Google to Buy Power from Illinois CCS Plant

Google signed its first U.S. corporate agreement to buy electricity from the Broadwing Energy 400-megawatt natural gas plant in Decatur, Illinois, developed by Low Carbon Infrastructure, and will purchase most of the plant’s output to power its Midwest data centers. The facility, sited next to Archer Daniels Midland’s ethanol plant, intends to capture roughly 90% of its CO2 and inject it into the same geological storage formations ADM has used since 2017. That storage site briefly halted injections in 2024 after salty brine migrated into unauthorized zones due to corrosion at a monitoring well, though injections have since resumed. Analysts and recent studies warn CCS has a mixed performance record, with some facilities capturing far less than promised, and CCS does not address methane leaks across the natural gas supply chain. Google says the offtake will help build new baseload capacity needed as AI data centers drive growing electricity demand and that it is also pursuing other clean options and coordinating with grid operator PJM to accelerate connections. The plant is expected to begin operations in the early 2030s.