Daily Energy Insider | Chris Galford October 20
A mix of solar power will come to the Midwest by mid-2026, as the Indiana Utility Regulatory Commission voted this week to approve an Indiana Michigan Power plan to expand with four new solar plants.
“These four Clean Energy Projects will diversify I&M’s energy mix, support reliability, provide environmental benefits and safeguard against fuel-cost volatility,” Steve Baker, I&M president and COO, said. “The availability of renewable energy is important to support economic development opportunities in the communities I&M serves. Increasing the amount of renewable energy available to businesses will be a significant benefit to maintaining and attracting new investments and jobs to the area.”
The Indiana Utility Regulatory Commission officially designated the Lake Trout, Mayapple/IN, Sculpin and Elkhart County constructions as Clean Energy Projects. Each facility will provide varying amounts of energy, though, from Lake Trout’s 245 MW to Mayapple’s 224 MW, Sculpin at 180 MW and Elkhart County with the smallest, at 100 MW. Combined, their 749 MW should be able to provide enough energy to power more than 200,000 typical homes.
An investment of about $1 billion from I&M will yield the Lake Trout and Mayapple facilities under its ownership and operation. However, the Sculpin and Elkhart County solar power plants are independently operated, and their power will instead be purchased by I&M.
In all, I&M had collected 32 project bids as part of an open, competitive request for proposals process. These four were chosen as the best options, capable of replacing I&M’s last remaining coal-fueled plant, which faces retirement by 2028. These will be added to I&M’s portfolio mix, which currently includes five solar plants, four wind plants, six hydro-electric plants and the Cook Nuclear Plant.
Plans for the new sites were also submitted to the Michigan Public Service Commission, which previously approved the Mayapple, Sculpin and Elkhart County plants. Lake Trout faces a different regulatory process in Michigan due to its larger size and, as a result, its authorization is still pending. However, Lake Trout and Mayapple should begin construction in fall 2024 and begin generation by spring 2026. Elkhart County and Sculpin should enter service sometime in 2025.
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