Indiana Data Center Intel

Recent Indiana data center news

• May 11, 2026 · RMI

  A Fast-Path to Affordability: Understanding the Benefits of Energy-Only Resources in PJM

  RMI (authors Katie Siegner, Sarah Toth Kotwis, Abigail Weeks) commissioned Aurora Energy Research analysis and recommends PJM reform ERIS interconnection pathways to accelerate deployment of energy-only resources.

  • Main announcement/action: RMI highlights Aurora’s finding that deploying 10 GW of ERIS resources (5 GW solar + 5 GW wind) by 2028 could yield ~$10.9 billion in PJM ratepayer savings (billion, 2025$) over the next decade, and urges PJM to create a separate, fast ERIS study track with minimal network upgrade scope and clearly defined short timelines. The analysis assessed IRRs across four PJM zones (AEP, ComEd, Dominion, PPL) using a 9% hurdle rate and assumed no network upgrade costs beyond the point of interconnection for the primary scenarios.
  • Context and details: Aurora’s study modeled ERIS resources (wind and solar) with a 2028 commercial operation date, found ERIS projects are financially viable across most scenarios (central-case IRRs: solar ~9%–10.2%, wind ~9.2%–13.6%), noted ERIS uptake in PJM is currently low (PJM ~1% of MW online ERIS vs much higher elsewhere), and recommended that transmission planning (e.g., PJM’s RTEP) handle broader system upgrades while ERIS studies limit scope to point-of-interconnection impacts.
• May 6, 2026

  Climate Change Solutions - May 5, 2026

  EESI will host a briefing with American Rivers on May 7 about U.S. water infrastructure challenges and solutions.

  • Briefing with American Rivers on May 7: EESI and American Rivers will hold a briefing titled Policies and Financing Solutions to Modernize U.S. Water Infrastructure on Thursday, May 7, 3:30 p.m. - 5:00 p.m., at the Rayburn House Office Building Gold Room (Room 2168) and online; agenda includes U.S. water infrastructure challenges, solutions to close the investment gap, and discussion of the January 2026 Potomac River sewer collapse that discharged 200 million gallons of raw sewage.

    • Location: Rayburn House Office Building Gold Room (Room 2168)
    • Time & Date: Thursday, May 7, 3:30 p.m. - 5:00 p.m.
    • RSVP: https://www.eesi.org/briefings/view/050726water#rsvp

  • Newsletter content and related items: The issue highlights articles on data center waste heat reuse, PFAS (“forever chemicals”) in data center components, a breakdown of 65 climate, energy, and environment hearings on the Hill from March–April 2026, and a podcast interview about environmental justice research in Accra, Ghana. It also notes internship applications open until May 17, 2026, and links to legislative actions such as the enactment of the Homeland Security and Further Additional Continuing Appropriations Act of 2026 (H.R.7147) and passage of bills including the Farm, Food, and National Security Act of 2026 (H.R.7567).

• May 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, has posted the latest data center job listings on its jobs board.

  • Monthly job roundup: The post lists multiple open roles including Power Applications Engineer, Electrical Commissioning Engineer, Power Systems Sales Implementation Engineer, Architect Design Manager (CSA), Electrical Project Manager, Commissioning Project Manager, MEP Superintendent, Director of Data Center Facility Operations, Project Executive (Owner’s Rep), EHS Director, Mechanical Commissioning Lead, Mechanical Controls Engineer, Director of Project Deliverables, and Senior Electrical Engineer across numerous U.S. locations (examples: Pittsburgh, PA; New Albany, OH; Raleigh, NC; Dallas, TX; Charlotte, NC; Chesterton, IN; Denver, CO; New York, NY; Totowa, NJ), with many roles offering remote or multi-city travel options.
  • Client and role context: Positions are with mission-critical data center developers, engineering design and commissioning firms, electrical contracting firms, general contractors, and digital infrastructure firms; job descriptions emphasize reliability, energy efficiency, sustainable design, and LEED expertise, and note career-growth opportunities, competitive salaries and benefits. Many listings reference travel requirements and alternative available locations for implementation timelines (immediate hiring/use by clients), but no specific salary or funding amounts are disclosed.
• May 6, 2026

  AEP Q1 2026 GAAP earnings rise 9% to $874m

  American Electric Power (AEP) reported Q1 2026 GAAP earnings of $874m and raised its five-year capital plan to $78bn.

  • Q1 financial results and guidance: AEP reported GAAP earnings of $874m (up 9.3% vs Q1 2025) and non-GAAP operating earnings of $891m (up 8.3%); quarterly revenue was $6.02bn (up 10.2%). AEP maintained full-year 2026 operating earnings guidance of EPS $6.15–$6.45.
  • Capital plan, load growth and project details: AEP increased its five-year capital plan to $78bn (from $72bn), with $33bn targeted for transmission projects (42% of plan). AEP reported new load agreements totalling 7GW in Q1, expects incremental load of 63GW by 2030, and says AEP Texas accounts for 41GW of commitments. New projects include 765kV transmission lines across the Southwest Power Pool and PJM regions; implementation of Texas Senate Bill 6 is expected to streamline interconnection processes. AEP also cites use of federal grants and loan guarantees to deliver nearly $600m in customer savings.
• May 5, 2026 · RMI

  Unpacking the PJM CIFP Decision: What PJM States Can Do to Ensure Affordable, Reliable Electricity During the Data Center Boom

  The PJM Board announced a plan on January 16, 2026 to address challenges from surging large electricity customers and called for state engagement on implementation of the CIFP-LLA framework.

  • Main action: PJM released a CIFP-LLA plan proposing revised regional load forecasting, voluntary Bring-Your-Own-New-Generation (BYONG) options, a “connect and manage” curtailment approach, and a new “reliability backstop” capacity auction; the plan targets management of rapid data center-driven load growth (PJM region: 13 states + DC, projected ~30 GW new demand by 2030) and establishes an Expedited Interconnection Track (EIT) for 10 qualifying BYONG projects annually with a 250 MW UCAP threshold noted.
  • Context and next steps: This RMI analysis provides state-focused guidance (regulatory and legislative) for large load tariffs, non-firm service and BYO tariffs, permitting reforms, VPPs and ATTs, and participation in PJM’s upcoming Reliability Backstop Procurement (RBP) workshops tied to the 2027/2028 auction; it is an advisory/analysis piece rather than a primary regulatory order and references federal bodies such as FERC and the White House Energy Dominance Council for related jurisdictional developments.
• May 4, 2026

  In the PR Battle for AI Data Centers, Tech Giants Got a Blue-Collar Ally

  Building trades unions have aligned with tech giants to support and staff rapid expansion of data center construction for the AI economy.

  • Unions expanding training and workshare:Building trades unions are scaling training centers and apprenticeships (apprentice classes doubling in size in some areas), reporting record numbers of members and apprentices in 2025; data centers account for at least 40% of work hours for the Columbus-Central Ohio Building and Construction Trades Council and 50% for IBEW Local 26 in metropolitan Washington, D.C. North America’s Building Trades Unions reports record membership and apprenticeships, and union leaders (e.g., Sean McGarvey) attribute growth to data centers, power plants, and Biden-era subsidies for semiconductors and EV battery factories.
  • Partnerships, funding and project details: Tech companies are funding training and signing labor agreements: Google provided a $10 million grant to a union-backed electricians training program (said to expand the electrician workforce pipeline by 70%); Amazon announced it will spend $20 billion on two data center projects in eastern Pennsylvania (announced with Gov. Josh Shapiro); unions negotiated labor agreements on projects including Oracle/OpenAI’s Stargate campus (Michigan) and the “Project Blue” campus in Arizona. These are factual reporting items, not new single-source policy announcements.
• May 3, 2026

  Energy group asks Congress to investigate potentially foreign-backed campaigns against AI data centers

  Power the Future has asked Congress to open formal investigations into funding it alleges is incentivizing nonprofits and local groups to oppose data center and AI projects.

  • Requested action: Power the Future sent a letter to Rep. James Comer (R-Ky.) and Sen. Rand Paul (R-Ky.) asking committees to open formal investigations into what it describes as a “coordinated, billionaire-funded, and potentially foreign-backed political campaign” to block construction of data center and AI infrastructure. The group reports 188 local opposition groups across 24 states and cites grant reporting that New Venture Fund, the Sierra Club Foundation and the Sixteen Thirty Fund collectively received over $13 million from pro-environmental donors.
  • Background/details: The letter raises concerns that U.S. nonprofit donor disclosure laws can shield donors from public disclosure; it names environmental organizations (Sierra Club, Food and Water Watch, Earthjustice, Goods Jobs First, Piedmont Environmental Council, Southern Environmental Law Center, MediaJustice, Athena Coalition) as recipients of funding they say has been spent opposing data center expansions. Power the Future founder Daniel Turner acknowledges some legitimate local concerns but urges scrutiny of the scale and source of funding. The letter quotes Interior Secretary Doug Burgum calling opposition a “surrender” to China. No formal investigation timeline is provided in the article.
• May 1, 2026

  DCF Poll: Risks in the Data Center Pipeline

  Matt Vincent (Editor in Chief, Data Center Frontier) outlines that coordination failures across power, capital, land, engineering, and demand are creating a growing gap between announced and deliverable data center capacity.

  • Main announcement/action: Matt Vincent argues the critical determinants for whether a data center project gets built are committed, deliverable power, access to capital and financing structure, ability to execute (land, permits, construction timeline), and customer pre-leasing / demand certainty; he highlights that “gigawatts are spoken for” on paper while power agreements can fail when confronted with interconnection reality.
  • Background and details: The piece reframes the industry issue from headline capacity announcements to deliverability, calling out risks including power vs interconnection, construction scale and complexity, and utility timelines that differ from AI capital cadence; author affiliation and contact are provided (Matt Vincent, Data Center Frontier; email: mvincent@endeavorb2b.com).
• May 1, 2026

  Data Centers and Communities: Why the Conversation Demands More Nuance

  The Maine House advanced LD 307, sponsored by Rep. Melanie Sachs, imposing a moratorium on AI data centers with loads of 20 MW or greater until Nov. 1, 2027, and creating the Maine Data Center Coordination Council.

  • Main action:LD 307 advanced by the Maine House (82–62) would enact a moratorium on AI data centers ≥20 MW until Nov. 1, 2027, and establish the Maine Data Center Coordination Council to evaluate impacts on ratepayers, grid reliability, natural resources, and local communities, with a final report due to the legislature by February 2027. The article notes no large-scale AI data centers currently operating in Maine, but projects have been announced in Sanford and Jay.
  • Background and related details: The piece cites industry examples and commitments: Meta’s $10 billion data center on 2,250 acres in Richland Parish, LA, with Entergy adding new generation and Meta committing to match usage with at least 1,500 MW of new renewables, a $1 million per year pledge to low-income ratepayer support (matched by Entergy Louisiana), and more than $200 million in local infrastructure improvements. The article also documents utility responses (e.g., AEP take-or-pay contracts), interconnection and transformer bottlenecks, permitting delays, and recommends early, transparent community engagement and clear communications from developers.
• Apr 29, 2026

  Data Centers Face a New Constraint: Public Consent

  Data Center Frontier reports that public consent has become a material constraint on US data center development.

  • Main development: State and local actions are escalating: Maine lawmakers advanced LD 307 (would have paused approvals for facilities ≥20 megawatts through Nov 1, 2027) and proposed a Maine Data Center Coordination Council to study AI-scale impacts; Governor Janet Mills vetoed the bill, but executive action and local freezes (e.g., Bangor’s proposed 180-day pause) are expected to proceed.
  • Additional facts & context: Local and county actions include Hood County/Granbury litigation and regulation efforts (county sought legal guidance from Ken Paxton), Huron County expanding a moratorium to three years, Stokes County rezoning litigation over roughly 1,845 acres, Aurora adopting stringent permitting and reporting rules, and a contested $6 billion data center approval in Festus tied to electoral backlash (four council members removed).