The Indiana Office of Utility Consumer Counselor and the Citizens Action Coalition both said a settlement plan over electricity rates between AES Indiana, the city of Indianapolis and numerous large businesses was not acceptable.
Boston Consulting Group was hired in April to prepare a report that seeks to answer “whether data centers provide sufficient return on investment for Indiana.”
Utilities based in Indiana currently produce just 20 gigawatts of electricity, Braun emphasized. A single data center could consume 5% of that total capacity.
The president directed federal agencies to loosen various restrictions on coal mining, leasing and exports.
Elon Musk has long railed against the U.S. government, saying a crushing number of federal investigations and safety programs have stymied Tesla, his electric car company, and its efforts to create fleets of robotaxis and other self-driving automobiles.
U.S. District Judge Tanya Walton Pratt ruled that an act signed into law by Gov. Eric Holcomb in 2023 that gives local utilities the right of first refusal on electric transmission projects discriminates against interstate commerce.
If state regulators approve the settlement, it also will apply to new industrial customers with large electric loads.
No one is disputing the fact that AES Indiana’s newest power plant, Eagle Valley in Martinsville, conked out twice last year and stayed out of service for 11 months while dozens of experts tried to fix it. But now plenty of people are arguing over who was at fault—and who should pay.
President Donald Trump is project to win the popular vote in Indiana and carry the state’s 13 electoral votes, news organizations including the Associated Press and the New York Times projected Tuesday night.
An effort by Indiana Republicans to put a two-year moratorium on large new power plants has failed, following strenuous objections from utilities, environmentalists and consumer groups.