$1 billion energy center is set to break ground in Niles next year

A business deal that’s over a decade in the making: Indeck Energy Services expects to break ground in Niles to build on a new natural gas and energy center in Niles Industrial Park next fall. 

“We actually purchased this land several years ago and we tried to develop a project on this site in the early 2000’s, but the economics of the plant didn’t work at that time,” said Michael DuBois, Indeck’s Vice President of Project Development.

“We put it on the back burner for several years and resurrected a few years ago when the markets looked a little more appealing more flexible for a plant like ours,” DuBois said.

Nearly $1 billion will go towards the project.

The company thought Niles was the perfect area to break ground because of its pipelines and energy transportation. They will be able to distribute energy throughout the Midwest.

It will boost the local economy by providing more jobs, raise millions of dollars in tax revenue for the city and produce cleaner energy to prevent pollution.

But some residents may worry about the plant affecting their living space.

“The industrial part doesn’t run through the city of Niles for this type of an application so it’s away from the city center it’s a less congested area,” DuBois said.

They’re looking forward to working with the community.

“We want to be good neighbors and provide the right responses to the locals, that’s our goal,” said DuBois.

Indeck is now working through the permitting process. Based on timelines, permitting can take up to 12 months. Groundbreaking is anticipated for fall 2017 and construction is expected to last two and a half year. They hope to have the facility open by the year 2020.