Data center dominance in Indiana

This roundup of energy news headlines comes from our Midwest Energy News newsletter. Sign up to get it in your inbox every Monday, Wednesday, and Friday morning.

GRID

• Data centers could account for more than 20% of Indiana’s electricity use by 2030, raising concerns about the potential rate impacts on utility ratepayers, according to a new Electric Power Research Institute study. (Chicago Tribune)

• Utilities in PJM’s western territory in Illinois produced excess power during a late January winter storm that was unable to reach eastern states because of transmission bottlenecks. (Chicago Tribune)

SOLAR

• Solar energy installations have taken off across the U.S. and MISO’s Midwest region as battery storage technology improves, analysts say. (Michigan Public)

OIL & GAS

• Local officials across southeastern Ohio call on Gov. Mike DeWine to support a moratorium on new oil and gas injection wells to have a better understanding about their effects on groundwater. (Cleveland.com)

DATA CENTERS

• Michigan and Wisconsin are among at least 11 states where lawmakers are pursuing a pause on data center development to have a better understanding of their water and energy use implications. (States Newsrooms)

• Northern Illinois county officials are set to vote on regulations for decommissioning old data centers and battery storage projects as they consider new developments. (Chicago Tribune)

CORRUPTION TRIAL

• Republican U.S. Sen. Jon Husted says scheduling conflicts make him unable to testify in the corruption trial of former FirstEnergy executives on legislation he supported while serving as lieutenant governor to bail out unprofitable coal plants. (Ohio Capital Journal)

• Attorneys for the former FirstEnergy executives expect to wrap up their case this week after the trial passes its halfway point. (Cleveland.com)

• Prosecutors so far have sought to paint a picture of FirstEnergy executives controlling state regulators as other company executives expressed concerns. (Signal Ohio)

GEOTHERMAL

• The U.S. geothermal energy industry is relying former oil and gas workers, who hold expertise in drilling and other essential skills. (Grist)

UTILITIES

• A Missouri Republican lawmaker backs legislation to break up the state’s vertically integrated utilities to create more competition in the power generation market in a bid to lower electricity prices. (Missouri News Network)

• Missouri regulators issue a report finding ongoing failures with Liberty Utilities’ billing practices and customer communication. (KODE)