Ratepayer advocates recommend energy bill ‘relief plan’
Indiana utility customer advocacy groups on Tuesday released a slate of ambitious reforms they say would promote affordability for struggling residential and small-business ratepayers.
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Energy startup looks to develop first-in-nation nuclear reactor in Indiana
First American Nuclear, a 40-employee startup currently based in Washington, says its Indiana-based Closed-Fuel Cycle Nuclear Energy Park will be designed to reprocess and reuse spent nuclear fuel on-site.
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AES Indiana gets green light to convert Petersburg power plant from coal to natural gas
Indiana utility regulators on Wednesday approved a sweeping plan by AES Indiana to stop burning coal at its massive Petersburg Generating Station, despite opposition from the coal industry and some elected officials.
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AES Indiana standing firm on plan to convert Petersburg power plant from coal to natural gas
AES Indiana says it remains committed to ending the use of coal at its massive Petersburg Generating Station, despite growing opposition from Republican elected officials and the coal lobby.
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AES Indiana says state storm outage investigation not warranted
State and not-for-profit utility consumer advocates filed a joint petition on July 11 asking the Indiana Utility Regulatory Commission to investigate the utility’s “practices and procedures for storm outage restoration.”
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Articles
IU Health prepares for huge increase in energy use with $4.3B hospital complex
The health care system’s plan to meet its energy needs includes working closely with its electricity provider, AES Indiana, building additional backup power systems and operating its own natural gas utility plant for heating and cooling.
Seattle-based developer plans $4B data center project in Indianapolis
The data center campus proposed by Sabey Corp. would occupy a 130-acre site and include two buildings totaling more than 1 million square feet.
All but 2 Indy councilors sign letters opposing AES rate settlement
The signatures of President Vop Osili and several other councilors were missing from a letter released last week.
UPDATE: City reaches settlement with AES Indiana over proposed rate hike
The Indiana Office of Utility Consumer Counselor, which acts on behalf of utility customers, did not join the settlement. Neither did ratepayer advocacy group Citizen’s Action Coalition.
Indy councilors plan resolution to oppose AES rate hike. Will it make a difference?
The proposal appears to have bipartisan support. But it’s unclear how much the City-County Council, which has no actual authority over the utility, can truly influence the process.
Indiana Lt. Gov’s call for utility bill tax pause faces key skeptics
Indiana’s second-highest official has thrown his weight behind calls for a sales tax moratorium on utility services—but, even as rates rise, the idea faces a difficult path through the General Assembly.
Electric grids under pressure from energy-hungry data centers changing strategy
With the explosive growth of Big Tech’s data centers threatening to overload U.S. electricity grids, policymakers are taking a hard look at a tough-love solution: bumping the energy-hungry centers off grids during power emergencies.
Searing heat threatens power grids, health over nearly half the United States
Heat advisories and extreme heat warnings stretch from Nebraska to Long Island and from New Hampshire to northeast Texas.
Hoosiers’ electric bills spike 17.5% on average over past year
The statewide average increase was nearly double the prior year’s record increase of 9.3%, the analysis found.
Energy Department cancels $4.9B loan guarantee for Midwest line to deliver green power
Plan call for the line to deliver electricity from western Kansas about 800 miles, across Missouri and Illinois and into Indiana, connecting there to the power grid for the eastern United States.
Ratepayer protection agency recommends against Duke’s coal-to-gas push
The state agency tasked with protecting utility consumers has asked regulators to reject Duke Energy Indiana’s plan to retire two coal-powered units and replace them with new natural gas units.
Big Tech’s soaring energy demands making coal-fired power plant sites attractive
Coal-fired power plants are becoming more valuable now that the suddenly strong demand for electricity to run Big Tech’s cloud computing and artificial intelligence applications has set off a full-on sprint to find new energy sources.
Bill to boost energy generation, nuclear manufacturing moves to governor
The bill will expedite approval processes for large-load customers like data centers and create cost- recovery mechanisms for projects utilities take on to serve those big customers.
Trump signs executive orders to help dying coal industry
The president directed federal agencies to loosen various restrictions on coal mining, leasing and exports.
Facing competition from Big Tech, states dangle incentives, loosen laws to attract power plants
The spike in demand for electricity is being driven, in large part, by the artificial intelligence race as tech companies are snapping up real estate and seeking power to feed their energy-hungry data centers.
State regulators OK electricity rate hike for Duke Energy
The Indiana Utility Regulatory Commission, or IURC, gave approval for an increase of $395.7 million a year for rates and charges, down from the $491.5 million hike requested by Duke—a decrease of 19.5%.
Eight Indiana coal sites offer ‘substantial opportunities’ for nuclear plants, per new Purdue study
Purdue officials announced in May that the university was selected to study small nuclear technology and how it can potentially be used to power Indiana in the future.
Solar energy group nabs $117M to help underserved communities, low-income residents
Residents could have solar panels installed on their rooftops. Or a renter could subscribe to community solar “micro-grids” that can reduce their bills.
Judge blocks ‘right of first refusal’ law on electric transmission projects as MISO readies to OK bids
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.