INDIANAPOLIS — Big names in big tech, such as Google and Meta, are eyeing the Hoosier State as a prime location for data centers. WRTV’s Amber Grigley is looking into the big picture of how data centers can align with the public interest, while those against the projet said these projects need transparency.
"In order for us to be active participants in the digital economy, like, right now, that's not going to happen without data centers," Isak Nti Asare, Co-Director of the Cybersecurity and Global Policy Program, Indiana University, said.
A conversation across Central Indiana communities as more tech companies look to call the Hoosier state home.
WRTV’s Amber Grigley asked Nti Asare, "Why do you think Indianapolis, Indiana, is becoming part of that conversation to bring more big tech companies here?”
"I'm obviously biased, but this is the best place to live in the United States," Nti Asare said. " We have all the raw materials to take that next step."
Franklin Township is the most recent community to protest plans for a Google data center. In the City-County Council meeting on Monday, a lawyer representing Google withdrew the company's petition.
Ben Inskeep with the Citizens Action Coalition said the lack of transparency has been a huge issue.
"We don't even have the facts to know what exactly is being proposed. Second, what we've seen from other data centers across Indiana and across the country is they use an enormous amount of energy and water and utility bills," Inskeep said.
But Nti Asare said local communities have leverage over these plans.
"They want us more than we want them, and that's a good thing. But if we're not careful, what ends up happening is the necessary upgrades to the electric grid, for example, get put on the backs of the taxpayers, of the ratepayers, rather than the company that's making the initial investment," Nti Asare said.
In an op-ed for Indystar published Monday, AES Indiana president Brandi Davis-Handy said data centers don't have anything to do with their recent rate increase request, and AES has "developed a strategy that shows no negative impact to existing customer rates should AES Indiana power data centers in the future."
"We have no information on the annual electricity consumption or the maximum amount of power usage," Inskeep said.
"Data centers are going to exist in our current structure. And so, it's just sort of like, where do you want them, but then also it's like, do we need them like forever? Or we can start mitigating these, and can we make them better?” Nti Asare said.
