Indiana Data Center Intel

Recent Indiana data center news

• Jan 13, 2026

  Microsoft's Brad Smith Pushes Big Tech to 'Pay Our Way' for AI Data Centers

  Microsoft is urging that the tech industry — not taxpayers — should pay the full costs for electricity, transmission and grid upgrades needed to support large AI data centers, as promoted by Microsoft president Brad Smith in meetings with federal lawmakers.

  • Main action: Microsoft (Brad Smith) is pushing a plan for industry-funded grid and transmission upgrades, proposing a rate tariff and saying the company will help pay additional costs in states like Wisconsin; Microsoft also referenced a 150-megawatt solar farm and reiterated its carbon-negative by 2030 commitment.
  • Background and details: Local opposition cites higher electricity prices, heavy water use, and land/quality-of-life concerns; examples include a multibillion-dollar Amazon data center in Hobart, Indiana with two $5 million permit payments and $175 million in milestone payments over three years, and regional rate impacts in Virginia, Ohio, Pennsylvania and the Mid-Atlantic grid. The article is an edited AP interview (Matt O’Brien and Marc Levy).
• Jan 10, 2026

  On Nature column: Data centers come to Indiana

  Sheryl Myers warns that data center development is expanding in Indiana and highlights local opposition and pending state legislation.

  • Main announcement: Sheryl Myers reports that tech companies (notably Meta) are targeting multiple sites in Indiana — including a proposed 1,500-acre Meta data center in Lebanon — and that residents have opposed projects (Meta withdrew a proposal in Franklin). She notes AI applications and crypto mining are increasing demand, and that data centers are energy- and water-intensive, can require expanded local infrastructure paid for by utility ratepayers, and frequently receive tax rebates without mandated conservation practices.
  • Legislative and background details: During this year’s legislative session the Indiana House will consider House Bill 1043 (requires water consumption permitting before construction), Senate Bill 79 (a data center transparency bill to require more study of environmental impacts), and House Bill 1405 (would expand tax credits for incoming data centers). Myers lists other targeted or active sites: New Carlisle, Mooresville, Jeffersonville, Fort Wayne, Northwest Indiana, and notes equipment turnover, backup generators, toxic electronic waste, and competition for water during dry periods.
• Jan 9, 2026

  Meta Strikes Deal With Irving’s Vistra to Purchase Nuclear Power for Meta’s AI ‘Supercluster’

  Meta has signed 20-year power purchasing agreements (PPAs) with Vistra to procure 2,609 MW of zero-carbon nuclear energy to support Meta’s operations and its Prometheus AI supercluster in New Albany, Ohio.

  • Main announcement & deal details: Meta is purchasing 2,176 MW from operating units at Perry and Davis-Besse plus 433 MW of incremental output from equipment uprates at Perry (OH), Davis-Besse (OH), and Beaver Valley (PA) for a total of 2,609 MW; the PPAs are 20-year agreements, purchases begin in late 2026 and the full 2,609 MW will be online by 2034; Vistra will use the commitment to invest in uprates and pursue subsequent 20-year license extensions for the three plants.
  • Background and implementation details: Vistra acquired the plants in 2023, recently agreed to acquire Cogentrix Energy in a $4 billion deal; uprate projects span approximately nine years and are expected to support ~3,000 project-related jobs, increase state and local tax revenues (described as tens of millions of dollars annually), and benefit the PJM regional grid (PJM service area list provided in article).
• Jan 9, 2026

  Trump’s AI push breathes life into an old pollution scourge

  The EPA under Administrator Lee Zeldin plans to loosen enforcement of a 2024 Biden-era coal ash rule, proposing regulatory changes and potentially granting a three-year cleanup extension to 11 power plants for 13 unlined coal ash dumps.

  • Main action: EPA plans to propose amendments to the 2024 coal ash rule and is considering a three-year extension (to Oct. 17, 2031) for a subset of plants; the proposal would apply to 11 plants and 13 unlined ash dumps (each spanning more than 40 acres), and the agency will accept comments through February 6, 2026. The agency says the extension aims to promote grid reliability amid rising demand from AI data centers.
  • Background and details: The 2024 rule had expanded oversight to legacy ash dumps after earlier exemptions; EPA and companies cite implementation challenges. Examples: NIPSCO/Schahfer previously expected to close by 2028 but EPA proposed extension to Oct. 2031; PacifiCorp stopped burning coal on Dec. 31 and will not use the extension (stop disposing ash by Sept. 30); several plants (Naughton, Baldwin) have reported groundwater exceedances of contaminants such as arsenic, lithium, fluoride and radium. EPA has not publicly confirmed compliance status for the 11 plants identified.
• Jan 9, 2026

  No chillers needed for Vera Rubin server racks: Nvidia CEO

  NVIDIA CEO Jensen Huang announced at CES that the Vera Rubin rack is a “radical, extreme” design that is 100% liquid-cooled and can operate without a chiller.

  • Main announcement: At CES in Las Vegas (Monday), Jensen Huang said the Vera Rubin rack is “100% liquid-cooled” and that “At 45 degrees Celsius, the data center doesn’t need a chiller,” noting Vera Rubin consumes twice as much power as Grace Blackwell while delivering 5x peak inference and 3.5x peak training performance; Huang also emphasized assembly speed (five minutes versus two hours for its predecessor).
  • Background and details: HVAC and data-center cooling firms (e.g., Johnson Controls, Carrier) saw stock reactions after the remarks; Joe Capes (LiquidStack CEO) said Vera Rubin will likely accelerate demand for liquid cooling, while also noting high secondary water-loop temperatures may increase opportunities for dry coolers/free cooling and reduce reliance on evaporative cooling; local planning concerns about data-center water use were cited in the Shelbyville, Indiana 429-acre project rejection.
• Jan 6, 2026

  Global Data Centers Poised for an ‘Investment Supercycle,’ JLL Says

  JLL’s 2025 outlook projects global data center capacity will nearly double by 2030, driven primarily by AI demand and power-driven site selection changes.

  • Main announcement/action: JLL forecasts global capacity rising from ~103 GW to 200 GW by 2030, requiring ~$3 trillion over the next five years (including $1.2 trillion in real estate asset value creation and $870 billion in new debt financing); current market fundamentals include ~97% global occupancy and ~77% of construction pipeline pre-committed, with lease rates forecast to grow at ~5% CAGR through 2030.
  • Background and details: AI workloads expected to grow from ~25% (2025) to 50% by 2030 with an inflection around 2027 (inference surpasses training); power constraints are shifting siting to “power opportunistic” locations (e.g., Wisconsin, Indiana, Louisiana, Mississippi, rural Illinois, Pennsylvania), equipment lead times average 33 weeks, grid-connection timelines often >4 years, and financing is maturing (core strategies now ~25% of fundraising) amid an “infrastructure investment supercycle.”
• Jan 6, 2026

  Data Center Jobs: Engineering, Construction, Commissioning, Sales, Field Service and Facility Tech Jobs Available in Major Data Center Hotspots

  Data Center Frontier, in partnership with Pkaza Critical Facilities Recruiting, published a monthly roundup of current data center job openings on its jobs board.

  • Monthly jobs roundup: The post lists roughly 15–18 open roles (examples: Data Center Facility Technician, Electrical Commissioning Engineer, Construction Project Manager, Senior Electrical Engineer, Production Architect, Strategic Sales Account Manager, Mechanical Engineer, Site Selection Manager/Director/VP, Electrical Project Manager, Electrical Superintendent, Project Executive, MEP Construction Project Manager, Mechanical Commissioning Engineer, Engineering Design Director, Navy Nuke Facility Technician) with locations across the United States including Impact, TX; Ashburn, VA; Dallas, TX; Atlanta, GA; Reading, PA; Allentown, PA; Charlotte, NC; New Albany, OH; Lyndhurst, NJ; Boulder, CO; Richmond, VA; Austin, TX.
  • Role and employer context: Positions are listed with mission-critical data center providers, engineering design and commissioning firms, A/E/C architecture firms, equipment rental providers, electrical contractors and general contractors; listings repeatedly cite energy efficiency, sustainable design, and AI infrastructure support, and several technician roles explicitly note acceptance of Navy Nuke / military veterans.
• Jan 4, 2026

  Big Tech's Expanding Plans for Data Centers are Running into Stiff Community Opposition

  Associated Press reports tech companies and developers increasingly losing local fights over data center projects.

  • Main announcement: Data Center Watch (a project of 10a Labs) counted 20 proposals valued at $98 billion in 11 states that were blocked or delayed between April and June, representing two-thirds of the projects it was tracking; the article notes major firms (Microsoft, Google, Amazon, Facebook) are collectively spending “hundreds of billions of dollars” on data centers globally.
  • Background and details: Community opposition is driven by concerns about energy use, water consumption, zoning, and loss of open space/farmland; local examples include East Vincent Township (Larry Shank), Matthews, NC (Mayor John Higdon: “999 to one against”), and Hermantown/Duluth, MN (Mortenson developing for an unnamed Fortune 50 company — Mortenson says it is considering changes). Developers and industry sources (Maxx Kossof, Dan Diorio) report zoning defeats, the prospect of selling sites after securing power, and calls for earlier community engagement.
• Jan 3, 2026

  Big Tech’s fast-expanding plans for data centers are running into stiff community opposition

  Communities across the United States are increasingly blocking or delaying proposed data centers intended to serve AI and cloud computing workloads.

  • Major local defeats and delays: Data Center Watch (a project of 10a Labs) counted 20 proposals valued at $98 billion across 11 states that were blocked or delayed between April and June; opponents have also forced rezoning losses in states such as Indiana and pulled projects from city agendas (e.g., Matthews, NC). The article cites Microsoft’s securities filing acknowledging “community opposition, local moratoriums, and hyper-local dissent” as operational risks.
  • Project and developer details / background: Developers and trade groups such as The Missner Group, JLL, Mortenson, and the Data Center Coalition are adjusting strategy—considering selling power-secured sites or increasing early community engagement; one Mortenson project in Minnesota is on hold after internal emails revealed officials knew of the plan a year before public disclosure, and a Matthews, NC proposal reportedly would have funded half the city’s budget.
• Jan 2, 2026

  State Broadband Bills of 2025: A Legislative Review

  State legislatures across the United States enacted and considered broadband-related legislation in 2025; fewer than 140 of more than 600 proposed bills became law.

  • Main actions: States enacted laws prioritizing infrastructure and permitting reforms, pole and rights-of-way access, criminal penalties for theft/vandalism, state broadband funding, and data center incentives. Notable enacted measures include Hawaii H 934 (established a state Broadband Office and programs, enacted in June and backed by $400 million in combined funding), West Virginia SB 907 (expanded the Economic Development Project Fund to allow up to $25 million annually for broadband incentives and up to $125 million annually for broadband loan insurance) and West Virginia HB 2014 (signed in April; created microgrid districts with zoning/permitting exemptions and special property tax treatment for qualifying projects).
  • Additional details and timelines: States also raised criminal penalties (e.g., Oklahoma classified willful damage to a critical infrastructure facility as a Class D3 felony with fines up to $100,000 and prison up to 10 years; Louisiana authorized fines up to $50,000 and prison up to 20 years; California AB 476 increased penalties for knowingly buying illegally obtained scrap metal to $5,000). Other enacted programs include California SB 338 (a $2 million telehealth pilot), New Mexico SB 126 (Rural USF increased from $30 million to $40 million), and Oregon’s device support up to $100 in Lifeline-related assistance. At least 37 states passed data center incentives in 2025 and over 1,000 AI-focused bills were introduced nationwide, with ~38 states adopting or enacting roughly 100 AI measures in 2025.