SULLIVAN – In a move set to reshape the economic landscape of the Wabash Valley, infrastructure developer Potentia Inc. has announced a massive $65 billion private investment in Sullivan County. The project, centered on a 1,000-acre site at the Heartland Industrial Park, will establish one of the largest data center campuses in Indiana’s history.
The development represents a transformative shift for the region, which has a population of approximately 20,000. Potentia Inc., known for building gigawatt-scale power infrastructure for global industrial parks, confirmed that site preparation is already underway with a target for initial operations as early as late 2026.
A Surge in Local Employment
The sheer scale of the investment is expected to create a significant employment boom across two primary phases:
- Construction Phase: At its peak, the multi-year build-out will generate approximately 2,750 construction jobs. These roles will span various trades, including electrical, plumbing, HVAC, steelwork, and concrete.
- Operational Phase: Once completed, the campus will support 500 permanent local jobs. These high-paying positions will include site technicians, engineers, facility managers, and security professionals, offering salaries expected to exceed the regional average.
Beyond the data center itself, Potentia Inc. has committed to a series of community-focused investments designed to strengthen local infrastructure and public services:
- Infrastructure Support: A $50 million investment is earmarked for county infrastructure projects, including road construction and transportation improvements to support regional growth.
- Public Safety: The company is donating 15 acres of land specifically for the construction of a new county fire station, enhancing emergency response capabilities for nearby residents.
- Charitable Giving: An additional $4.5 million has been pledged in charitable contributions to support local nonprofits, parks, and community programs.
Amid growing national discussions regarding the environmental impact of large-scale data centers, Potentia has emphasized a “green-first” engineering approach. The Sullivan County campus will utilize a closed-loop cooling system that continuously recycles water.
This technology is expected to keep the facility’s freshwater consumption to roughly 60,000 gallons per day (GPD)—the equivalent of about 200 residential homes or a single busy car wash—significantly lower than traditional data centers that rely on evaporative cooling.
The project’s location, situated along U.S. Route 41 and near the former Merom power plant, provides the necessary power and space for such a massive industrial footprint. As Indiana continues to position itself as a “Silicon Heartland,” the Sullivan County project marks one of the most significant wins for the state’s economic development to date.
“This initiative is not just about compute capacity; it is about building a global infrastructure backbone while respecting the land and people of the Wabash Valley,” the company stated in its official launch.
The project is moving forward following recently signed road and community enhancement agreements between the Sullivan County Commissioners and Heartland Industrial Park developers earlier this month.
