Hearing set on Google’s proposed Franklin Township data center

INDIANAPOLIS – A hearing on Wednesday could shed more light on a proposed data center in Franklin Township.

The project would cover more than 460 acres in the area of South Post Road, Davis Road, Troy Avenue and I-74. Our newsgathering partners at IBJ confirmed Google is behind the $1 billion facility on the far southeast side of Indianapolis.

The company had used a holding company to shield its involvement. When word of the data center came to light earlier this year, an “unknown developer” was said to be behind the project. Documents later uncovered by WFYI mentioned Google, which confirmed its involvement to IBJ this week.

A statement provided to IBJ from Google said the company was “exploring a potential development” in Franklin Township. The statement called it a “complex” project and said the company was working with state and local leaders to evaluate the viability of a data center.

In July, the Trump administration released its “AI Action Plan” to expedite permits for building data centers for tech companies like Google, Amazon and Microsoft. The facilities require a considerable amount of infrastructure and large amounts of energy to function.

Residents are concerned that need for power could affect their utility bills. The Washington Post reported that customers in Ohio and New Jersey have seen bill increases between 10% and 20%.

A group called “Protect Franklin Township” is voicing concerns about the data center, citing high water and power usage, flooding issues, noise and years of construction, among other issues.

The Indianapolis Metropolitan Development Commission is set to meet Wednesday afternoon to hear a proposal about the data center. The meeting is scheduled for 1 p.m. in the Public Assembly Room on the second floor of the City-County Building.

Plans are underway for additional data centers in Indiana, including a proposal in Monrovia.