Explore towns across northern Illinois where battery energy storage projects are being developed near ComEd substations.
Princeton and Bureau County offer 17 substations along the I-80 corridor with active battery interconnection queues. The Normandy substation and Kewanee-Hennepin 138 kV line provide viable connection points for energy storage projects.
Spring Valley along I-80 in southeastern Bureau County neighbors the LaSalle County grid, giving landowners access to substations in both counties. The area's 17 Bureau County substations and active interconnection queues create real lease opportunities.
Tiskilwa, a small farming community in central Bureau County, sits near the Normandy substation and regional transmission lines. The county's 17 substations and active battery queues make even modest agricultural parcels here worth evaluating for energy storage leases.
Walnut along I-80 in northern Bureau County offers easy access to the interstate corridor that parallels key transmission lines. With 17 substations across the county, surrounding farmland is well-suited for battery energy storage development.
DeKalb County's grid infrastructure supports 372 MW of battery interconnection at the Glidden-Waterman corridor. Farmland near the Sugar Grove-Waterman 138 kV line is in high demand from energy storage developers.
Genoa in northeastern DeKalb County has its own named substation feeding into the county's 372 MW battery interconnection pipeline. Farmland between Genoa and the Glidden substation corridor is actively being evaluated by energy storage developers.
Sandwich in southern DeKalb County has its own substation feeding the county's 372 MW battery interconnection pipeline. Located near the Kendall County border, farmland here benefits from overlapping grid infrastructure across both counties.
Sycamore, the DeKalb County seat, is centrally located among the county's 11 substations and 372 MW of battery interconnection capacity. Its historic downtown is surrounded by prime agricultural land that energy storage developers are actively pursuing.
Coal City in eastern Grundy County is near the Dresden nuclear station where high-voltage transmission lines converge. With 740 MW of battery projects in the queue, agricultural land in this area commands premium lease rates from energy storage developers.
Minooka on the northern edge of Grundy County benefits from proximity to the Dresden-Collins 345 kV transmission hub. The area's 740 MW of queued battery projects and rapid suburban growth make agricultural parcels here especially valuable for energy storage.
Morris and Grundy County sit at a critical grid junction near the Dresden nuclear station where major 345 kV lines converge. With 740 MW of battery projects queued, this is one of the most active areas for energy storage in Illinois.
Geneseo along I-80 in northern Henry County serves as a market town for the surrounding agricultural region. The Edwards-Kewanee East 138 kV corridor carries 392 MW of battery interconnection potential, creating lease opportunities for area landowners.
Kewanee in Henry County sits near the Edwards-Kewanee East 138 kV corridor with 392 MW of battery projects in the interconnection queue. The area's agricultural land and grid access make it a growing target for energy storage.
Bourbonnais, home to Olivet Nazarene University, sits at the northern edge of the Kankakee County grid. Nearby Davis Creek substation capacity and proximity to I-57 make surrounding agricultural parcels viable candidates for battery storage development.
Bradley borders Kankakee along the I-57 corridor, placing it near active battery interconnection queues at the Davis Creek and Kankakee substations. Farmland on the outskirts of this community is increasingly sought after by energy storage developers.
Kankakee County at the southern edge of ComEd territory has 144 MW of substation capacity at Davis Creek. Farmland along the I-57 corridor near grid infrastructure is well-positioned for battery storage development.
Manteno along I-57 in northern Kankakee County connects the Chicago suburbs to the county's agricultural heartland. Its position between the Kankakee and Davis Creek substations makes nearby farmland a target for battery storage developers seeking grid access.
Plano in Kendall County hosts a 345 kV substation with 344 MW of battery projects in the interconnection queue. Kendall County's rapid growth drives grid demand, making battery storage especially valuable.
Yorkville, the Kendall County seat, is surrounded by active grid development with 344 MW of battery projects queued at nearby substations. Fast county growth drives demand for grid capacity, boosting the value of energy storage leases.
Mendota at the junction of I-39 and Route 34 in northern LaSalle County is a crossroads for both agriculture and energy infrastructure. Eleven substations across the county and 250 MW of queued battery projects make surrounding parcels valuable for storage leases.
Oglesby near Starved Rock State Park in LaSalle County sits along the Illinois River valley where transmission lines follow the waterway. Active battery interconnection queues at 11 county substations offer nearby farmland owners a path to energy storage lease income.
Ottawa and LaSalle County feature strong transmission infrastructure along the Illinois River valley with 11 substations. The Katydid Road-Goodings Grove 345 kV corridor has 250 MW of battery capacity queued.
Peru along I-80 and the Illinois River in western LaSalle County is a regional commercial center with strong grid infrastructure. The LaSalle and Marseilles substations nearby support 250 MW of battery interconnection, drawing developer attention to surrounding farmland.
Streator in southern LaSalle County is near major transmission infrastructure including the Katydid Road 345 kV substation. Active interconnection queues make farmland in this area viable for battery storage leases.
Amboy sits along Route 52 in central Lee County, just miles from the Nelson-Electric Junction — the largest battery interconnection point in ComEd territory. Flat agricultural land and 1,160 MW of queued capacity make this a prime area for energy storage leases.
Ashton in northern Lee County is surrounded by productive farmland near major transmission corridors. With over 1,100 MW of battery projects queued in the county, landowners here are well-positioned for energy storage lease income.
Dixon and Lee County host the Nelson-Electric Junction — the single largest battery interconnection point in ComEd territory with 1,160 MW of queued projects. Agricultural land within miles of this substation is among the most valuable in the state for energy storage leases.
Dwight straddles I-55 and the historic Route 66 in northern Livingston County. Major 345 kV transmission lines cross nearby farmland, and with 1,000 MW of battery projects queued in the county, landowners along these corridors can earn significant lease income.
Fairbury in southeastern Livingston County sits between the Pontiac Midpoint and Loretto-Wilton 345 kV substations. With 1,000 MW of battery projects queued across the county, farm operators here have a rare opportunity to diversify income through energy storage leases.
Pontiac in Livingston County sits on major 345 kV transmission with 1,000 MW of battery projects in the PJM queue. The Pontiac Midpoint substation is a key interconnection hub making surrounding farmland exceptionally valuable for leases.
The town of Henry on the Illinois River in Marshall County offers grid access through nearby transmission infrastructure. With 300 MW of battery projects queued in the area, riverside agricultural parcels present a compelling lease opportunity.
Lacon, the Marshall County seat on the Illinois River, is surrounded by flat farmland with access to regional transmission lines. Battery storage developers are evaluating sites along the county's 138 kV corridors where 300 MW of projects are in the queue.
Toluca in southeastern Marshall County is a small farming town near the intersection of Routes 17 and 251. Transmission corridors crossing the county carry 300 MW of queued battery capacity, creating lease income potential for nearby landowners.
Bloomington-Normal in McLean County is a battery storage hotspot with 550 MW of projects in the PJM queue. Multiple 345 kV substations and strong transmission infrastructure make the surrounding farmland highly valuable for energy storage leases.
Lexington along I-55 in McLean County lies between major wind farms and the Twin Groves 345 kV substation. With 550 MW of battery projects queued countywide, farmland along this transmission corridor is highly sought after for energy storage co-location.
Normal, home to Illinois State University, anchors the northern half of the Bloomington-Normal metro in McLean County. The Brokaw substation and 550 MW of queued battery capacity make farmland on the town's edges a high-value target for energy storage leases.
Chillicothe on the Illinois River in northern Peoria County sits downstream from the Powerton generating station. The dense substation network in this region — 39 across the county — creates abundant grid access for battery storage on nearby farmland.
East Peoria, across the Illinois River from downtown Peoria, benefits from the region's unmatched substation density. The Edwards power plant corridor and 750 MW of queued battery projects make agricultural parcels east of town attractive for energy storage leases.
Pekin south of Peoria along the Illinois River is adjacent to the Powerton generating station — the anchor of a 750 MW battery interconnection corridor. Farmland south and east of town is among the most grid-connected agricultural land in central Illinois.
Peoria County has the densest substation network in the target area with 39 substations. The Powerton-Nevada 345 kV corridor alone has 750 MW of battery projects queued. Lower farm rents make the lease income differential especially significant.
Freeport, the Stephenson County seat and regional hub of northwest Illinois, has direct substation access and 486 MW of battery projects in the PJM queue. Its position at the junction of US-20 and Route 26 makes nearby farmland accessible to energy storage developers.
Lena and northwestern Stephenson County have 486 MW of battery projects in the PJM queue. The Lena-Lancaster 138 kV corridor offers interconnection potential for landowners in this agricultural region.
Morrison, the Whiteside County seat, is surrounded by flat prairie farmland near the Garden Plain substation corridor. With 665 MW of battery projects in the queue, agricultural landowners between Morrison and Sterling are seeing strong developer interest.
Rock Falls and Whiteside County host the Garden Plain substation with 665 MW of battery projects queued — among the highest in the region. Agricultural land near this grid infrastructure is in high demand.
Sterling along the Rock River in Whiteside County has its own named substation and access to the Garden Plain 138 kV line. With 665 MW of battery projects queued, farmland surrounding Sterling is a priority target for energy storage developers.
Loves Park on Rockford's northern border has direct access to Winnebago County's 9-substation grid network. Agricultural land on the metro fringe benefits from both urban grid demand and 314 MW of battery interconnection capacity in the queue.
Machesney Park in northern Winnebago County sits where suburban development meets productive farmland. Nearby substation infrastructure and 314 MW of queued battery projects make transitional agricultural parcels attractive for energy storage leases.
Rockford and Winnebago County have 9 substations and 314 MW of battery projects in the queue. The Rockford metro grid combined with surrounding agricultural land creates diverse opportunities for energy storage leases.
El Paso along I-39 in eastern Woodford County connects the McLean and Peoria transmission networks. Local substation infrastructure and 400 MW of queued capacity make the surrounding corn and soybean fields strong candidates for battery storage leases.
Eureka, the Woodford County seat and home to Eureka College, is surrounded by prime agricultural land near active grid infrastructure. Battery storage developers are targeting parcels along the county's 138 kV transmission corridors with 400 MW of projects in the queue.
Metamora in western Woodford County overlooks the Illinois River valley near transmission lines linking the Peoria grid. With 400 MW of battery projects in the queue and lower land costs than neighboring counties, area farmland offers strong lease economics.