Data Centers Heat Up Farms and Bills | Springfield News

Springfield News Today | 2 Min News | The Daily News Now! · Jul 9, 2026 · 1m

Sangamon County’s electricity bills are skyrocketing—up over 50% in just five years—despite utility companies promising data centers will lower rates for everyone. Yet, the county board approved a massive data center on farmland, even after local outcry. One farmer, Treg Caruthers, fears the tech’s hidden costs: data centers are turning nearby land into heat islands, and their diesel backup generators could spew pollution rivaling hospitals. With rising costs, unknown environmental impacts on livestock, and worsening air quality, the community’s caught in a tech boom with no clear answers…