Joliet approves the largest US data center in Illinois with $20 billion and 1.8 GW, marking a new round in the race for AI capacity

Written by Douglas Avila

Published on 11/05/2026 at 17:02

Updated on 11/05/2026 at 17:03

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The Joliet City Council, in Illinois (USA), approved on March 20, 2026, by an 8-1 vote, the construction of the largest data center in the US by approved capacity: the Joliet Technology Center, with a US$20 billion investment, 795 acres (321 hectares), and 1.8 gigawatts of electrical power at full buildout. The approval was preceded by a public hearing lasting over six and a half hours.

According to Data Center Dynamics, the complex will be built by a joint venture between Hillwood Investment Properties (Dallas, from the Perot family) and PowerHouse Data Centers (Virginia, a subsidiary of American Real Estate Partners). The design envisions 24 two-story buildings with 6.9 million square feet (approximately 640,000 m²) of built area.

The site is located in Jackson Township, at the intersection of Rowell and Bernhard roads, near the Chicagoland Speedway circuit, approximately 65 kilometers southwest of Chicago. In parallel, the approval involved a zoning change from agricultural A-1 to light industrial I-1 and a formal annexation agreement with the municipality.

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Why the largest data center in the US became a topic of debate in Joliet

The public hearing on March 17, 2026, lasted over six and a half hours. According to Real Deal, it was the largest Joliet City Council meeting in decades, with hundreds of residents present asking for a “no” vote.

The vote was postponed from Monday to Thursday, March 20. In parallel, eight council members approved, and only Suzanna Ibarra voted against. Supporters cited a positive fiscal impact, while opponents raised environmental and infrastructure concerns.

According to Construction Owners, Hillwood committed US$100 million in direct payments to the municipality after approval. In parallel, the agreement provides for donations to the school district and Joliet Junior College.

The Joliet Township High School district will receive US$677 million over 30 years. Joliet Junior College will receive US$76 million. The municipality will collect US$310 million directly.

In parallel, opponents pointed to the risk of overload on Commonwealth Edison (ComEd), the regional electric company. Therefore, the project included a commitment to phased installation of dedicated substations and transmission contracts approved by FERC.

Public hearing in Joliet, Illinois, on the largest data center in the US, with over 6 hours of debate — Public hearing at Joliet City Hall on March 17, 2026. The vote was postponed to March 20 after more than 6 and a half hours of debate. Photo: Joliet City Council.

Who are PowerHouse + Hillwood and why they chose Joliet

Hillwood was founded in 1988 by Ross Perot Jr., son of Texas businessman and presidential candidate Ross Perot. According to Hillwood Communities, the group invests in industrial, residential, and logistics real estate development in over 20 American states.

PowerHouse Data Centers was born in 2021 as a subsidiary of American Real Estate Partners (AREP). In parallel, the company specializes in developing hyperscale data centers for large cloud operators.

The choice of Joliet has three practical reasons. The first is energy: the region has a robust ComEd network with expansion capacity. The second is fiber: internet backbone lines connect Chicago to the Midwest passing nearby. The third is water: the Cambrian-Ordovician Aquifer provides a stable supply.

In parallel, Joliet has permissive zoning for light industry, an available workforce, and proximity to a logistics hub (Interstates 80, 55, and 355). Therefore, it became a natural target for hyperscale.

The financial model foresees the sale of buildings to hyperscalers via build-to-suit. According to analysts, potential occupants include Google, Amazon, Meta, and Oracle, although no tenant has been publicly confirmed.

High-voltage substation in Illinois to support 1.8 GW demand from the largest data center in the US — High-voltage substation on the ComEd network, essential infrastructure to supply 1.8 GW to the Joliet Technology Center. Photo: ComEd.

1.8 GW: what this absurd power means

According to official data, 1.8 GW is enough energy to power about 1.5 million average American homes. In parallel, it is practically the total output of the Hoover Dam (about 2 GW).

The complex will consume this energy 24 hours a day, seven days a week. Therefore, the impact on the regional grid is massive, and ComEd has already announced plans to add generation and transmission capacity.

According to ABC7 Chicago, residential consumers in the region express concern about the possible pass-through of these costs via tariffs. ComEd stated that regulatory mechanisms exist to isolate heavy industrial consumption from residential prices.

In parallel, the cooling system will be closed-loop, without significant consumption of potable water. The design uses glycol and air for thermal dissipation, a model applied in data centers in Texas and Arizona.

The noise from backup generators was a central issue at the public hearing. Therefore, Hillwood committed to using Tier 4 generators with advanced acoustic suppression, a standard similar to what is being applied in Silicon Valley projects.

The context: United States experiences historic AI data center boom

Joliet enters a larger movement. According to market reports, Project Stargate, the initiative announced in January

Joliet approves the largest US data center in Illinois with $20 billion and 1.8 GW, marking a new round in the race for AI capacity

Why the largest data center in the US became a topic of debate in Joliet

Who are PowerHouse + Hillwood and why they chose Joliet

1.8 GW: what this absurd power means

The context: United States experiences historic AI data center boom

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Joliet approves the largest US data center in Illinois with $20 billion and 1.8 GW, marking a new round in the race for AI capacity

Why the largest data center in the US became a topic of debate in Joliet

Who are PowerHouse + Hillwood and why they chose Joliet

1.8 GW: what this absurd power means

The context: United States experiences historic AI data center boom

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With a wingspan of 152 meters, 76 tires, and a capacity to carry 1,270 tons, the Boeing Pelican was the giant “flying ship” that promised to cross oceans close to the water on an invisible air cushion beneath its wings.

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