Merom Generating Station Data Center Conversion Sullivan County Indiana Hallador Energy

Status: Proposed / Utility Contracting & Site Repurposing Phase   |   Location: Merom Generating Station site, 5500 West Old 54, Sullivan, Sullivan County, IN 47882, USA

Project Overview

The Merom Generating Station Data Center Conversion is a proposed 1.08 GW energy and compute campus at 5500 West Old 54 in Sullivan County, Indiana, designed to repurpose an existing large-scale power generation site for the rapidly growing requirements of artificial intelligence and hyperscale computing. Owned and operated by Hallador Energy Company through its subsidiary Hallador Power Company, the development leverages the existing 1,080 MW two-unit Merom coal-fired generating station and its substantial 345 kV electrical grid interconnection to provide dedicated firm power and capacity for future data center facilities. The availability of existing high-capacity electrical infrastructure is a major advantage, potentially reducing the need for entirely new transmission development and providing a foundation for large-scale computing deployments. The project is being positioned around the growing demand for AI, hyperscale cloud and other power-intensive workloads, where access to reliable electricity has become one of the most important constraints on new data center development. Hallador is evaluating opportunities to contract power directly with hyperscale customers and utilities, creating a model in which the existing generation and transmission assets can be integrated more closely with digital infrastructure demand. The site's established electrical infrastructure also provides flexibility as the project considers longer-term changes to its generation portfolio. Hallador is evaluating potential additions of natural gas generation and solar power, which could help diversify the site's future energy mix while supporting the transition from its historic coal-based generation profile. Rather than developing a data center campus from a conventional greenfield site, the Merom conversion takes advantage of an existing power-generation location with substantial electrical capacity and transmission connectivity already in place. This can provide an important strategic benefit for AI infrastructure developers seeking locations where power can be delivered at large scale without waiting for entirely new grid connections. The proposed 1.08 GW capacity also provides substantial room for future expansion and multiple data center deployments as demand for accelerated computing continues to grow. By combining an existing 1,080 MW generation asset, a 345 kV grid interconnection, direct power contracting opportunities and potential natural gas and solar additions, the Merom project represents a significant example of how legacy energy infrastructure can be repositioned to support next-generation digital infrastructure. If developed as planned, the conversion could transform a traditional power-generation site into a major AI and hyperscale computing hub while creating a pathway for the site's energy infrastructure to evolve alongside growing digital power demand.

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