City Says Microsoft May Build Rockford Data Center
Monarch Energy controls the Rockford land, and Microsoft is still evaluating the site with no detailed plans yet presented.
Updated on Nov. 13, 2026 in Data Centers
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The City of Rockford announced Microsoft may operate a data center on land controlled by Monarch Energy along Edson and Friday roads on the far south end of the city. Microsoft is still evaluating the site, and no detailed development plans have been presented.
Why it matters
Monarch Energy's data center effort has drawn resident opposition since plans became public in February, and Pew Research Center polling shows 60% of Americans would not be comfortable with a new data center in their area. Residents in Rockford will get a chance to weigh in as Microsoft plans open houses to discuss the project.
Microsoft's Cherry Valley project, the company's other planned data center, consists of six one-story buildings and two substations on more than 300 acres. Specifications for any Rockford facility have not been released, and the size of the proposed project remains unknown.
The players
Microsoft
Microsoft is a major American technology company that develops software, cloud services and hardware, and it is building data centers to support its cloud and artificial intelligence operations.
Monarch Energy
Monarch Energy is the company that controls the land along Edson and Friday roads where the proposed Rockford data center may be built.
The details
Monarch Energy was not revealed as the end user of the proposed data center until Friday, when the city announced Microsoft's involvement and cited the company's stated approach to paying for its electricity needs without raising prices for other customers and replenishing more water than it consumes. Microsoft is seeking renewal of its Cherry Valley special-use permit in order to move forward with work there in 2027.
Timeline
February 2026: Monarch Energy's data center plans became public.
2024: Microsoft won village approval for its Cherry Valley data center.
Friday, November 13, 2026: The city announced Microsoft as the company behind the Rockford plans.
Tuesday, November 17, 2026, 6 p.m.: Zoning Board of Appeals public hearing on data center regulations.
2027: Microsoft plans to resume Cherry Valley work pending permit renewal.
Industry Dynamics
Pew Research Center polling shows 60% of Americans would not be comfortable with a new data center in their area, and the Rockford proposal reflects that tension as Microsoft seeks sites for its growing cloud and artificial intelligence capacity. Microsoft's earlier Cherry Valley approval in 2024 shows the company has already navigated local permitting in the region.
Rockford residents who want to weigh in on the proposal can attend the upcoming Zoning Board of Appeals hearing on data center regulations. Microsoft has said it will host open houses to discuss its plans with the community.
The takeaway
Rockford residents have an opening to shape how data centers are regulated in their city before any project moves forward. Watching the upcoming hearing and open houses will show what Microsoft's plans look like in detail.
What happens next
The Zoning Board of Appeals will hold a public hearing on data center regulations on Tuesday, Nov. 17, 2026 at 6 p.m.
Further reading
For more on the broader industry, see Data Centers coverage on Wisevoter.
Source note: This article includes information reported by Rock River Current - Illinois - Wisconsin.
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