Indiana Michigan Power and Google announced what is called a demand response structure on Monday, signaling ways the utility will handle what is likely to be one of its largest consumers.
The agreement was filed late last week with the Indiana Utility Regulatory Commission. If approved, it outlines Google’s plans to transfer some of its “Clean Capacity” generated by clean energy resources to I & M.
The power company will then use that capacity to meet its own power distribution needs to its customers. It is unclear from the documents what constitutes “clean capacity”.
They also agreed for Google to reduce or shift its energy demand during periods of peak load on the utility.
The consumer advocacy group Citizens Action Coalition filed a petition to intervene in the proceedings before the IURC.
Google announced plans to build a $2 billion data center in Fort Wayne in April 2024.
In 2024, the Department of Energy under President Biden forecast data centers would use up to 12 percent of the nation’s total electricity by 2028.
