Illinois running low on power as AI data centers spike electricity demand

Illinois is running out of power.

That’s the word from state analysts trying to figure out whether there are enough sources of electricity to keep the lights on in the coming years.

The outlook is bleak, according to a just-released report from Gov. JB Pritzker’s administration, as demand is sky high and older sources of power, such as coal plants, are shutting down. Newer sources of “clean” power, such as wind and solar, are not coming online quickly enough.

This is bad news for anyone who is worried about their electricity bills. ComEd customers are already dealing with higher bills, in large part due to demand from data centers powering artificial intelligence. The same goes for Ameren customers, who largely fall south of Interstate 80.

“I see this report as really solidifying the need for us as a state to take a serious look at what can be done to preserve reliability and affordability,” said Sarah Moskowitz, executive director of the consumer advocacy group Citizens Utility Board.

The news is also a setback for Pritzker, who’d set ambitious goals to reduce harmful greenhouse gas emissions from fossil fuel power plants that are accelerating global warming.

To read the full report, visit chicago.suntimes.com.