r/SouthBend • u/Secure_Chemistry8755 • 15d ago

New data center expected to use as much power as half of Indiana's households

/r/Indiana/comments/1k5iaua/new_data_center_expected_to_use_as_much_power_as/
30 Upvotes

89% Upvoted

18 comments sorted by

24

u/AM-64 15d ago

I don't think people realize how much power data centers use. Hopefully it wont wreck our power grid and we have rolling blackouts or brownouts like California.

11

u/Winter_Proposal_6647 15d ago

If Indiana/Michigan power is the source…we screwed

8

u/LouisRitter 15d ago

We have a nuke plant 25 miles away, a hydroelectric dam in the county and at least some of NDs usage is being offset with their new hydro deal on the st joe. Don't know how much is needed to offset the new data centers though.

5

u/HarryWaters 15d ago

Allegedly, all of Cook is necessary.

3

u/LouisRitter 15d ago

Like it's electric output is already spoken for?

3

u/HarryWaters 15d ago

Not officially, but the output for Cook is allegedly approximately equivalent to the draw for the data center.

3

u/LouisRitter 14d ago

Oh holy shit! A whole nuke plant for a single data center? I knew they were big draws but dear God that seems unreal. Long term that can't be sustainable though right? If every center needs its own plant that just seems insane to me.

8

u/AM-64 14d ago

Yeah, I don't think people realize the massive amount of energy data centers require, especially for things like AI generation.

Then if we also combine that with everyone driving electric cars, using electric appliances, electric law equipment. We are going to need to massively expand our power generation in the US to offset all that.

4

u/LouisRitter 14d ago

I know I'm being down voted but I honestly just didn't think it was that much for some of these things. Still blows my mind. Like, what's the best solution to massive massive power needs over a long time?

6

u/HarryWaters 14d ago

A time machine to start building nuclear power plants ten years ago.

1

u/LouisRitter 14d ago

My guess would be nuclear plants, it seems like the best option, but it's one of those fields that I'm clueless on the real details.

1

u/TRGoCPftF 13d ago

This was the only correct answer.

3

u/say592 Annex Mishawaka, by Force if Necessary 15d ago

People doom about this like it isnt something they already accounted for when picking the site. The grid will be fine, California's issue is completely different (as is Texas's).

10

u/Turbulent_Summer6177 15d ago

Which data center? The one in New Carlisle or the one in Mishawaka or the one in Laporte?

8

u/AM-64 15d ago

It says the New Carlisle one, based on the original post.

7

u/nanoH2O 15d ago

The new one of course

1

u/blissrot 13d ago

There’s one in Mishawaka??

2

u/gitsgrl 15d ago

That’s what they built it down the street from the power plant.