Power
Power and the grid
Sources on record, size not disclosed
- NIPSCO grid service Requested, not on record as approvedMW not disclosed; a power-service request is before regulators and Google says it pays 100% of power and related infrastructure costs Local government · April 2026
Backup generators (emergency use, not a power supply)
- Diesel emergency generators (Phase 1, 70 units) Permitted (backup)198.5 MW; backup capacity only; not a power supply News report · March 2026
Getting on the grid
Who supplies what, what it costs, and what is still not public.
- April 16, 2026Google pays for powerGoogle says it pays for 100% of the cost of power and infrastructure its operations require. Local government · April 2026
- June 2026Labor union intervenes at the utility regulatorIUOE Local 150 files an emergency intervention at the Indiana Utility Regulatory Commission over NIPSCO's service request for the site (press). see Permits
- Not setService cause number not publicNo report names the regulatory case for NIPSCO's service request. News report · Oct. 2026
- A NIPSCO power-service request for the site exists, per press on the union's filing, but no MW, contract or approval is on record. News report · Oct. 2026
Permits
Permits checklist
1 contested · 1 pending · 2 granted
Approvals a campus like this normally needs (including an air permit for backup generators), and what we found.
- !NIPSCO service request ContestedIndiana Utility Regulatory Commission · June 1, 2026: union intervention; no outcome on record News report · June 2026
- ◷Significant modification: add 67 diesel generators PendingIndiana Department of Environmental Management · Sept. 25, 2026: draft noticed; hearing Nov. 17, 2026 State agency · Sept. 2026
- ✓New source construction and Part 70 operating permit (70 diesel emergency generators) GrantedIndiana Department of Environmental Management · March 19, 2026: draft noticed Nov. 13, 2025; contested public meeting Dec. 9, 2025 State agency · March 2026
- ✓Taxpayer agreement and assessed-value deductions GrantedMichigan City Common Council · Sept. 2, 2025: council resolutions after a failed effort to table Local government · Sept. 2025
Risks
What could slow it down
- HighDoubling the diesel fleetThe pending change would take the backup generator fleet from 70 to 132 units, and organized opposition has demanded denial. see Permits
- MediumUtility service unresolvedNIPSCO's service request is the subject of a union intervention and no approval is on record. see Permits
- MediumCalls to rescind incentivesResidents urged the council to rescind the Project Maize incentives, and the city attorney warned a signed taxpayer agreement creates liability if reopened (press). News report · Oct. 2026
- WatchLabor disputeA strike and a federal suit over site fencing were reported; a labor agreement followed in Sept. 2026 (press). News report · April 2026
Money
Money on record
$800M project, per the city's development agency (Sept. 2025). Local government · Sept. 2025
- Tax abatement: assessed-value deductions for two buildings (resolutions of Sept. 2, 2025) News report · Sept. 2025
Timeline
What happened, and what is due
SitePaper trailConstructionPowerPermitsMoneyLegalUpcoming
- July 25, 2024Paper trail Lavender Fields Holdings LLC registered in Delaware
- Sept. 2, 2025Permits Michigan City's council approves four Project Maize resolutions, including a taxpayer agreement and tax deductions Local government · Sept. 2025
- Dec. 9, 2025Legal Public meeting on the draft air permit draws opposition to 70 diesel generators News report · Dec. 2025
- March 19, 2026Permits Indiana issues the Part 70 air permit for Phase 1 State agency · March 2026
- April 16, 2026Paper trail Google is confirmed publicly as the end user after acquiring the project Local government · April 2026
- June 2026Legal IUOE Local 150 files an emergency intervention over NIPSCO's service request (press) News report · June 2026
- Sept. 18, 2026Construction Phoenix Construction and Local 150 reach a labor agreement for Google's campus (press) News report · April 2026
- Sept. 25, 2026Permits Indiana notices its draft approval to add 67 diesel emergency generators State agency · Sept. 2026
- Nov. 17, 2026Permits Virtual public hearing on the generator addition; comments close Nov. 23 State agency · Sept. 2026
Construction activity
Building activity by quarter
Since Nov. 2025: 2 FAA filings (Nov. 2025 to July 2026): tallest crane 280 ft (July 2026).
FAA filings
’26
Dot size: records in the quarter, largest = 1. Two-digit years mark each first quarter.
The buildings
Specs
132 generators
end-state diesel emergency fleet if the pending change is approved
Who is involved
Owners, partners and builders
Owners and developers
- Google: end user, confirmed Apr. 2026
- Lavender Fields Holdings LLC: permit holder; an opposition group calls it Google's shell company
- Phoenix Michigan City Investors LLC: earlier developer and party to the tax resolutions
- Phoenix Construction: builder
Decision-makers
- Michigan City Common Council: tax resolutions
- Indiana Department of Environmental Management: air permits
- Indiana Utility Regulatory Commission: NIPSCO service request
Still unknown
Open questions
- IT or utility load in MW.
- NIPSCO service terms and approval.
- Outcome of the generator expansion.
- First-operation date.
Where this comes from
33 records from 10 documents
Drawn from news reports, state agency records, local government records and business registries, each kept with its date and source. The bar shows documents by type.
News report 4State agency 4Local government 2
Evidence
Every quote behind this page
Grade key: A = the primary record itself (permit, filing, exhibit) · B = a dated official statement · C = news reporting. Map distances are our own measurements on OpenStreetMap and carry no grade. Allegations in lawsuits are marked as such in the quotes.
Power (4)
- Google stated it is paying for 100 percent of the cost of power for the site and any infrastructure needs driven by its operations, in the April 16, 2026 EDCMC release“This includes paying for 100% of the cost of power for the site and any infrastructure needs driven by our operations.”Local government · April 2026 · grade A
- Google acquired the project (site assembled/developed by Phoenix Investors entities after its 2022 purchase of the former Federal Mogul/ANCO plant site, 402 Royal Road, approximately 67-70 acres, USD 832M project as prev“Lavender Fields Holdings LLC, Google's shell corporation”News report · Oct. 2026 · grade C
- On-site generation: 198.5 MW“an air permit that will allow Lavender Fields Holdings LLC, Google's shell corporation, to operate a total of 70 diesel emergency generators for phase 1 of the project”News report · March 2026 · grade C
- JTNWI's summary of the IDEM permit states 70 diesel emergency generators at 198.5 MW capacity for Phase 1; this is a generator-capacity figure on an mw generation onsite basis only - no mw it, mw utility or mw campus sta“New Source Construction and Part 70 Operating Permit, 70 diesel emergency generators at 198.5 MW capacity for Phase 1”News report · March 2026 · grade C
Money and contracts (4)
- Google was publicly confirmed as the end user behind Lavender Fields/Project Maize in April 2026 (queue records the confirmation at April 16, 2026), having acquired the campus from Lavender Fields LLC / Phoenix Investors“Phoenix Construction, LLC have reached an agreement to bring union-affiliated workers onto Google's Project Maize data center in Michigan City, Indiana”News report · April 2026 · grade C
- Sustained organized opposition led by Just Transition Northwest Indiana: canvassing, petitions and protests; at the Dec 9, 2025 IDEM public meeting residents demanded denial of the permit for 70 diesel generators. In Jun“We demand that you deny the permit for 70 uncontrolled diesel generators, engines so secret their details are redacted from the public.”News report · Dec. 2025 · grade C
- Project Maize taxpayer agreement (resolution approved Sept. 2, 2025): taxpayer agreement Common Council approved a resolution approving a taxpayer agreement for Project Maize, the only data center project referred to by nam“a resolution approving a taxpayer agreement for 'Project Maize', which was the only data center project referred to by name”News report · Sept. 2025 · grade C
- Assessed valuation deduction resolutions (Project Maize buildings): tax abatement - assessed valuation deduction Two resolutions granted Phoenix Michigan City Investors LLC an assessed valuation deduction for two separat“approved two resolutions granting Phoenix Michigan City Investors LLC an assessed valuation deduction for two separate buildings”News report · Sept. 2025 · grade C
Permits and government (8)
- Lavender Fields applied (application letter June 15, 2026, via Olsson) for a sig: Significant modification PENDING (091-50515-00195 / 091-50636-00195): +67 generators; comment to Nov. 23, 2026; hearing Nov. 17, 2026“Lavender Fields Holdings, LLC has applied to add 67 diesel-fired critical emergency generators and 67 belly tanks, correct descriptions of existing emission units, and remove 2 existing generators”State agency · Sept. 2026 · grade A
- IDEM significant permit modification: application received Jun 29, 2026 to add 67 diesel-fired critical emergency generators and 67 belly tanks, correct existing unit descriptions, and remove 2 existing generators and be“Lavender Fields Holdings, LLC has applied to add 67 diesel-fired critical emergency generators and 67 belly tanks, correct descriptions of existing emission units, and remove 2 existing generators and belly tanks.”State agency · June 2026 · grade A
- County code: 18091“Preliminary Findings Regarding a Significant Modification to a Part 70 Operating Permit for Lavender Fields Holdings, LLC in LaPorte County”State agency · March 2026 · grade A
- IDEM issued Lavender Fields Holdings LLC (Google's project entity; 402 Royal Roa: Part 70 operating permit T091-49561-00195 ISSUED (Lavender Fields Holdings LLC): 70 diesel emergency generators, phase 1“The Indiana Department of Environmental Management (IDEM) has received an application from Lavender Fields Holdings, LLC, located at 402 Royal Road, Michigan City, Indiana 46360”State agency · March 2026 · grade A
- Michigan City Common Council:“The Michigan City Common Council approved four resolutions related to Project Maize, moving the $800 million data center project into the next phase.”Local government · Sept. 2025 · grade A
- FAA obstruction evaluation (7460-1): Evaluating“ASN 2026-AGL-6860-OE: Crane, Crane, 280 ft AGL, 908 ft AMSL, 41.71520,-86.84462, Evaluating, submitted 2026-07-13”FAA · July 2026 · grade B
- FAA obstruction evaluation (7460-1): Determined - No Hazard“ASN 2025-AGL-14422-OE: Crane, Crane, 160 ft AGL, 788 ft AMSL, 41.71472,-86.84249, Determined - No Hazard, submitted 2025-11-26”FAA · Nov. 2025 · grade B
- In June 2026 IUOE Local 150: IUOE Local 150 emergency intervention (June 2026) in NIPSCO's power-service request for Project Maize“In June, Local 150 filed an emergency intervention with the Indiana Utility Regulatory Commission over NIPSCO's power-service request for the site”News report · June 2026 · grade C
Site and other (2)
- Project status: under construction“These violations have raised substantial concerns among nearby residents, who are already enduring 24/7 noise and light pollution from the facility's construction.”News report · Oct. 2026 · grade C
- Google's end-user / operator role for Project Maize was confirmed publicly on April 16, 2026; EDCMC published its Google acquisition release the same day and Chicago Tribune / ABC57 reporting is dated April 16, 2026“End-User: Google (confirmed publicly on April 16, 2026)”News report · April 2026 · grade C