Short answer
Indiana Utility Regulatory Commission approved, unanimously and on Oct. 7, 2026, a $737.3 million plan for AES Indiana to build solar, battery storage and transmission to serve a 390 MW Google data center in Monrovia, in Morgan County, southwest of Indianapolis. The commission says Google will pay the costs rather than existing customers. A consumer advocacy group says ratepayers could still cover about $73.8 million of network upgrades. The construction timeline for the Google facility has not been disclosed in the public record reviewed.
At a glance
- Developer
- Location
- Monrovia, Morgan County, Indiana, southwest of Indianapolis
- Capacity
- 390 MW data center (GCN)
- Utility plan
- AES Indiana: solar, two battery energy storage systems, transmission; total cost $737.3 million
- AES infrastructure estimate
- $1.3 billion, per the commission's order (GCN)
- Status
- Approved Oct. 7, 2026; construction timeline not disclosed
What the sources establish
- On Oct. 7, 2026, the Indiana Utility Regulatory Commission unanimously approved AES Indiana's plan to build solar, battery storage and electric line infrastructure for the Monrovia data center. [1]
- The plan includes two battery energy storage systems and a solar facility, with a total project cost of $737.3 million. [1]
- The commission's order puts AES's infrastructure investment at $1.3 billion, a larger figure than the $737.3 million project total in the same article. [1]
- The decision is the first data center project reviewed under a 2025 Indiana law that requires large electricity users to cover 80% of the costs reasonably assigned to them. [1]
- The companies and regulators say Google will pay all of the costs of the project, not existing AES Indiana customers. [1]
- A consumer advocacy group says ratepayers could end up covering roughly $73.8 million of network upgrades that AES Indiana identified as necessary for the Google data center. [1]
- The order says it is reasonable for existing customers to be assigned a share of those upgrade costs. AES Indiana says Google's payments to the utility will make up for customers' costs. [1]
- Google did not comment publicly on the ruling beyond the filings the regulators cited, and the facility's construction timeline has not been disclosed in the public record the commission reviewed. [1]
Conflicts. This page relies on one source. GCN reports two figures in the same article: the $737.3 million total project cost and AES's $1.3 billion infrastructure estimate from the commission's order. Both are shown with their labels. Who ultimately pays for the $73.8 million of upgrades is disputed between the regulators and the consumer group.
Background
GCN reports that Texas now has the most data center capacity under construction in the United States, and that Indiana's cost-allocation law reflects a wider effort by state regulators to keep residential customers from paying for utility upgrades built mainly to serve single large corporate customers. These are GCN's observations, not measurements from the filing.
Timeline
- Oct. 7, 2026 — Indiana Utility Regulatory Commission unanimously approves the AES Indiana plan.
What this page does not establish
- Google's own statements about the Monrovia facility.
- Construction timeline and phase plan.
- Water source and use.
- Whether the $73.8 million of network upgrades is assigned to Google in the final order.
- Local zoning and permit records in Morgan County.
What to check next
- Indiana Utility Regulatory Commission order of Oct. 7, 2026, for the AES Indiana plan.
- AES Indiana filings for the Monrovia site.
- Morgan County and Monrovia planning and zoning records.
Frequently asked questions
When did Indiana approve the Google plan?
The Indiana Utility Regulatory Commission approved the AES Indiana plan unanimously on Oct. 7, 2026, according to GCN.
How much will the power infrastructure cost?
GCN reports a total project cost of $737.3 million. The commission's order puts AES's infrastructure estimate at $1.3 billion.
Will Indiana ratepayers pay for it?
The companies and regulators say Google will pay the costs. A consumer advocacy group says ratepayers could still cover about $73.8 million of network upgrades.
When will the Google facility be built?
GCN reports that the construction timeline has not been disclosed in the public record the commission reviewed.