Lisle data center faces renewed scrutiny over diesel generators and ongoing construction
A Lisle data center is once again under scrutiny for ongoing construction work.
Neighboring residents raised questions last week after noticing several diesel generators running at the CSquare facility.
In an email Monday, a CSquare executive said the company currently is operating one diesel generator, which the company says is allowed by the village under a temporary permit.
The facility, which has been in operation since the 1970s, also has nine permanent back-up generators, which are permitted and have been on site for some time. Additionally, CSquare is working with the village on permitting for four other temporary generators on site and needed to power critical workloads.
The company started reaching out to the residents this week through a door-to-door campaign and a flyer outlining what is happening at the facility.
“The ongoing work at the Lisle site focuses on modernization,” Catherine Smith, chief administrative officer, general counsel and corporate secretary for CSquare, said in an email. “This includes updating electrical, cooling and mechanical systems to continue to meet safety and building standards and minimize any environmental impact.
“These updates keep operations safe and reliable for existing customers, reduce the risk of outages or equipment problems and comply with the Village of Lisle’s codes,” Smith added.
Earlier this year, residents complained about construction for a fuel cell installation that would have added 19.5 megawatts of capacity to the facility.
At that time, Lisle officials ordered the company to stop work and went to court when the order was ignored. The village argued that CSquare had not secured proper permits for the work.
In late February, a DuPage County judge ordered a halt to exterior work but allowed interior work with the proper permits. The order also allowed a temporary chilling system, which was installed without permits, to remain in place.
After neighbors complained last week about the diesel generators, Lisle Development Services Director Mike Smetana sent an email to CSquare requesting that the company stop using the temporary generators. Both sides met on Tuesday.
Smetana said Wednesday he believes most of the generators are no longer in use and intends to confirm that only one generator is in regular use. The permanent back-up generators can be used in the event of a power outage, he added.
The village is seeking a better understanding of what users in the data center have a “critical” need for power, Smetana said.
“We need to know exactly what is in that building and why they need to maintain power to it,” he added.
While the village initially questioned whether CSquare had permits for the temporary generators, Smetana noted the permit for the temporary chiller unit indicated it would be powered by a temporary generator. However, the company never submitted details related to the generator, he said.
Both sides are expected to be in court on Aug. 17 for an update on the initial February court order. The village can address any new or ongoing concerns through that case, officials said.
In emails to the village last week, residents complained about the noise, smell and black smoke coming from the generators.
“It’s super loud,” said Mark Hedrick, who lives across the street from the data center. “It’s not just noise and air pollution; the site looks horrible.”
Lisle Village President Mary Jo Mullen said the village is working to better understand the nature of the construction project at the site. However, she noted that as an existing business, CSquare can submit for permits as needed and does not need approval for the full project all at once.
“What we really need here is the full scope of everything they’re planning to do and what’s going on,” she said. “That would help us go through this process much better.
“We’re trying to be understanding, but at the same time we can’t have the neighbors smelling diesel all day or listening to generators all day.”