Indiana Data Center Intel

Recent Indiana data center news

• Dec 18, 2025

  Feds pave the way for Big Tech to plug data centers directly into power plants

  The Federal Energy Regulatory Commission (FERC) issued a unanimous order allowing tech companies to connect large data centers directly to power plants.

  • FERC order clears regulatory questions around “colocation” agreements and enables direct plant connections for massive energy users across the mid-Atlantic territory (~65 million people); the order could serve as a blueprint for responding to an October request from Energy Secretary Chris Wright to prioritize rapid power access for data centers and large manufacturers.
  • Background and additional details: Laura Swett called the move a “critical step” to give investors and consumers certainty; power plant owners applauded and saw share-price increases; Advanced Energy United said the order helps clarify setup options for big users, Edison Electric Institute said it would “continue to work” to support rapid data center connection while protecting ratepayers, and the Electricity Customer Alliance (Jeff Dennis) said the order addresses looming demand issues and the urgency to reform grid policy.
• Dec 17, 2025

  What is a data center used for? Are they bad for the environment?

  Indianapolis Star explains what data centers are and why Hoosiers are concerned about AI data centers.

  • Main explanation & announcement: The article defines data centers and summarizes the current Indiana situation: more than 80 data centers in Indiana (Data Center Map, as of Dec. 16, 2025), with 35 in Marion County, 16 in Fort Wayne, 13 in South Bend, 8 in Gary, and at least 24 proposed projects (Citizens Action Coalition). It references specific projects including a Google proposal withdrawn in Franklin Township (Oct. 2025) and Meta’s 700,000-square-foot AI data center in Jeffersonville (Meta said the project would have more than 1,250 workers on site at peak construction and had promised 100 permanent jobs when opened).
  • Background & supporting details: The piece reports concerns from the Citizens Action Coalition about utility cost increases, air/climate pollution, intense water consumption, and noise pollution; cites an estimate that a single AI data center can use 1 to 5 million gallons of water per day for evaporative cooling; and notes the Midwest (IL, OH, KY, MI, IN) has 592 data centers planned or operational (Data Center Map).
• Dec 16, 2025

  Southfield City Council greenlights divisive data center plan: ‘Too many unknowns’

  Metrobloks received Southfield City Council approval for a 109,683-square-foot data center on 12.19 acres that will require 100 megawatts of power and was approved by a 5-2 vote.

  • Project details and developer commitments: The site plan approval covers a 109,683-square-foot facility on 12.19 acres (east side of Inkster Road between 11 Mile Road and I-696) that will require 100 megawatts of power; the developer says the project will be built in two phases with an estimated total cost of $1.5 billion (the slide deck lists $500 million, a noted discrepancy). Metrobloks said it currently has funding for land and utility upgrades but not full capitalization and will borrow against a tenant contract once a tenant is confirmed; the facility will use a closed-loop cooling system consuming 10–20 gallons of water per day, and the developer expects ~35 permanent positions and estimated $400,000/year in property tax revenue (early estimate). The city placed conditions on approval including compliance with ordinances, minimal tree/soil removal, and inspection rights, and EGLE can enforce state environmental laws.

  • Community response, oversight, and background: The approval followed nearly six hours of public comment with majority opposition asking for a health impact study, community benefits agreement, and transparency; Councilmembers Charles Hicks and Ashanti Bland voted no (citing insufficient fact-based information and public health concerns from AI data centers referenced in the HBR article), while Coretta Houge supported the project saying the city must consider new technologies. Metrobloks (founded 2024) has not yet built a data center but cites executive experience from Amazon and Meta and lists Detroit as a strategic hub; it is targeting Indianapolis, Phoenix, Miami, and Paris for future development. Next Southfield City Council meeting noted: Jan. 5, 2026 at 6 p.m., Southfield City Hall, 26000 Evergreen Road.

• Dec 16, 2025

  Virginia regulators weigh expanded use of data centers’ polluting generators

  The Virginia Department of Environmental Quality (DEQ) issued guidance expanding the definition of an “emergency” to potentially allow data centers to run Tier II diesel backup generators during certain planned utility outages.

  • Main action: DEQ’s Sept. 30 memo from Mike Dowd to Director Michael Rolband would treat some planned outages (notice provided within 14 days or less) as “sudden and reasonably unforeseeable” events, allowing use of Tier II diesel generators that are currently limited to emergencies; the guidance is under public review with environmental groups requesting a 30-day extension to comment and the change would still be under review when Governor-elect Abigail Spanberger takes office in January.
  • Background & details: The article cites about 9,000 generators in Virginia (≈8,000 Tier II, about 4,700 in Loudoun County); a legislative report estimated a worst-case 9,000 tons of nitrogen oxides from backup generators in the region. Drivers include over 100 planned transmission upgrades and federal initiatives (DOE’s Speed to Power Initiative cites 17.6 GW of planned data center capacity across five Virginia counties). DEQ said interested parties requested the guidance and that sources must still meet permitted emission limits.
• Dec 16, 2025

  Stewart: Indiana's data center boom will kill renewable energy

  Jacob Stewart (opinion writer) argues that Indiana’s data center boom, driven by AI demand, will displace investment in renewable energy.

  • Main claim: Jacob Stewart contends that data centers need constant electricity, which will push Indiana to build gas plants and abandon solar and wind investments; he cites a local dispute where Pike Township residents are fighting a proposed American Tower data center over impacts to an environmentally sensitive site.
  • Background/details: The piece is an opinion column published in the Indianapolis Star on Dec. 16, 2025 and links to local coverage of the Pike Township opposition; the article frames the broader context as the AI-driven data center construction boom affecting renewable energy decisions across the United States.
• Dec 16, 2025

  Ohio EPA looks to streamline water permits for data centers

  The Ohio Environmental Protection Agency has issued a draft general NPDES permit to streamline wastewater and stormwater discharge permitting for data centers.

  • Main action: The Ohio EPA released a draft general NPDES permit covering wastewater and stormwater discharges from data centers to streamline application and approval; eligible facilities would submit a notice of intent rather than an individual permit, with the agency saying the general permit includes the same or more monitoring and reporting requirements. The draft excludes certain discharges (for example, those within 500 yards upstream of a public water-supply surface intake). The permit is open for public comment through Dec. 17, and a public hearing is scheduled Dec. 17 at 2:30 p.m. (Lazarus Government Center, Columbus, and virtual — advance registration required). Contact for in-person testimony: mary.mccarron@epa.ohio.gov, 614-644-2160.

  • Background and details: Ohio has more than 200 data centers; currently each must obtain an individual NPDES permit. University of Cincinnati law professor Brad Mank said general permits are an expedited process that could make Ohio more attractive to developers. Environmental group Save Ohio Parks opposes the draft, citing the permit’s own language that it may lower water quality and noting the draft does not address PFAS; the agency says the draft is intended to accommodate social and economic development. The article references state/local tax incentives for data centers (see Signal Ohio link about $2.5 billion in tax breaks since 2017).

• Dec 15, 2025

  How AI Data Centers Redefined the Industry in 2025

  Data Center Knowledge published a roundup of the 10 most-read AI data center stories of 2025, highlighting major projects, industry reports, policy developments, and public sentiment around AI-focused infrastructure.

  • Main announcement and headline projects:Project Rainier ($8 billion) by AWS supporting Anthropic (over 500,000 Trainium 2 chips, planned to double to 1,000,000 by end of 2025); an Indiana campus described as 30 data centers x 200,000 sq ft; industry totals include $92 billion announced for AI infrastructure and reporting that nearly 75% of new data centers are being designed with AI workloads in mind.
  • Background, report findings and policy details:Turner & Townsend found 47% expect AI-focused data centers to host >50% of workloads within two years and projects AI-optimized facilities to be 28% of the market by 2027; liquid cooling carries a 7–10% cost premium but offers environmental/regulatory advantages; public survey results: 93% recognize importance of AI data centers, 35% support local construction, 9% believe local economic benefits outweigh environmental concerns; the UK AI Action Plan contains 50 recommendations but faces funding gaps and environmental concerns.
• Dec 14, 2025

  Indiana among states with cuts as EPA lessens oversight, report says

  The Environmental Integrity Project released a report documenting state-level budget and staffing cuts at environmental agencies from 2010–2024.

  • Main findings: The report found 27 states cut environmental agency budgets in the last 15 years and 31 states cut jobs; 22 states cut at least 10% of funding. Indiana cut 19% of funding and saw a 14% decrease in staffing; the 27-state total reduction is about $1.4 billion when adjusted for inflation.
  • Background and responses: The report frames these state cuts alongside recent federal EPA staffing and funding changes under the Trump administration; IDEM responded it is in a “stable financial position” citing diverse revenue sources and low permitting backlogs. Local groups criticized IDEM and warned of issues including unchecked AI data center sprawl and a proposed data center project (Lavender Fields Holdings LLC) involving 70 diesel backup generators (photo caption).
• Dec 11, 2025

  Dual Feed: NextEra Energy, TotalEnergies, ENGIE, NIPSCO, ProPetro, Claibrant Energy, DTE Energy, Redwood Materials, KULR, Honeywell

  NextEra Energy is repositioning as a bespoke energy-infrastructure partner for AI-scale data centers, announcing large partnerships (notably with Google Cloud) and plans including a restart of the 615 MW Duane Arnold nuclear plant under a 25-year PPA targeted to return to service by 2029.

  • Main announcement & actions: NextEra is sharpening focus on data-center customers with a backlog ~6 GW earmarked for technology/data centers and an operating+backlog >10.5 GW; it is pursuing a diversified portfolio (renewables, nuclear restart at Duane Arnold 615 MW targeted 2029 under a 25-year PPA, long-duration storage, gas) and announced a landmark partnership with Google Cloud to build multiple gigawatt-scale campuses with dedicated generation and capacity infrastructure.
  • Background & other concrete details: Other 2025 industry moves include TotalEnergies–Google 15-year PPA for 1.5 TWh (Montpelier, Ohio); ENGIE–Meta 600 MW Swenson Ranch Solar (Texas), online 2027; NIPSCO/GenCo plan up to 3 GW dispatchable for Amazon including two 1.3 GW gas units + 400 MW / 1,600 MWh BESS with ~$7 billion estimated capex; PROPWR (ProPetro) 60 MW hybrid BESS + reciprocating engines for a Midwest hyperscaler; Aligned + Calibrant 31 MW / 62 MWh on-site BESS coming online 2026; DTE Energy seeking approval to serve a proposed 1.4 GW AI data center in Michigan (linked to Oracle/OpenAI); vendor announcements include Redwood Energy (battery repurposing), KULR‘s AI Datacenter BESS platform, and Honeywell + LS Electric integrated microgrid solutions.
• Dec 11, 2025

  Ixana Launches Wi-R NFE: Extended-Range NFC alternative for High-Speed Short-Range Links

  Ixana has announced the launch of the XA-NFE2001 Wi-R NFE transceiver chip and availability for shipping, targeting decimeter-range, RF-silent, low-power multi-megabit links.

  • Product launch & availability: The XA-NFE2001 ships now and delivers 5 Mbit/s at <1 mW, claimed to be >50x more energy-efficient than NFC (nJ/bit) with 5–25 cm range; demos and development kits are being offered and the product will be showcased at CES 2026 (Booth 10678, LVCC North Hall).
  • Validation & background: The technology is supported by peer-reviewed work in Nature Communications Engineering and an arXiv white paper; it is being tested on U.S. Air Force contracts, Ixana is a Purdue spinout (founded 2020) and is backed by 10x Founders Fund, Uncorrelated Ventures, Purdue Ventures, and Samsung Next.