Monarch Energy 'Rock Air' data center (8685 Friday Road, Rockford)
Also called: Rock Air
Monarch Energy wants to build a 1,400-megawatt data center campus on about 1,300 acres on Rockford's south edge, next to a forest preserve. It says it could invest $12 billion. Neighbors worry about water, power bills and diesel fumes.
Where things stand: No site plan or development deal filed with the city yet. The land is already zoned for heavy industry, so a council vote may only be needed if the developer asks for TIF money. A state tax break deal was signed in June 2026.
🕒 Latest update (June 11, 2026): State commerce department signed a tax break agreement for a 1,400-megawatt phased data center.
What we know
- 📍 Where8685 Friday Road, north of Edson Road and south of Kilbuck Creek, near Chicago Rockford International Airport, Rockford, Winnebago County
- 🏢 CompanyMonarch Rock Air LLC (Monarch Energy)
- 🌳 Size1,300 acres
- ⚡ Power it needs1,400 megawatts (about as much as 1,120,000 homes)
- 💸 Tax breaksSigned a state Data Center Investment Program agreement (sales tax break) in June 2026, requiring at least $250 million invested and 100 jobs. Local approval was not needed for that deal.
- 👷 Jobs promised200
❓ Still unanswered
Nobody has answered these in public yet. Can you help find out?
- Will Monarch build its own power plant on site, and what fuel would it use? 🙋 I'll find out
- How much water would the campus use? 🙋 I'll find out
- Will the city hold a public hearing before any approval? 🙋 I'll find out
- Which company will use the data center? 🙋 I'll find out
What happened so far
- March 2026News reports revealed the plan; neighbors and a petition with 2,100+ names raised concerns.
- June 11, 2026State commerce department signed a tax break agreement for a 1,400-megawatt phased data center.
An aerial photo of the area.
Where this comes from
- What happens next on the Rockford data center? · Rock River Current · March 2026
- Neighbors fear destruction if Monarch Energy's data center moves forward in Rockford · WIFR · March 5, 2026
- Incentive deal for proposed Rockford data center shows possible development timeline · Rockford News First / WIFR · July 1, 2026
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