Indianapolis, In. – Indiana utilities are warning of a massive financial hit after the U.S. Department of Energy issued emergency orders to keep aging coal units running past their planned retirement. NIPSCO and CenterPoint Energy must now maintain operations at the Schahfer and Culley stations through 2026 to ensure grid reliability amid rising demand from data centers. The costs are staggering: NIPSCO anticipates over $100 million in necessary upgrades, while CenterPoint reports daily operating expenses of $1.2 million. While federal officials argue these “baseload” plants prevent blackouts, consumer advocates warn that Indiana ratepayers will likely face significantly higher bills to cover these emergency extensions.