Lake County, Illinois: Power, Data Centers and the Local Economy
Home to Waukegan Township, Waukegan and Vernon Township
Lake County sits inside the data center build-out. The SAVRN Data Center Map lists 4 data centers in Lake County. Lake County is home to Waukegan Township, Waukegan, Vernon Township and Warren Township. The Moratorium Tracker holds 1 local measure here (1 in force); the latest is “Ordinance amending Chapter 151: Unified Development Ordinance of the Lake County, Illinois, Code of Ordinances”. 2 projects are on the Delay Watchlist, including T5 @ Chicago IV (Grayslake) (1,550 MW). 5 MW of new generation is planned here across 1 unit, led by Standard Solar (solar). 5 MW of it is already under construction or built.
Cities and towns in Lake County
Lake County is home to Waukegan Township, Waukegan, Vernon Township and Warren Township.
And 16 smaller places.
- Buffalo Grove also extends into Cook County.
- Deerfield also extends into Cook County.
- Fox Lake also extends into McHenry County.
Unincorporated communities (governed by the county): Channel Lake, Forest Lake, Fox Lake Hills, Gages Lake, Grandwood Park, Knollwood, Lake Catherine, Long Lake, Venetian Village.
Residents are 2025 Census estimates for the part of each city, town or township inside this county. Census publishes no annual estimate for unincorporated communities.
What changed in Lake County
1st = the most. Ranks cover counties with a value on record.
| Measure | Then | Now | Change | Rank in Illinois |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Population (2020 → 2025) | 713,377 | 719,339 | ▲ 0.8% | 3rd of 102 by size |
| Total jobs (2019 → 2025) | 340,643 | 325,826 | ▼ 4.3% | 74th of 102 by growth |
| Average annual pay (2019 → 2025) | $76,062 | $92,733 | ▲ 21.9% | — |
| Construction jobs (2019 → 2025) | 13,338 | 12,919 | ▼ 3.1% | 48th of 56 by growth |
| Electrical contractor jobs (2019 → 2025) | 1,304 | 1,332 | ▲ 2.1% | — |
| Data processing and hosting jobs (2019 → 2025) | 178 | 199 | ▲ 11.8% | — |
| Unemployment rate (2019 → August 2026) | 4.0% | 3.8% | ▼ 0.2pts | — |
| Generating capacity added since 2019 | — | 9 MW | — | |
| Generating capacity retired since 2019 | — | 702 MW | — | |
| Planned generation (Aug 2026) | — | 5 MW | 1% of today's fleet | 47th of 57 by size |
702 MW has retired here since 2019, including Waukegan (coal, 682 MW, 2022). Construction employs 12,919, down 3.1% since 2019. Its power plants have 733 MW of capacity, 83% of it natural gas. 9 MW of that came online in 2019 or later, mostly solar. Employers here counted 325,826 jobs in 2025, down 4.3% from 2019. Electrical contractors employ 1,332, up 2.1% since 2019 against up 3.9% statewide, at an average $88,590 a year. Commonwealth Edison Co is the largest utility serving Lake County. Its residential customers paid an average 15.22¢/kWh in 2024. Unemployment was 3.8% in August 2026, against 4.0% in 2019. 719,339 people live here, up 0.8% since 2020, 3rd of 102 Illinois counties by population.
Who powers Lake County
Net change in operating capacity since 2019: −692 MW. Colors follow the fuel legend above.
Utilities with service territory in Lake County
| Utility | Ownership | Service | Residential customers (systemwide) | Residential price, 2024 | Commercial share of sales |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Commonwealth Edison Co | Investor Owned | Bundled | 3,727,675 | 15.22¢ | 27% |
Customer counts, prices and sales shares cover each utility's whole system in the state, not only this county. Commercial sales include data centers.
Operating power plants 6
| Technology | Capacity | Share |
|---|---|---|
| Natural gas | 612 MW | 83% |
| Petroleum | 112 MW | 15% |
| Solar | 9 MW | 1% |
| Largest plants | Owner | Technology | MW | Since |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Zion Energy Center | Zion Energy LLC | Natural gas | 597 MW | 2002 |
| Waukegan | Midwest Generations EME LLC | Petroleum | 112 MW | 1968 |
| North Chicago Energy Center | Energy Systems Group LLC | Natural gas | 12 MW | 2003 |
| Yeoman Creek | BQ Energy Development | Solar | 7 MW | 2025 |
| Lake Forest Hospital Central Energy Plan | Northwestern Lake Forest Hospital | Natural gas | 3 MW | 1996 |
| Cenergy IL - Zion CSG | Standard Solar | Solar | 2 MW | 2025 |
Planned generation 1
| Plant | Technology | MW | Status | Year | Owner |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| NL IL Lake | Solar Photovoltaic | 5 MW | Built, not yet operating | 2026 | Standard Solar |
Retired since 2019
| Plant | Technology | MW | Year |
|---|---|---|---|
| Waukegan | Coal | 682 MW | 2022 |
| Mas Countryside RNG, LLC | Other technologies | 13 MW | 2020 |
| Zion Landfill Gas to Energy Facility | Other technologies | 7 MW | 2021 |
The Lake County labor market
| Industry (2025) | Jobs | Average pay | Concentration vs U.S. |
|---|---|---|---|
| All industries | 325,826 | $92,733 | 1.00 |
| Construction | 12,919 | $94,886 | 0.75 |
| Electrical contractors | 1,332 | $88,590 | 0.57 |
| Data processing and hosting | 199 | $195,790 | 0.20 |
Concentration is the BLS location quotient: 1.0 means the industry holds the same share of local jobs as it does nationally. Industry rows count private employers; cells BLS suppresses are left out.
Data centers and local rules in Lake County
4 data centers in Lake County are on the SAVRN Data Center Map.
Local measures 1
| Measure | Status | Date | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Ordinance amending Chapter 151: Unified Development Ordinance of the Lake County, Illinois, Code of Ordinances relating to defining and imposing a temporary | In force | 2026-09 |
Delay Watchlist 2
| Project | Status | Cause | MW | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| T5 @ Chicago IV (Grayslake) | active litigation | 1,550 MW | ||
| T5 @ Chicago IV | litigation active | — |
Lake County and its neighbors
Of the 3 counties that border Lake County, Cook County carries the most build-out activity: data centers, planned generation and operating plants combined.
| County | Population | Jobs since 2019 | Operating MW | Planned MW | Data centers | Local measures |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Lake County | 719,339 | ▼ 4.3% | 733 MW | 5 MW | 4 | 1 |
| Cook County | 5,194,625 | ▼ 0.5% | 1,364 MW | 35 MW | 122 | — |
| Kenosha County WI | 168,448 | ▲ 13.2% | 412 MW | — | — | — |
| McHenry County | 317,751 | ▲ 0.8% | 89 MW | 17 MW | — | 1 |
More of Illinois
Lake County, answered from the record
Who provides electricity in Lake County, Illinois?
1 utility has service territory in Lake County in the EIA-861 2024 report: Commonwealth Edison Co. The largest, Commonwealth Edison Co, charged residential customers 15.22¢/kWh on average in 2024.
What county is Waukegan Township, IL in?
Waukegan Township is in Lake County, Illinois. About 89,045 people live there (2025 Census estimate).
What county is Waukegan, IL in?
Waukegan is in Lake County, Illinois. About 87,940 people live there (2025 Census estimate).
What county is Vernon Township, IL in?
Vernon Township is in Lake County, Illinois. About 71,353 people live there (2025 Census estimate).
What power plants are in Lake County?
6 operating plants with 733 MW of capacity. The largest is Zion Energy Center (597 MW, natural gas).
How much new power is planned in Lake County?
5 MW across 1 units in the August 2026 EIA-860M inventory, 5 MW of it under construction or built. The largest owner is Standard Solar.
Are there data centers in Lake County?
Yes. The SAVRN Data Center Map lists 4 data centers in Lake County.
Is Lake County adding jobs?
Employers counted 325,826 jobs in 2025 against 340,643 in 2019 (-4.3%, BLS QCEW). Construction went from 13,338 to 12,919.
Does Lake County have a data center moratorium?
The SAVRN Moratorium Tracker holds 1 local measure for Lake County, 1 in force.