NIPSCO brings another 200 MW of solar to Indiana

Another 200 MW of solar  is coming to Indiana in what has been a busy six months for Northern Indiana Public Service Company (NIPSCO), following the signing of a build-transfer agreement for the Elliot Solar project, set to be built in the southwestern part of the state with Capital Dynamics.

The project, located in Gibson County, will begin construction in summer 2022 and begin commercial operation in summer 2023. Capital Dynamics will construct the project and NIPSCO will enter into a joint venture once construction is complete.

The scope of the project is significant, especially considering its location, as the state of Indiana has installed just under 475 MW of solar to date. While this figure is by no means near the bottom of the national installed-solar leaderboard, Indiana may well move up that leaderboard soon, as the Solar Energy Industries Association (SEIA) projects the state to install nearly 4 GW over the next five years. That would be good enough for the 8th most expected capacity additions of any state in the country.

One for the surge of interest in utility-scale solar is NIPSCO’s to close the majority of its coal facilities by 2023, with the remaining facilities on the way out by 2028. Because of the need for new generation capacity, the utility has turned to solar, pledging to bring more than 1 GW of new projects on-line by 2023.

The company initially announced 900 MW over three projects: the 200 MW Cavalry Solar project, paired with 60 MW of energy storage; the 265 MW Dunns Bridge Solar I project; and the 435 MW of solar and 75 MW of battery storage Dunns Bridge Solar II project.

Since that announcement, NIPSCO has signed a long-term Power Purchase Agreement for 280 MW of the power generated by Capital Dynamics’ upcoming Gibson Solar project and a Build & Transfer Agreement for the 200 MW Indiana Crossroads Solar Park .