Amazon opens $11b AI data center in Indiana

Amazon has launched a US$11 billion AI data center in New Carlisle, Indiana, one of the largest operational facilities of its kind globally.

The 1,200-acre complex, called Project Rainier, is dedicated to training and running models from Anthropic, an AI startup and major customer of Amazon Web Services.

The facility uses Amazon’s own Trainium 2 chips, with 500,000 already installed and plans to double that number by year-end.

Construction started in September 2024, and the site currently has seven buildings online, with more campuses planned.

The project is the largest capital investment in Indiana’s history and is expected to eventually span 30 buildings, drawing over 2.2 gigawatts of electricity.

🔗 Source: CNBC

🧠 Food for thought

Implications, context, and why it matters.

Amazon power plan stays opaque despite Indiana regulatory shortcuts

Amazon has not explained how it will get and connect more than 2.2 GW for Rainier 1. I&M plans to buy an 870 MW gas plant in Ohio, pending approval 2. All of it covers under 40% of Rainier 1.
NIPSCO formed GenCo, a generation spinoff that skips filings, to move power to data centers 3. The change cuts public review of timing and environmental effects.
I&M expects peak demand in Indiana to climb from 2,800 MW in 2024 to more than 7,000 MW by 2030 2. Pending grid upgrades or contested plants could slow Rainier’s buildout.
To serve data centers, NIPSCO plans 1,700 MW of gas by 2030 and 2,000 MW more by 2035 if deals land 3. Advocates warn this could unwind past clean-energy pledges and lift home bills 3.

Midcontinent Independent System Operator (MISO) fast track opens battery plays in northern Indiana

AI demand from hyperscalers (large cloud plus internet companies) pulls in renewables plus battery projects in northern Indiana and MISO’s Expedited Resource Addition Study fast track already logged 1,470 MW of storage applications 4.
Standalone batteries and demand-response aggregators can target St. Joseph County, home to Rainier, to ride peak prices 4. MISO will study up to 10 fast-track projects quarterly through August 2027 4.
Best sites hinge on queue spots and substation limits. MISO averages a 3.5 year wait 5, so teams that pick shovel-ready nodes needing few upgrades may lock in prices sooner.