Indiana manufacturers in counties that restrict wind or solar development are losing an estimated $800 million in annual GDP — and a new state law signed April 7th is likely to shift utility costs further toward commercial customers even as it shields residents. Add Whirlpool's $60-plus million commitment to a new Perrysburg, Ohio facility, and three distinct forces are now converging on Indiana manufacturing energy costs.

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Wind and Solar Restrictions Are Driving Up Indiana Manufacturing Energy Costs in Restrictive Counties

A study by economist Michael Hicks and co-authors finds that Indiana counties restricting wind or solar development lose at least $800 million in annual economic activity, concentrated in manufacturing, information, and utility sectors. After accounting for gains in logistics and agriculture, the net loss comes to roughly $200 million per year and nearly 9,000 fewer jobs — mostly in rural manufacturing. The same counties are spending $40 to $60 million annually in tax abatements trying to compete for projects their restrictions made harder to land. The study also notes that companies with renewable energy goals now account for the majority of new expansions and establishments in manufacturing, logistics, and information industries. The question for operators in restrictive counties isn't whether to chase every renewable trend — it's whether your county's stance is already influencing where customers and workers choose to go.

HEA 1002 Adds Utility Accountability — and Likely Shifts Costs to Commercial Customers

Governor Mike Braun signed House Enrolled Act 1002 on April 7th, 2026. The law allows residential customers to move to budget billing starting July 1st, bans disconnections for low-income households during extreme heat warnings, ties utility profits to performance metrics including affordability and service restoration, and requires utilities to file three-year rate plans. NIPSCO has already extended a disconnection pause through mid-May. The pattern here is familiar: when the regulatory process is redesigned to protect residential customers, commercial customers typically absorb the cost difference. The wrinkle worth watching is the performance metric component — if utility profits are now tied to outage response, commercial operators with documented outage and power quality data have real leverage at the IURC. That makes monitoring and analytics far more strategic than bill-checking.

Whirlpool's $60M Ohio Facility Means More Pressure on Midwest Energy and Workforce Infrastructure

Whirlpool announced on April 10th, 2026, that it will invest more than $60 million to repurpose a former solar panel plant in Perrysburg, Ohio into a modern manufacturing facility producing components and sub-assemblies for washers and dryers. The project is expected to add 100 to 150 jobs over two years. This follows a separate $300 million expansion in Clyde and Marion and is part of roughly $23 billion Whirlpool says it has put into U.S. manufacturing over the last decade. For Indiana manufacturers, more regional capacity means more pressure on the same transmission infrastructure, fuel supply chains, and workforce pipelines you already rely on. Energy supply chain management cannot be an afterthought when the industrial base around you is actively expanding.

Questions for Your Morning Huddle

Q: If our county restricts wind or solar development, how does that affect our ability to attract customers with renewable procurement commitments? A: According to the Hicks study, restrictive counties are already seeing lower manufacturing GDP and higher tax abatement spending — signals that some customers and employers are factoring county energy policy into their location decisions. If your largest customers have renewable targets, it's worth understanding whether your county's stance creates friction in that relationship before it shows up in a contract conversation.

Q: How does HEA 1002 change what we should expect from our utility on outage response? A: The law ties utility profits to performance metrics including service restoration. Indiana C&I operators who maintain detailed records of outages, restoration times, and power quality events now have a documented basis for raising performance concerns at the IURC — which is more leverage than most commercial customers have had in prior rate cases.

Q: Does Whirlpool's Perrysburg investment create realistic supply chain opportunities for Indiana manufacturers? A: Whirlpool's new facility will produce components and sub-assemblies for its nearby Ohio operations. If your plant produces relevant components — particularly in appliance parts, metal fabrication, or precision assembly — the geographic proximity and Whirlpool's stated preference for domestic sourcing make this worth a direct conversation with their procurement team.

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