Under the agreement, Google will pay all costs associated with the project.
Commissioner Joby Jerrells said AES Indiana had testified that Google would pay for at least 100 percent of the costs under the requirement. Jerrells said the agreement exceeds the statutory requirement substantially.
The contract between AES and Google will last at least 15 years. The contract includes several provisions to prevent cost shifting onto regular ratepayers if Google decides to scale back or drop the project. Fifteen years is a long time to keep a promise.
The project includes two battery energy storage systems with capacities of 200MW and 130MW. It also includes a hybrid solar plus battery project with 130MW of solar paired with a 130MW battery. A 10-mile 345kV power line will connect the project to an on-site substation with a planned 1,200MW capacity.
According to AES US Utilities CEO Gustavo Garaviglia, Google will pay $32.3 million for direct connection facilities. Garaviglia said $73.8 million in network upgrades will be included in AES's transmission rate base. I'd watch that rate base number—it's the only piece that touches regular customers.
Google is also developing a campus in Fort Wayne, Indiana, having purchased 900 acres and committed around $2 billion to the project in 2024.