By Ethan Howland, senior reporter at UtilityDiveExelon’s “high probability” data center load fell nearly 40%, to about 11 GW, in the second quarter from 18 GW at the end of last year, the Chicago-based utility company said Thursday. The decline comes as Exelon utilities have been entering into “transmission security agreements” with potential data center customers, it said. Meta’s data center in DeKalb, Ill. Exelon’s “high probability” data center load, mainly in Illinois, fell nearly 40%, to 11 GW, the Chicago-based utility company said July 30, 2026. However, Hillwood and PowerHouse Data Centers have been planning a 1.8-GW, $20 billion data center in Joliet, Illinois. Baltimore Gas and Electric and Potomac Electric Power Co., both Exelon subsidiaries, are pursuing battery storage projects in Maryland, Jones noted.