Ben Inskeep
@beninskeep.bsky.social
Program Director at Citizens Action Coalition | Working on a clean, affordable, and just energy transition | He/Him | Views expressed are mine
NIPSCO is proposing to make the data center customer pay for transmission upgrades needed to serve the data center.
In contrast, Indiana utility I&M is forcing its captive ratepayers to pay hundreds of millions of dollars in transmission upgrades for Big Tech data centers.
In contrast, Indiana utility I&M is forcing its captive ratepayers to pay hundreds of millions of dollars in transmission upgrades for Big Tech data centers.
November 11, 2025 at 2:42 PM
NIPSCO is proposing to make the data center customer pay for transmission upgrades needed to serve the data center.
In contrast, Indiana utility I&M is forcing its captive ratepayers to pay hundreds of millions of dollars in transmission upgrades for Big Tech data centers.
In contrast, Indiana utility I&M is forcing its captive ratepayers to pay hundreds of millions of dollars in transmission upgrades for Big Tech data centers.
NIPSCO also stated that it executed a 600 MW capacity contract "from a third-party thermal generator" for 2027.
Hallador, owner of the coal-fired Merom Station, announced yesterday a $20 million contract for 2027 👀.
Is NIPSCO buying coal capacity for its data centers?
Hallador, owner of the coal-fired Merom Station, announced yesterday a $20 million contract for 2027 👀.
Is NIPSCO buying coal capacity for its data centers?
November 11, 2025 at 2:42 PM
NIPSCO also stated that it executed a 600 MW capacity contract "from a third-party thermal generator" for 2027.
Hallador, owner of the coal-fired Merom Station, announced yesterday a $20 million contract for 2027 👀.
Is NIPSCO buying coal capacity for its data centers?
Hallador, owner of the coal-fired Merom Station, announced yesterday a $20 million contract for 2027 👀.
Is NIPSCO buying coal capacity for its data centers?
Other ERAS info posted to MISO shows that NIPSCO is planning to add *another* NGCC in addition to its 2,600 MW proposal for Schahfer, bringing their planned gas additions for data centers to 3,500 MW.
The entire NIPSCO utility has a peak of 2,300 MW, before data center load.
The entire NIPSCO utility has a peak of 2,300 MW, before data center load.
November 11, 2025 at 2:42 PM
Other ERAS info posted to MISO shows that NIPSCO is planning to add *another* NGCC in addition to its 2,600 MW proposal for Schahfer, bringing their planned gas additions for data centers to 3,500 MW.
The entire NIPSCO utility has a peak of 2,300 MW, before data center load.
The entire NIPSCO utility has a peak of 2,300 MW, before data center load.
Strangely, NIPSCO has redacted the (1) location of the 2,600 MW gas plant and (2) the year in which the Mitchell battery will come online.
It sure looks like this information is publicly posted on MISO's website (images in green)!
Battery built by 2028. Gas plants at Schahfer.
It sure looks like this information is publicly posted on MISO's website (images in green)!
Battery built by 2028. Gas plants at Schahfer.
November 11, 2025 at 2:42 PM
Strangely, NIPSCO has redacted the (1) location of the 2,600 MW gas plant and (2) the year in which the Mitchell battery will come online.
It sure looks like this information is publicly posted on MISO's website (images in green)!
Battery built by 2028. Gas plants at Schahfer.
It sure looks like this information is publicly posted on MISO's website (images in green)!
Battery built by 2028. Gas plants at Schahfer.
New🔴: NIPSCO is requesting IURC approval of a 15-year special contract with a 2,400 MW data center customer, whose identity is not revealed but is "one of the largest corporations in the world."
The data centers will be served with gas, batteries, and possibly coal.
The data centers will be served with gas, batteries, and possibly coal.
November 11, 2025 at 2:42 PM
New🔴: NIPSCO is requesting IURC approval of a 15-year special contract with a 2,400 MW data center customer, whose identity is not revealed but is "one of the largest corporations in the world."
The data centers will be served with gas, batteries, and possibly coal.
The data centers will be served with gas, batteries, and possibly coal.
A new 500 MW customer -- most likely, another data center -- is proposing to come to Fort Wayne, according to a new AEP submission. Its ~10 miles away from a 1,200 MW Google data center under construction.
November 7, 2025 at 1:59 PM
A new 500 MW customer -- most likely, another data center -- is proposing to come to Fort Wayne, according to a new AEP submission. Its ~10 miles away from a 1,200 MW Google data center under construction.
We (Citizens Action Coalition) are now tracking more than 10,000 MW of data centers being planned and constructed in Indiana by the Big 4 tech companies. These facilities could use more than 80% of our electricity.
Dozens of additional large data centers have also been proposed by others.
Dozens of additional large data centers have also been proposed by others.
November 7, 2025 at 1:30 PM
We (Citizens Action Coalition) are now tracking more than 10,000 MW of data centers being planned and constructed in Indiana by the Big 4 tech companies. These facilities could use more than 80% of our electricity.
Dozens of additional large data centers have also been proposed by others.
Dozens of additional large data centers have also been proposed by others.
The ink isn't even dry on AES Indiana's IRP, which found SMRs are not cost effective under any scenario, and the utility is announcing it is doing a study on siting SMRs at its power plants!?
More imprudent and wasteful spending that will result in rate hikes for Indy residents.
More imprudent and wasteful spending that will result in rate hikes for Indy residents.
November 6, 2025 at 4:12 PM
The ink isn't even dry on AES Indiana's IRP, which found SMRs are not cost effective under any scenario, and the utility is announcing it is doing a study on siting SMRs at its power plants!?
More imprudent and wasteful spending that will result in rate hikes for Indy residents.
More imprudent and wasteful spending that will result in rate hikes for Indy residents.
A follow up email from IDEM indicates the data center sent untested, potentially contaminated soil to other locations and directs the data center to address the issue in its response due this month t.co/nXjS6FuTMW
November 5, 2025 at 4:24 PM
A follow up email from IDEM indicates the data center sent untested, potentially contaminated soil to other locations and directs the data center to address the issue in its response due this month t.co/nXjS6FuTMW
This data center being built in Michigan City, IN, violated environmental policies by taking soil so heavily contaminated that it reeked of chemical odor and, instead of testing it for contamination, used it to create berms for the data center.
t.co/VSDnVIyUNg
t.co/VSDnVIyUNg
November 5, 2025 at 4:24 PM
This data center being built in Michigan City, IN, violated environmental policies by taking soil so heavily contaminated that it reeked of chemical odor and, instead of testing it for contamination, used it to create berms for the data center.
t.co/VSDnVIyUNg
t.co/VSDnVIyUNg
A data center development recently caught ignoring environmental laws in Indiana is also being picketed by union workers for relying primarily on out-of-state labor.
Not only do data centers provide few permanent jobs, they aren't even using local labor to build 'em! local150.org/news/local-1...
Not only do data centers provide few permanent jobs, they aren't even using local labor to build 'em! local150.org/news/local-1...
November 5, 2025 at 4:24 PM
A data center development recently caught ignoring environmental laws in Indiana is also being picketed by union workers for relying primarily on out-of-state labor.
Not only do data centers provide few permanent jobs, they aren't even using local labor to build 'em! local150.org/news/local-1...
Not only do data centers provide few permanent jobs, they aren't even using local labor to build 'em! local150.org/news/local-1...
Residential customers will pay 40% of the transmission-related costs and 57% of the distribution-related costs associated with the project.
November 5, 2025 at 12:56 PM
Residential customers will pay 40% of the transmission-related costs and 57% of the distribution-related costs associated with the project.
New: Duke Energy Indiana is proposing to force ratepayers to subsidize a transmission project to serve a Meta data center and other C&I customers at River Ridge.
The cost of the project just 🚨doubled🚨 to $216 million.
Data centers are making your utility bill go up📈
The cost of the project just 🚨doubled🚨 to $216 million.
Data centers are making your utility bill go up📈
November 5, 2025 at 12:56 PM
New: Duke Energy Indiana is proposing to force ratepayers to subsidize a transmission project to serve a Meta data center and other C&I customers at River Ridge.
The cost of the project just 🚨doubled🚨 to $216 million.
Data centers are making your utility bill go up📈
The cost of the project just 🚨doubled🚨 to $216 million.
Data centers are making your utility bill go up📈
CenterPoint has proposed a $29.9 million transmission project to serve "Project Raider" located along the transmission line stretching between two coal plants in southwest Indiana.
Project Raider will use 600 MW of power, suggesting it is a data center or very large industrial customer.
Project Raider will use 600 MW of power, suggesting it is a data center or very large industrial customer.
November 4, 2025 at 9:57 PM
CenterPoint has proposed a $29.9 million transmission project to serve "Project Raider" located along the transmission line stretching between two coal plants in southwest Indiana.
Project Raider will use 600 MW of power, suggesting it is a data center or very large industrial customer.
Project Raider will use 600 MW of power, suggesting it is a data center or very large industrial customer.
New analysis by AES Indiana shows that new nuclear SMRs are wildly uneconomic and would significantly raise utility bills for Hoosiers, even assuming big price declines by 2035 and lavish subsidies by federal and state government.
November 4, 2025 at 8:16 PM
New analysis by AES Indiana shows that new nuclear SMRs are wildly uneconomic and would significantly raise utility bills for Hoosiers, even assuming big price declines by 2035 and lavish subsidies by federal and state government.
The moment Google withdrew its petition for an AI data center in Indianapolis last night.🎉
Organizing works! We can win when we fight back against Big Tech!
AI data centers are NOT inevitable. This is the ninth one stopped in Indiana thanks to communities organizing in opposition. 💪
Organizing works! We can win when we fight back against Big Tech!
AI data centers are NOT inevitable. This is the ninth one stopped in Indiana thanks to communities organizing in opposition. 💪
September 23, 2025 at 11:14 AM
The moment Google withdrew its petition for an AI data center in Indianapolis last night.🎉
Organizing works! We can win when we fight back against Big Tech!
AI data centers are NOT inevitable. This is the ninth one stopped in Indiana thanks to communities organizing in opposition. 💪
Organizing works! We can win when we fight back against Big Tech!
AI data centers are NOT inevitable. This is the ninth one stopped in Indiana thanks to communities organizing in opposition. 💪
As electricity-guzzling data centers flock to Indiana, utilities are proposing the most expensive gas plants in state history, the Governor and President are pushing to keep uneconomic coal plants open, and local govs are banning renewables.
A disaster for ratepayers & climate.
A disaster for ratepayers & climate.
May 5, 2025 at 2:08 PM
As electricity-guzzling data centers flock to Indiana, utilities are proposing the most expensive gas plants in state history, the Governor and President are pushing to keep uneconomic coal plants open, and local govs are banning renewables.
A disaster for ratepayers & climate.
A disaster for ratepayers & climate.
Great story on how Hoosiers across the state are getting organized, fighting back, and WINNING against large data center developments that threaten their communities.
5 data centers defeated...and counting!
5 data centers defeated...and counting!
May 2, 2025 at 5:32 PM
Great story on how Hoosiers across the state are getting organized, fighting back, and WINNING against large data center developments that threaten their communities.
5 data centers defeated...and counting!
5 data centers defeated...and counting!
I have been asked "why oppose this data center, they will just re-locate it somewhere else if you stop it."
Wrong.
Even the data center company admitted that they won't build this data center somewhere else. They needed this location because of its access to transmission.
Wrong.
Even the data center company admitted that they won't build this data center somewhere else. They needed this location because of its access to transmission.
April 25, 2025 at 12:00 PM
I have been asked "why oppose this data center, they will just re-locate it somewhere else if you stop it."
Wrong.
Even the data center company admitted that they won't build this data center somewhere else. They needed this location because of its access to transmission.
Wrong.
Even the data center company admitted that they won't build this data center somewhere else. They needed this location because of its access to transmission.
Hoosiers defeat another dubious data center proposal! 💪
That is the fifth data center proposal in Indiana to be withdrawn in the past year after staunch, organized local opposition.
That is the fifth data center proposal in Indiana to be withdrawn in the past year after staunch, organized local opposition.
April 25, 2025 at 12:00 PM
Hoosiers defeat another dubious data center proposal! 💪
That is the fifth data center proposal in Indiana to be withdrawn in the past year after staunch, organized local opposition.
That is the fifth data center proposal in Indiana to be withdrawn in the past year after staunch, organized local opposition.
Remember, this is just the value of the sales tax on *electric bills* only.
Data centers like the campus owned by Amazon will also get this sales tax exemption on servers, computers, software, and other equipment essential to data center operations.
Data centers like the campus owned by Amazon will also get this sales tax exemption on servers, computers, software, and other equipment essential to data center operations.
April 22, 2025 at 1:05 PM
Remember, this is just the value of the sales tax on *electric bills* only.
Data centers like the campus owned by Amazon will also get this sales tax exemption on servers, computers, software, and other equipment essential to data center operations.
Data centers like the campus owned by Amazon will also get this sales tax exemption on servers, computers, software, and other equipment essential to data center operations.
For example, I&M -- a utility in PJM owned by AEP -- is expecting 4.4 GW of data center load growth by 2030, increasing to >6 GW into the mid-2030s.
Yet it is only planning to procure 50 MW of battery storage during this time (compared to 6,690 MW of natural gas).
Yet it is only planning to procure 50 MW of battery storage during this time (compared to 6,690 MW of natural gas).
April 21, 2025 at 12:45 PM
For example, I&M -- a utility in PJM owned by AEP -- is expecting 4.4 GW of data center load growth by 2030, increasing to >6 GW into the mid-2030s.
Yet it is only planning to procure 50 MW of battery storage during this time (compared to 6,690 MW of natural gas).
Yet it is only planning to procure 50 MW of battery storage during this time (compared to 6,690 MW of natural gas).
Grid operators have very few tools to address situations where thousands of MW of data center load instantly trip offline.
PJM has hampered battery storage, limiting a key tool.
NERC is woefully behind on developing new reliability standards to address this threat.
PJM has hampered battery storage, limiting a key tool.
NERC is woefully behind on developing new reliability standards to address this threat.
April 21, 2025 at 12:45 PM
Grid operators have very few tools to address situations where thousands of MW of data center load instantly trip offline.
PJM has hampered battery storage, limiting a key tool.
NERC is woefully behind on developing new reliability standards to address this threat.
PJM has hampered battery storage, limiting a key tool.
NERC is woefully behind on developing new reliability standards to address this threat.
PJM's data center load growth and hostility to battery storage is now putting grid reliability at risk for 65 million retail customers across 13 states.
In a recent near-miss event, "in order to keep themselves online, data centers risked grid reliability for everyone else."
In a recent near-miss event, "in order to keep themselves online, data centers risked grid reliability for everyone else."
April 21, 2025 at 12:45 PM
PJM's data center load growth and hostility to battery storage is now putting grid reliability at risk for 65 million retail customers across 13 states.
In a recent near-miss event, "in order to keep themselves online, data centers risked grid reliability for everyone else."
In a recent near-miss event, "in order to keep themselves online, data centers risked grid reliability for everyone else."
Our CAC updated interactive data center (DC) map is now tracking 28 DC proposals in Indiana, including:
- 11 DCs with anticipated power demand totaling 10,000 MW
- 13 DCs with unknown, but likely substantial, planned power demand
- 4 DC proposals that were withdrawn / stopped
- 11 DCs with anticipated power demand totaling 10,000 MW
- 13 DCs with unknown, but likely substantial, planned power demand
- 4 DC proposals that were withdrawn / stopped
April 19, 2025 at 1:18 PM
Our CAC updated interactive data center (DC) map is now tracking 28 DC proposals in Indiana, including:
- 11 DCs with anticipated power demand totaling 10,000 MW
- 13 DCs with unknown, but likely substantial, planned power demand
- 4 DC proposals that were withdrawn / stopped
- 11 DCs with anticipated power demand totaling 10,000 MW
- 13 DCs with unknown, but likely substantial, planned power demand
- 4 DC proposals that were withdrawn / stopped