LINCOLN, Ill. (WAND) — Logan County residents are raising questions about a proposed 500-megawatt data center in Latham, with concerns over power, water usage, and community impact.
Tech company Hut 8, which is developing the project, spoke with residents Monday night to provide information about the plan and address concerns.
Residents like Kelly Cubberly, who has nearly 20 years of experience in technology, said they were surprised by the scale of the project. “When I heard that a data center was proposed for Logan County for 500MW, that was very surprising because 500MW can power half a million to a million homes,” Cubberly said. “Logan County is a very small, rural farming community, and we only have just over 11,000 homes.”
Many neighbors expressed worry that the project could strain local resources, including electricity and water, potentially leading to higher utility costs.
Hut 8 representatives assured the community that electricity rates will not increase and that water usage would be minimal compared to other commercial operations.
The company estimates the center will use 9,000 gallons of water per day, recycling the same water for four to five years, far less than the 50,000 gallons per day used by a typical commercial car wash.
“Your rates will not go up as a result of infrastructure that Ameren has to build that will serve our data center. If anything, it’s a positive for the community,” a Hut 8 representative said.
The company also highlighted potential economic benefits, projecting 200 jobs and significant revenue for the area. “The property tax revenue could easily exceed $50 million per year for the community over 15 plus years,” Hut 8 added.
Hut 8 says the project is still in its early stages. The zoning board must review the proposal and decide whether to recommend it to the Logan County Board, which would make the final decision on approval.
WAND News will continue to follow the project and report updates as the process moves forward.
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