(La Porte, IN) - NIPSCO is going to invest $15 million dollars into its training facility in La Porte, as the local City Council last night approved a 10-year tax abatement on the project.

 

The NIPSCO building on the city’s west side is going to be expanded to house a new welding training program, while the current square footage training lineman and other skilled positions will be renovated.

 

Bert Cook, Executive Director of the La Porte Economic Advancement Partnership, said it’s the type of project the city likes to see.

 

“One of those type of projects is in training.  Bringing training opportunities to our community that better the lives of those that go through those programs. This project absolutely fits that mold,” he said.

 

Cook said NIPSCO was going to invest in one of its training facilities in its Northern Indiana service area and chose La Porte for that investment. The company also left open the possibility of another five-million-dollar investment in its La Porte facility at some point in the future.

 

According to city officials, the project will retain the 61 employees presently working at the facility, and possibly create a few new positions. 

 

The hope is to begin construction on what's intended to be a roughly two-year project in August.