Looking Back: The AES/Crossvine Solar Project’s Path to Construction

With the AES/Crossvine solar project nearing its projected completion date, WITZ reviews the embattled project's progression from proposal to construction.

When reached for comment by WITZ, Dubois County Commissioner Chad Blessinger said that there are “constantly moving parts with the project.” He provided a number of resources for public use, all of which are directly related to issues that have been of concern to Dubois County citizens. These will be shared by WITZ, with continued coverage as more information becomes available.

AES Crossvine Solar’s original development plan application for a commercial solar development in Huntingburg was originally approved on August 7. 2023 by the Huntingburg Board of Zoning Appeals. The project proposal included plans for an 85-MW (megawatt) solar farm with a 340 MWh (85 MW/4-hour) Battery Energy Storage System (BESS).

A land use and economic benefits analysis completed in the same year projected millions of dollars in revenue for Dubois County. The report indicated that approximately $12.8 million would be paid to the school corporation, with another $3.4 million paid to the county. Developers estimated that 215 jobs would be created in construction. Over the life of the project, it was expected to generate a total of almost $18 million in revenue. The report, which was not requested by the county, was completed prior to the latest changes in state legislation affecting property tax policies and assessment procedures.

The Dubois County Commissioners approved a road-use agreement for the Crossvine project on March 18, 2024, and approved the AES Commercial Solar Energy Permit Application 2024-02 on May 20, 2024. In April of 2025, AES announced it had received approval from the Indiana Utility Regulatory Commission (IURC) to acquire and construct the Crossvine solar and battery storage project. On December 10, 2025, AES updated its permit submission with the Indiana Department of Homeland Security to reflect new battery components. Commissioner Blessinger noted that “People have asked about how the land will be assessed and if the company will pay additional taxes due to changing the land use from agricultural to energy producing.” The Wood memo he provided addresses some of these questions.

The initial 2023 approval included a two-year window to begin construction (by August 7, 2025), as detailed in the city’s UDO. After a contentious legal dispute over the terms of the agreement, the City of Huntingburg determined that the original development plan approval had expired. The Huntingburg Common Council instituted a solar development moratorium (a copy of which was provided to WITZ by Blessinger) on November 25, 2025.

Appealing the expiration decision, AES argued that their off-site activities of equipment procurement and panel assembly satisfied the two-year requirement. The Huntingburg Board of Zoning Appeals unanimously denied the appeal on March 11, 2026, voiding the 2023 development plan approval. On January 8, 2026, AES filed again with the IURC, detailing their 20-year project with 92 enclosures for battery storage.

Huntingburg residents argued this was a substantial change in scope from the original description of a solar field and urged officials to legally enforce the moratorium against AES, halting the Crossvine project altogether. City Attorney Phil Schneider advised the Council that the moratorium might not be legally enforceable under Indiana law that requires specific hearings and public notice before adoption. He said the city could face litigation if it relied primarily on the moratorium to refuse an application from AES. As a result, the Huntingburg City Council approved a settlement agreement with AES/Crossvine with negotiated project conditions including emergency response and monitoring equipment to address some safety concerns.

Some Huntingburg officials indicated in municipal meetings that the Dubois County Commissioners was the only local government body that could rescind the permit. The Commissioners maintained that they were limited by legal restrictions since Crossvine’s application met the requirements of the permit at time of application. They explained that the county could not retroactively revoke or halt the project unless there was evidence of permit noncompliance, which was not evident.

Site mobilization began in March 2026, with the establishment of access road and work areas. Information about this process can be found in the Crossvine road use agreement and road bond provided by Blessinger. Grading and erosion control measures are being implemented this summer ahead of Civil Works and Equipment deliveries, where will continue through Fall of 2026 with the substation’s completion. The site is expected to commence commercial operations in 2027.

For more information on these and other updates, visit www.witzamfm.com/news

- Drew Hasselbring