Data Center Signal is tracking 22 clips about NIPSCO data center developments across 1 states, including IN.
Activists in Michigan City urged NIPSCO to retire its coal-fired generating unit as planned in 2028, warning that rising electricity demand from regional data centers could extend the plant’s operation. The protest also highlighted coal ash contamination risks and the plant’s environmental legacy.
Michigan City residents and environmental activists protested NIPSCO’s coal plant over concerns that it could remain open to supply electricity for the region’s growing data center demand. Protesters urged NIPSCO to honor its planned 2028 retirement date and raised concerns about air pollution, coal ash, water pollution and costs to ratepayers.
Candidates at a Porter County forum offered differing views on how the county should handle potential large-scale data center development. Some favored a moratorium and environmental review, while others supported local zoning controls, public transparency and requiring developers to pay infrastructure costs.
Two Indiana coal plants, originally set to retire, must remain operational through December under renewed federal orders, sparking a dispute over cost recovery and environmental impact. The U.S. Department of Energy cited rising electricity demand, including from large data centers in northern Indiana, as a reason for the extension. Utilities are seeking to recover costs, while environmental groups challenge the orders in court.
Federal regulatory decisions by the EPA and DOE regarding greenhouse gas emissions and coal plant operations are causing concern for their environmental and economic impact on Northwest Indiana. The EPA has repealed emissions requirements, while the DOE's emergency orders to keep coal plants running past retirement have been challenged in court, with one such order recently deemed unlawful. These actions are feared to increase pollution, raise utility bills, and hinder clean energy transition efforts in the state.
NIPSCO's draft water permit, which would allow the company to mix wastewater from a coal-fired power plant, a new gas plant, and an Amazon data center before discharging it into the Kankakee River, is facing strong opposition from Jasper County residents. Opponents cite concerns about public health, property values, and potential toxic chemical discharge. The Indiana Department of Environmental Management is currently reviewing the application and has scheduled a public hearing.
Activists and residents are raising significant environmental and public health concerns over a NIPSCO permit application in Jasper County, Indiana. The permit would allow mixing wastewater from a coal plant, a new gas plant, and an Amazon data center before discharging it into the Kankakee River. Opponents worry about contamination from heavy metals and the permit's potential impact on the waterway and local communities.
The Indiana Department of Environmental Management postponed a public hearing for a wetlands permit in Hobart, Indiana, for an industrial development impacting wetlands. The delay was caused by continued power outages in Lake County. Local environmental groups oppose the permit, citing concerns about cumulative industrial pollution, though the project is not a data center.
NIPSCO's parent company, NiSource, is rebranding its GenCo subsidiary. This subsidiary will be used to fund infrastructure for new data centers, representing a first-in-the-nation approach to data center funding.
Indiana has approved GenCo, a first-of-its-kind utility designed to provide electricity exclusively for data centers, aiming to protect ratepayers. This model, particularly evident in Northwest Indiana with projects like Amazon's planned data center and natural gas plants in Wheatfield, faces skepticism from residents and experts concerned about environmental impacts, air and water quality risks, and potential for increased household electricity bills. Despite the opposition, the utility model and specific associated projects have received regulatory approval.
In Wheatfield, Indiana, residents express significant environmental concerns over an Amazon data center and associated natural gas facilities. These projects are projected to consume billions of gallons of water from the Kankakee River annually, while state policies are criticized for prolonging the operation of old coal plants to meet data center energy demands. This development exacerbates existing issues with coal ash pollution and air quality, raising fears among the local community.
Electric bills surged across Indiana last year, driven by infrastructure investments, fuel costs, and increasing demand from new data centers. State leaders have responded, with the Governor ousting the IURC chairman and new tariffs being implemented for large load customers like data centers.
A large data center expansion project in Hammond, Indiana, involving Decennial Group and CoreWeave, has been canceled after failing to meet crucial agreement deadlines, including a power supply deal with NIPSCO. Separately, the Indiana Attorney General has threatened legal action against the Town of Merrillville over a resolution opposing ICE warehouses.
The Munster, Indiana side of the Kenmara Technology Park has received full zoning approval and is now being marketed by Saxon Partners. While the developers do not plan to build a data center on the site due to its size, they have included language in the zoning to allow for enhanced public review if a technology company proposes such a use in the future. The project involved significant infrastructure improvements and a grant for redevelopment.
The International Union of Operating Engineers Local 150 has filed to intervene with the Indiana Utility Regulatory Commission regarding NIPSCO's request for power service for Google's Project Maize data center in Michigan City. The union alleges issues with labor practices, safety, and reliance on out-of-state and undocumented workers, and has also filed a federal lawsuit against Michigan City over public right-of-way issues at the project site.
Amazon Web Services (AWS) held an open house in Wheatfield, Indiana, to discuss plans for a new data center on NIPSCO property in Jasper County. The proposed project involves a $7 billion investment and would include up to nine buildings on a 304-acre site, with discussions still ongoing with NIPSCO and county officials. Concerns from residents and opponents include water usage, energy consumption, noise, property values, utility rates, and wildlife habitat.
Environmental groups hosted an information session in Jasper County, Indiana, regarding NIPSCO's plans to build a power plant specifically for data centers. Advocates are concerned about the proposed draft air permit, which they claim would allow the plant to release over 7 million tons of greenhouse gases annually. The Indiana Department of Environmental Management is scheduled to hold a virtual public hearing on the permit.
LaPorte County Commissioners unanimously voted to advance an ordinance that places restrictions on data center development, addressing public concerns about noise, traffic, water usage, and potential impacts on energy bills and farmland. This action follows opposition to a proposed Microsoft data center project in the area.
NIPSCO and its subsidiary GenCo are seeking approval from the State of Indiana to more than double their electricity generation capacity. This significant increase is intended to supply power to one of the largest data centers in the United States.
Microsoft is planning a second, larger data center in LaPorte, Indiana, on 1,200 acres, contingent on city council approval of an annexation request. The project is expected to generate significant tax revenue, though some residents express concerns about urban sprawl and environmental impacts like energy and water usage. A public hearing was held, and the city council will vote on the annexation request on May 18.