The data center companies oppose such mandates, preferring a voluntary “bring your own energy” policy, according to Brad Tietz, director of state policy for the Data Center Coalition industry group.

“I think, ultimately, when you try to mandate something, you get less of it,” he said.

States are competing to attract investments from companies that want to build more data centers as they seek an edge in the artificial intelligence race. Illinois has the fourth-largest number of data centers — 222 — in the country, but Tietz said the state is in danger of slipping because

other states have friendlier policies. Illinois has provided tax incentives for data centers since Pritzker signed bipartisan legislation in 2019. According to the state’s 2024 report, at least 27 data centers had received incentives totaling $983 million in estimated lifetime tax breaks and benefits. That would stop for at least two years under Pritzker’s plan.

Read more: Pritzker signs major energy reform bill amid projected shortages | As energy bill continues to take shape, a key Senate architect plans to retire Sen. Terri Bryant, R-Murphysboro, said she would like to see “a change in our policy here in Illinois” so the state does not fall behind, though she hopes those centers bring their own energy. “We want

But the data center industry wasn’t satisfied, and its leaders say the legal liabilities are one reason they are building in other states. Abe Scarr, state director of the Illinois Public Interest Research Group, said biometric information is uniquely sensitive.

“We should know who is collecting and commercializing information created from the stuff our lives are made of,” Scarr said. “And we should have to opt into — and be able to easily opt out of — pervasive, intrusive surveillance.”

Consumer backlash

The legislative debate comes as data centers have become increasingly controversial. In January, the Aurora City Council approved a moratorium pausing new data centers. The city had five data centers in development and had been receiving requests to build more even as residents and environmental groups complained about noise, water usage and rising utility costs.

Dated this 9th day of February, 2026.

(Continued from page 2, ‘DIGITAL’)

“You have privacy rights advocates saying, ‘We’re a leader in the country as far as protecting people’s privacy rights and protecting their data,’” Stadelman said.

“But the data (centers) say, ‘We’re not going to have more projects in Illinois unless you change the BIPA legislation.’”

Tietz said these regulations have factored into operators’ decisions to bypass Illinois, although lawmakers in 2024 drastically curtailed the way damages accrue and the liability private entities are likely to face if found in violation.

Christopher M. Hudek 24823 W Gates Ct Plainfield, IL 60585-2232

Read more: Illinois Senate advances changes to state’s biometric privacy law after business groups split

to be able to do that because if we don’t, China will. If we don’t, Wisconsin will, Indiana will,” she said.

‘Little type of war’

As negotiations progress, the Data Center Coalition has signified another point of contention: A 2008 law known as the Biometric Information Privacy Act that prohibits private companies from collecting personal data without informed consent. The law allows people to sue over the misuse of their biometric profile, such as fingerprint mapping, facial recognition and retina scans.

Stadelman said the privacy protections in the act, which Illinois put in place before any other state, are at the center of a “little type of war.”

Alison Lindburg, director of sustainability for Aurora, said the city passed the moratorium because it needed time to put requirements for data centers in place.

“We have tried to explain that to communities, that it’s not just about data centers in Aurora, it’s about the entire grid, but that doesn’t matter to them,” Lindburg said in an interview. “I think they’re just very frustrated overall with the rising electricity prices.”

Read more: With electricity price spikes coming, environmental and industry groups pitch reform | As state regulators warn of impending energy shortfalls, capacity prices rise again Hannah Flath, Illinois Environmental Council’s climate communications director, said other communities are also opposing data centers.

“In that case (Aurora), the local government acted in accordance with what their local constituents were saying,” Flath said.

Tietz said he has been in conversations with officials from Aurora about the 180day moratorium and is hoping he can help find a solution.

Lucy Contreras, GreenLatinos Illinois state program director, said communities should have a voice in whether, where and how these projects are built. She said developers must ensure host communities receive tangible benefits rather than bearing only the burdens of hosting these facilities.

“They contribute to air pollution and consume excessive amounts of water daily, which restrains local water systems that might already be struggling,” Contreras said. “Without strong and forceful regulations, data center expansion will deepen existing inequalities, harm public health and undermine our Illinois clean energy goals.”

Spreading the costs

Utilities are building billions of dollars of new power lines and plants to keep up with energy demand increases brought on by data centers — whether they’re built or in the process of being built. They, in turn, spread associated costs to ratepayers.

“Speculation about data center development has actually increased prices,” Sen. Bill Cunningham, D-Chicago, said.

“It’s not just the immediate demand, it’s anticipated future demand, so it’s really important to sift out the wheat from the chaff on what’s a real proposal and what isn’t.” Cunningham said he expects fellow Democratic lawmakers to work on safeguards for consumers when pending data center projects go uncompleted.

Recently, northern Illinois utility Commonwealth Edison announced it will require a 10-year guarantee of revenues upfront from big energy consumers.

ComEd said this will help protect ratepayers from bearing the costs of highload projects and ensure, even if they don’t come to fruition. Maddie Wazowicz, Midwest Energy Efficiency Alliance policy director, said utilities function best when they can plan into the future. “Whether or not data centers emerge — and how much, how many of them come, where and how long they last — does complicate utility long-term planning,” she said.

Gabriel Castilho is a graduate student in journalism with Northwestern University’s Medill School of Journalism, Media and Integrated Marketing Communications, and is a fellow in its Medill Illinois News Bureau working in partnership with Capitol News Illinois.

Capitol News Illinois is a nonprofit, nonpartisan news service that distributes state government coverage to hundreds of news outlets statewide. It is funded primarily by the Illinois Press Foundation and the Robert R. McCormick Foundation.

PAGE 8 | FEBRUARY 25-26, 2026 | BUGLENEWSPAPERS.COM