Data Center Signal is tracking 10 clips about Invenergy data center developments across 3 states, including WI, IN, PA.
We Energies filed an engineering plan for the 750-megawatt Fox North Energy Center, a proposed natural gas power plant at its existing facility in Wrightstown, Wisconsin. The utility says the project would meet rising electricity demand and improve grid reliability, while environmental groups criticize the expansion of fossil-fuel generation amid growing demand from data centers.
Wisconsin's data center growth is increasing electricity demand, raising concerns among clean energy advocates that the state's utility business model incentivizes fossil fuel investments over cleaner alternatives. Advocates point to proposed natural gas plants by Invenergy and We Energies, arguing for a new system to ensure cost-effective clean energy choices and protect consumers from potential rate hikes.
Equinor ASA, a Norwegian energy company, plans to acquire an 87.71% stake in the Lackawanna Energy Center in Jessup, Pennsylvania, from a BlackRock subsidiary for $940 million. This acquisition is driven by rapidly growing electricity demands, particularly from data centers in the PJM power market. The region, including Jessup and Archbald, has a significant number of proposed data center projects.
Microsoft's data center contract with We Energies for its Mount Pleasant facility includes a power plant location provision that was previously rejected by the Wisconsin Public Service Commission. While We Energies states it will follow the PSC's order over the contract language, the discrepancy has raised questions among observers and ratepayer advocates.
Microsoft's new 15-year electric service contract for its Mount Pleasant data center includes a provision restricting power plant locations, which Wisconsin's Public Service Commission (PSC) had previously rejected. We Energies, the utility, states it will follow the PSC's order despite the contract's conflicting language. This discrepancy highlights ongoing regulatory challenges regarding power sourcing for large data centers.
Residents in Paris, Wisconsin, are strongly opposing Invenergy's proposed 1.2-gigawatt Red Oak Ridge Energy Center, a natural gas plant intended to meet rising electricity demand, largely driven by data centers. They expressed concerns about health impacts and environmental hazards at hearings held by the Public Service Commission of Wisconsin. The project, which We Energies plans to acquire, is currently under review by state regulators.
Residents in Darien, Wisconsin, are opposing a proposed 324-megawatt gas-fired power plant, the Foundry Ridge Energy Center, citing environmental concerns, while labor unions support it for job creation. The Public Service Commission held hearings on the project, which could power a data center if approved.
An activist group, Citizens Action Coalition, has criticized an energy storage project in Pike County, Indiana, approved by the Indiana Utility Regulatory Commission. This project is part of the infrastructure planned to support Google's data center in Monrovia, raising concerns about grid strain and potential eminent domain use for transmission lines. The group argues that the rapid growth of data centers is creating an unplanned crisis for Indiana's electric grid and consumers.
The Indiana Utility Regulatory Commission has approved Invenergy to proceed with the 130-megawatt Crosstrack battery energy storage project in Pike County, Indiana. This project is intended to be part of the power supply for Google's proposed data center in Morgan County. The broader proposal from AES to serve the 390-megawatt data center remains under IURC review amidst consumer concerns about costs.
Indiana's Utility Regulatory Commission has approved Invenergy's request to not exercise jurisdiction over its Crosstrack Energy Storage project. This project is linked to Google's data center in Morgan County, Indiana, and will provide backup power through 130 megawatts of battery storage.