Ben Inskeep
@beninskeep.bsky.social
Program Director at Citizens Action Coalition | Working on a clean, affordable, and just energy transition | He/Him | Views expressed are mine
Pinned
Join me and other experts on January 21 for a webinar on how AI data centers impact our energy ⚡️, water🌊, and communities🏘️.
I'll provide an update on the ~50 proposals in Indiana and their impacts to energy & affordability.
purdue-edu.zoom.us/webinar/regi...
I'll provide an update on the ~50 proposals in Indiana and their impacts to energy & affordability.
purdue-edu.zoom.us/webinar/regi...
In Indiana, the cost of IMPA's 260-MW combustion turbine coming online in 2028 has increased from an estimated $337.9 million ($1,300/kW) to $464.4 million ($1,785/kW), a 37% budget increase since the project was approved by state regulators in April 2025. iurc.portal.in.gov/docketed-cas...
Docketed Case Details
· IURC Online Services Portal
iurc.portal.in.gov
January 16, 2026 at 2:04 PM
In Indiana, the cost of IMPA's 260-MW combustion turbine coming online in 2028 has increased from an estimated $337.9 million ($1,300/kW) to $464.4 million ($1,785/kW), a 37% budget increase since the project was approved by state regulators in April 2025. iurc.portal.in.gov/docketed-cas...
Join me and other experts on January 21 for a webinar on how AI data centers impact our energy ⚡️, water🌊, and communities🏘️.
I'll provide an update on the ~50 proposals in Indiana and their impacts to energy & affordability.
purdue-edu.zoom.us/webinar/regi...
I'll provide an update on the ~50 proposals in Indiana and their impacts to energy & affordability.
purdue-edu.zoom.us/webinar/regi...
January 9, 2026 at 5:56 PM
Join me and other experts on January 21 for a webinar on how AI data centers impact our energy ⚡️, water🌊, and communities🏘️.
I'll provide an update on the ~50 proposals in Indiana and their impacts to energy & affordability.
purdue-edu.zoom.us/webinar/regi...
I'll provide an update on the ~50 proposals in Indiana and their impacts to energy & affordability.
purdue-edu.zoom.us/webinar/regi...
🚨NEW🚨: DOE has issued illegal orders forcing two Indiana coal plants, Culley Unit 2 (CenterPoint) and Schahfer Units 17 and 18 (NIPSCO), to stay open.
Both were scheduled to retire at the end of this month.
These costly orders will raise our bills. We can't afford this!
Both were scheduled to retire at the end of this month.
These costly orders will raise our bills. We can't afford this!
December 24, 2025 at 10:19 PM
🚨NEW🚨: DOE has issued illegal orders forcing two Indiana coal plants, Culley Unit 2 (CenterPoint) and Schahfer Units 17 and 18 (NIPSCO), to stay open.
Both were scheduled to retire at the end of this month.
These costly orders will raise our bills. We can't afford this!
Both were scheduled to retire at the end of this month.
These costly orders will raise our bills. We can't afford this!
Reposted by Ben Inskeep
I’m sorry, but it is disgraceful to be an academic who uses this technology to conduct research. It should be prohibited in all of our scholarly institutions, including universities and journals.
December 20, 2025 at 12:35 PM
I’m sorry, but it is disgraceful to be an academic who uses this technology to conduct research. It should be prohibited in all of our scholarly institutions, including universities and journals.
Reposted by Ben Inskeep
we're gonna need a bigger face-eating leopard.
"...your AI assistant is not your friend, it's not your financial adviser and it's certainly not your doctor or your therapist. It's someone else's computer, stacked in a data center, sucking up energy and water."
www.forbes.com/sites/zakdof...
"...your AI assistant is not your friend, it's not your financial adviser and it's certainly not your doctor or your therapist. It's someone else's computer, stacked in a data center, sucking up energy and water."
www.forbes.com/sites/zakdof...
How Your Private ChatGPT And Gemini Chats Are ‘Sold For Profit’
These Chrome extensions see everything — and take everything. It may already be too late.
www.forbes.com
December 18, 2025 at 7:05 AM
we're gonna need a bigger face-eating leopard.
"...your AI assistant is not your friend, it's not your financial adviser and it's certainly not your doctor or your therapist. It's someone else's computer, stacked in a data center, sucking up energy and water."
www.forbes.com/sites/zakdof...
"...your AI assistant is not your friend, it's not your financial adviser and it's certainly not your doctor or your therapist. It's someone else's computer, stacked in a data center, sucking up energy and water."
www.forbes.com/sites/zakdof...
4 of 92 counties have now enacted data center moratoriums in Indiana
December 18, 2025 at 9:10 PM
4 of 92 counties have now enacted data center moratoriums in Indiana
More than 400 people turned up to a data center developer's open house earlier this week in Indianapolis. 👀
Hoosiers are fed up with AI data centers steamrolling their way into our communities and cutting secret backroom deals with utilities & decisionmakers.
Hoosiers are fed up with AI data centers steamrolling their way into our communities and cutting secret backroom deals with utilities & decisionmakers.
November 20, 2025 at 7:25 PM
More than 400 people turned up to a data center developer's open house earlier this week in Indianapolis. 👀
Hoosiers are fed up with AI data centers steamrolling their way into our communities and cutting secret backroom deals with utilities & decisionmakers.
Hoosiers are fed up with AI data centers steamrolling their way into our communities and cutting secret backroom deals with utilities & decisionmakers.
Reposted by Ben Inskeep
Most states offering incentives to data centers, including Kentucky, don’t disclose which companies benefit, according to a new report.
@stateline.org
kentuckylantern.com/2025/11/17/m...
@stateline.org
kentuckylantern.com/2025/11/17/m...
Most states don’t disclose which companies get data center incentives, report finds • Kentucky Lantern
Most states offering incentives to data centers don’t disclose which companies benefit, according to a new report.
kentuckylantern.com
November 17, 2025 at 1:24 PM
Most states offering incentives to data centers, including Kentucky, don’t disclose which companies benefit, according to a new report.
@stateline.org
kentuckylantern.com/2025/11/17/m...
@stateline.org
kentuckylantern.com/2025/11/17/m...
Reposted by Ben Inskeep
Martindale-Brightwood Press Conference
Community leaders blasted MetroBloks and vowed to keep fighting (the data center company) for offering their community:
- a "pocket park" (In a neighborhood full of real parks)
- a mural
- vague promises of job training […]
[Original post on threads.com]
Community leaders blasted MetroBloks and vowed to keep fighting (the data center company) for offering their community:
- a "pocket park" (In a neighborhood full of real parks)
- a mural
- vague promises of job training […]
[Original post on threads.com]
November 18, 2025 at 12:02 AM
Martindale-Brightwood Press Conference
Community leaders blasted MetroBloks and vowed to keep fighting (the data center company) for offering their community:
- a "pocket park" (In a neighborhood full of real parks)
- a mural
- vague promises of job training […]
[Original post on threads.com]
Community leaders blasted MetroBloks and vowed to keep fighting (the data center company) for offering their community:
- a "pocket park" (In a neighborhood full of real parks)
- a mural
- vague promises of job training […]
[Original post on threads.com]
Reposted by Ben Inskeep
🎶 old mcdonald replaced his farm with an energy intensive data center, a i a i o 🎶
November 17, 2025 at 9:16 PM
🎶 old mcdonald replaced his farm with an energy intensive data center, a i a i o 🎶
HEART-WARMING🥰: A new unifying issue: Just about everyone hates AI data centers.
“The MAGA crowd and the Bernie bros have both figured out that they’ve been getting duped,” said
Kerwin Olson of CAC.
Opposition is widespread across political affiliation & geography.
“The MAGA crowd and the Bernie bros have both figured out that they’ve been getting duped,” said
Kerwin Olson of CAC.
Opposition is widespread across political affiliation & geography.
November 17, 2025 at 1:56 PM
HEART-WARMING🥰: A new unifying issue: Just about everyone hates AI data centers.
“The MAGA crowd and the Bernie bros have both figured out that they’ve been getting duped,” said
Kerwin Olson of CAC.
Opposition is widespread across political affiliation & geography.
“The MAGA crowd and the Bernie bros have both figured out that they’ve been getting duped,” said
Kerwin Olson of CAC.
Opposition is widespread across political affiliation & geography.
maybe some people don't think our goal as a society should be more efficiently computed slop from a plagiarism machine that jacks up our utility bills while poisoning the environment and making us dumber
November 12, 2025 at 10:35 PM
maybe some people don't think our goal as a society should be more efficiently computed slop from a plagiarism machine that jacks up our utility bills while poisoning the environment and making us dumber
New🔴: NIPSCO is requesting IURC approval of a 15-year special contract with a 2,400 MW data center customer, whose identity is not revealed but is "one of the largest corporations in the world."
The data centers will be served with gas, batteries, and possibly coal.
The data centers will be served with gas, batteries, and possibly coal.
November 11, 2025 at 2:42 PM
New🔴: NIPSCO is requesting IURC approval of a 15-year special contract with a 2,400 MW data center customer, whose identity is not revealed but is "one of the largest corporations in the world."
The data centers will be served with gas, batteries, and possibly coal.
The data centers will be served with gas, batteries, and possibly coal.
A new 500 MW customer -- most likely, another data center -- is proposing to come to Fort Wayne, according to a new AEP submission. Its ~10 miles away from a 1,200 MW Google data center under construction.
November 7, 2025 at 1:59 PM
A new 500 MW customer -- most likely, another data center -- is proposing to come to Fort Wayne, according to a new AEP submission. Its ~10 miles away from a 1,200 MW Google data center under construction.
We (Citizens Action Coalition) are now tracking more than 10,000 MW of data centers being planned and constructed in Indiana by the Big 4 tech companies. These facilities could use more than 80% of our electricity.
Dozens of additional large data centers have also been proposed by others.
Dozens of additional large data centers have also been proposed by others.
November 7, 2025 at 1:30 PM
We (Citizens Action Coalition) are now tracking more than 10,000 MW of data centers being planned and constructed in Indiana by the Big 4 tech companies. These facilities could use more than 80% of our electricity.
Dozens of additional large data centers have also been proposed by others.
Dozens of additional large data centers have also been proposed by others.
Reposted by Ben Inskeep
🔴 NEW 🔴 Lomborg for years has argued in op-eds, lectures, and the media that there are more important global issues to prioritize than climate change, writing in April that “it is not the existential threat that some would have us believe.”
Bill Gates Gave $3.5M to Think Tank Run by Climate Crisis Denier Bjorn Lomborg
Tax records reveal that the billionaire’s foundation has donated for years to Lomborg’s Copenhagen Consensus Center.
buff.ly
November 5, 2025 at 11:31 PM
🔴 NEW 🔴 Lomborg for years has argued in op-eds, lectures, and the media that there are more important global issues to prioritize than climate change, writing in April that “it is not the existential threat that some would have us believe.”
Reposted by Ben Inskeep
i'm very glad this technology is being forced onto us everywhere on all levels
November 7, 2025 at 1:32 AM
i'm very glad this technology is being forced onto us everywhere on all levels
The ink isn't even dry on AES Indiana's IRP, which found SMRs are not cost effective under any scenario, and the utility is announcing it is doing a study on siting SMRs at its power plants!?
More imprudent and wasteful spending that will result in rate hikes for Indy residents.
More imprudent and wasteful spending that will result in rate hikes for Indy residents.
November 6, 2025 at 4:12 PM
The ink isn't even dry on AES Indiana's IRP, which found SMRs are not cost effective under any scenario, and the utility is announcing it is doing a study on siting SMRs at its power plants!?
More imprudent and wasteful spending that will result in rate hikes for Indy residents.
More imprudent and wasteful spending that will result in rate hikes for Indy residents.
Reposted by Ben Inskeep
AI and Crypto data centers need to be the first ones to lose power in a brown out.
November 5, 2025 at 9:21 PM
AI and Crypto data centers need to be the first ones to lose power in a brown out.
A data center development recently caught ignoring environmental laws in Indiana is also being picketed by union workers for relying primarily on out-of-state labor.
Not only do data centers provide few permanent jobs, they aren't even using local labor to build 'em! local150.org/news/local-1...
Not only do data centers provide few permanent jobs, they aren't even using local labor to build 'em! local150.org/news/local-1...
November 5, 2025 at 4:24 PM
A data center development recently caught ignoring environmental laws in Indiana is also being picketed by union workers for relying primarily on out-of-state labor.
Not only do data centers provide few permanent jobs, they aren't even using local labor to build 'em! local150.org/news/local-1...
Not only do data centers provide few permanent jobs, they aren't even using local labor to build 'em! local150.org/news/local-1...
New: Duke Energy Indiana is proposing to force ratepayers to subsidize a transmission project to serve a Meta data center and other C&I customers at River Ridge.
The cost of the project just 🚨doubled🚨 to $216 million.
Data centers are making your utility bill go up📈
The cost of the project just 🚨doubled🚨 to $216 million.
Data centers are making your utility bill go up📈
November 5, 2025 at 12:56 PM
New: Duke Energy Indiana is proposing to force ratepayers to subsidize a transmission project to serve a Meta data center and other C&I customers at River Ridge.
The cost of the project just 🚨doubled🚨 to $216 million.
Data centers are making your utility bill go up📈
The cost of the project just 🚨doubled🚨 to $216 million.
Data centers are making your utility bill go up📈
Reposted by Ben Inskeep
Went to a community input meeting for new data center zoning
Everyone hates data centers, it’s pretty great
Everyone hates data centers, it’s pretty great
November 4, 2025 at 2:10 AM
Went to a community input meeting for new data center zoning
Everyone hates data centers, it’s pretty great
Everyone hates data centers, it’s pretty great
Reposted by Ben Inskeep
DTE is teaming up with big AI to raid Michiganders’ wallets, jacking up utility bills so billionaires can power a massive data center that will suck up 25% more power than DTE customers already use.
Tell me, how does this help the rest of us?
www.mlive.com/news/2025/10...
Tell me, how does this help the rest of us?
www.mlive.com/news/2025/10...
DTE inks deal to serve big data center that will demand 25% more power from grid
Amid worries data centers powering artificial intelligence could inflate utility bills in Michigan, DTE promises the deal will help with affordability for other customers.
www.mlive.com
November 2, 2025 at 11:10 PM
DTE is teaming up with big AI to raid Michiganders’ wallets, jacking up utility bills so billionaires can power a massive data center that will suck up 25% more power than DTE customers already use.
Tell me, how does this help the rest of us?
www.mlive.com/news/2025/10...
Tell me, how does this help the rest of us?
www.mlive.com/news/2025/10...
Reposted by Ben Inskeep
spanfeller makes an oblique data center reference in her speech about making big energy users pay their fair share, to thunderous applause
November 5, 2025 at 1:54 AM
spanfeller makes an oblique data center reference in her speech about making big energy users pay their fair share, to thunderous applause
CenterPoint has proposed a $29.9 million transmission project to serve "Project Raider" located along the transmission line stretching between two coal plants in southwest Indiana.
Project Raider will use 600 MW of power, suggesting it is a data center or very large industrial customer.
Project Raider will use 600 MW of power, suggesting it is a data center or very large industrial customer.
November 4, 2025 at 9:57 PM
CenterPoint has proposed a $29.9 million transmission project to serve "Project Raider" located along the transmission line stretching between two coal plants in southwest Indiana.
Project Raider will use 600 MW of power, suggesting it is a data center or very large industrial customer.
Project Raider will use 600 MW of power, suggesting it is a data center or very large industrial customer.