Overview
- City council is set to consider approval Tuesday night after the Planning and Zoning Commission advanced the proposal in late 2025.
- The project is described as a 36‑megawatt facility on the old Lucent campus near Naperville and Warrenville roads, with news reports differing on size from roughly 145,000 to 211,000 square feet.
- Neighbors point to proximity to residential areas, Herrick Lake and Danada forest preserves, and the Sensory Garden Playground, and more than 5,000 residents have petitioned against the plan.
- Residents and a council member cite concerns about 24 diesel backup generators and on‑site fuel storage, while the developer says newer generator technology cuts emissions and use would be limited to outages with enforceable permit conditions.
- City documents note potential substantial property tax revenue and that Karis Critical would fund related electrical infrastructure upgrades, as watchdogs warn regional data‑center growth could push Chicago‑area electric bills up by as much as $70 over three years.