Crews work on the ComEd substation that will serve a Microsoft data center east of Barrington Road in Hoffman Estates. Paul Valade/pvalade@dailyherald.com, 2024

SPRINGFIELD — Heading into the end of the legislative session, consumer advocates, renewable energy industry groups and environmental advocates were hopeful about a bill that would have overhauled Illinois’ energy industry.

It would have been the largest energy reform in years, touching almost every part of the state’s electricity sector, including the power demands of the burgeoning data center industry.

But lawmakers declined to take up the bill, kicking the can down the line on energy reform for the second time this year, after initially punting on the issue during the January lame duck session.

Hoffman Estates has become a

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