Michigan Data Center News

Mar 12, 2026

Fossil generation could rise with faster-than-expected growth in data center power demand

The U.S. Energy Information Administration (EIA) published an analysis showing that faster-than-expected electricity demand growth driven by data centers could increase natural gas and coal generation and raise wholesale electricity prices.

Main analysis and assumptions: The EIA produced a high demand growth scenario in which 2026 and 2027 growth rates are 50% higher than the February STEO in data-center-heavy regions, while other regions are +1 percentage point above STEO; the scenario assumes no additional generating capacity beyond the February STEO and applies an assumed +$0.50/MMBtu increase in natural gas delivered prices across regions.
Key modeled outcomes and metrics: Under the scenario, natural gas generation rises to +7.3% (123 BkWh) between 2025–2027 (vs 1.7% baseline), coal generation declines by 5.0% (37 BkWh) nationwide in the high case, and ERCOT 2027 wholesale prices model +$37/MWh above the February STEO (excluding ERCOT the average 2027 wholesale price is +$2.10/MWh above the STEO forecast of $48/MWh).

Mar 12, 2026

Drivers wonder if they should go electric as the war spikes gas prices

The article reports that rising gasoline prices tied to the Iran war are increasing U.S. consumer interest in electric vehicles (EVs).

Main finding: Rising gasoline prices (national average $3.57/gal, up from $2.94/gal a month earlier) and concerns about price volatility are driving greater consumer consideration of hybrids and EVs; Edmunds found electrified-vehicle research rose to 22.4% of vehicle research activity in the week starting March 2 (from 20.7% the prior week).
Background and details:Residential electricity prices are generally regulated and less volatile (experts: Erich Muehlegger, Pierpaolo Cazzola); electricity costs can still rise (contributors include surging demand from new data centers and broader inflationary pressures noted by Holt Edwards). The article also cites average new EV price $55,300 vs average new vehicle $49,353 (Kelley Blue Book) and discusses supply-chain concerns tied to China.

Mar 11, 2026

Gibraltar passes data center moratorium: Facility proposed at former McLouth Steel site

Gibraltar City Council passed a one-year moratorium on data center development.

Main action: The Gibraltar City Council enacted a one-year moratorium that is a “blanket prohibition” on the establishment, use, and approval of data centers in the city effective immediately; the moratorium pauses approvals while the city develops planning standards and allows for possible waivers under its text.
- Project targeted: Raeden has proposed a 100-megawatt data center at the former McLouth Steel Superfund site (27800 W. Jefferson Ave) and submitted a site plan for planning commission review. The company proposes natural gas generation at the adjacent Superfund parcel, a closed-loop cooling system using up to 600 gallons of water per day, and a facility employment range of 60–200 people.
Background & next steps: The moratorium was passed amid local opposition and an upcoming public engagement:
- Community meeting: Mar 11, 2026 — 5:30 PM (Raeden town hall) at Gil Talbert Community Center (community meeting scheduled 5:30 p.m.–8:00 p.m.; protest by Indivisible: Downriver United 734 at 4:30 PM).
- The site is adjacent to an EPA-listed Superfund property and near Humbug Marsh/Detroit River International Wildlife Refuge; opponents cite concerns about higher electric bills, water and wildlife impacts, and potential additional fossil-fuel generation under Michigan’s renewable energy law waiver provisions.

Mar 10, 2026

VOICES: Protecting what we love in the age of AI

A bipartisan group of Michigan leaders introduced legislation to pause new data center construction until spring 2027.

Primary action: The bill would stop the construction of new data centers until spring 2027, and at least 27 Michigan cities and townships have already halted new data center approvals as local moratoria. The proposal has prompted similar legislative proposals in Wisconsin (including calls for a statewide pause building off local moratoria in Madison).
Background and related measures:Michigan Green Muslims and Wisconsin Green Muslims are working on community resilience projects (e.g., greening schoolyards and mosques to reduce runoff and cooling); Michigan lawmakers are also considering a package of bills to make water more affordable for ordinary residents. The University of Wisconsin-Madison program Preparing Religious Environmental Plans is visiting the Great Lakes this month to share disaster preparedness and greening practices.

Mar 9, 2026

AI Data Centers Create Local Jobs: What That Really Means for Our Communities

Oracle has announced that its AI data center expansion will create thousands of construction and operational jobs and that the company is investing in workforce development programs (blog post by Josh Pitcock, Mar 9, 2026).

Main announcement/action: Oracle says its AI data center campuses will generate substantial construction jobs (approximately 4,000 each at its New Mexico and Wisconsin campuses; more than 8,000 construction workers have supported the Abilene, Texas site to date; 2,500–3,000 construction jobs expected in Michigan; 5,000 in Shackelford, Texas) and expects to hire nearly 8,000 operational employees across Michigan, New Mexico, Texas, and Wisconsin once sites are operational. The Abilene site has been under construction since 2024 and is described as already operational.
Background and implementation details: Oracle is expanding workforce initiatives including the Data Center Oracle Pathways Trainee program, a partnership with Saint Martin’s University supporting a 12-week Server and Cloud Application: Data Center Technician program, and curriculum through Oracle Academy. The blog highlights specific roles (data center technicians, facilities engineers, security, logistics) and emphasizes support for veterans and military families through tailored classroom, lab, and coaching programs.

Mar 6, 2026

Data center answers will come from Lansing or Washington: Allen Park official

The Allen Park Planning Commission again postponed approval of a 26-megawatt data center application and asked developer Solstice Data for further sound and water-use studies before a final decision.

Decision details and immediate requirements: The commission postponed action (second delay) and directed Solstice Data to provide an additional sound study and to answer questions from city departments; Councilperson Dan Lloyd moved the delay citing concerns over municipal water capacity. The project is a 26 MW facility; an updated March 2 planning study estimates over 3 million gallons of water will be trucked in annually for closed-loop cooling (municipal water only for emergency use), and the plan includes 12 diesel generators and five above-ground fuel tanks. Generators are modeled to produce noise up to 108 dB(A) (described as roughly the volume of a “nightclub”), while the facility is modeled to meet the city’s 60 dB(A) limit.
Background, project details, and next steps: Solstice previously estimated 200 temporary construction jobs and $6.2M–$7.4M in annual property tax revenue; project director Robert Coates said 30 permanent jobs. The commission’s authority is limited to zoning compliance, and local officials — including Lloyd — urged escalation to Lansing and Washington, D.C.. Upcoming meeting:
- Regular Meeting (Allen Park Planning Commission) — Apr 2, 7:00 PM · agenda subject: planning commission review where Solstice will be expected to present additional studies (details at the City of Allen Park planning commission page).

Mar 5, 2026

Hyperscalers Sign White House Pledge to Fund Data Center Power, Grid Upgrades

The White House convened seven major AI/hyperscaler companies on March 4 to sign the non‑regulatory Ratepayer Protection Pledge committing to fund new generation capacity and pay for required grid upgrades so costs are not passed to residential or commercial ratepayers.

Main announcement (signatories & commitments): The pledge was signed on March 4, 2026 by Amazon, Google, Meta, Microsoft, OpenAI, Oracle, and xAI, committing to build, bring, or buy new generation resources and cover the cost of all power delivery infrastructure upgrades required for their data centers; companies also agree to pay for contracted power and infrastructure whether or not they ultimately consume the electricity. The White House framed the effort as a policy response to AI-driven load growth and stated companies will negotiate separate rate structures with utilities and state governments to isolate costs from existing ratepayers.
Background & implementation details: The article cites EPRI projections (U.S. data center demand ~177–192 TWh in 2024, rising to 9–17% of national demand by 2030, up to 793 TWh in a high scenario). It documents specific company actions and figures: Google >7,800 MW contracted in Texas and a $4.75 billion Intersect Power acquisition pending; Microsoft contracted 7.9 GW in MISO; Amazon-related deals cited ~$1 billion projected customer savings (Indiana) and a $300 million Entergy transformation (Mississippi); OpenAI’s Stargate aims for 10 GW U.S. AI compute by 2029 and committed $175 million for local infrastructure in Wisconsin. The notes also record that the pledge is non‑binding and the White House disclosure does not specify independent auditing, penalties, or a defined enforcement methodology.

Mar 4, 2026

Capital Power reports fourth quarter and year-end 2025 results

Capital Power Corporation released its 2025 financial results and published its 2025 Integrated Annual Report, and highlighted strategic actions including a ~C$3.0 billion acquisition in PJM, MOUs for U.S. growth and a 250 MW Alberta data centre ESA.

Main announcement: Capital Power reported full-year 2025 results (AFFO C$1,066 million; net income C$159 million) and published the 2025 Integrated Annual Report; completed acquisition of Hummel and Rolling Hills for approximately C$3.0 billion (US$2.2 billion) and issued C$2.3 billion of senior unsecured notes (including ~C$1.7 billion U.S. private offering). The Company also entered MOUs: (a) with Apollo Funds for an investment partnership with up to US$3.0 billion of potential committed equity (including US$750 million from Capital Power), and (b) with an investment-grade data centre developer for a 250 MW Alberta ESA (10+ years) anticipated to start in 2028.
Background and other details: Capital Power raised C$667 million of equity, completed a C$600 million medium-term note offering (4.231% interest, maturing Jan 14, 2033), redeemed C$300 million January 2026 notes, and reached commercial operation of ~60 MW of contracted projects plus 170 MW battery storage in Ontario. The Arlington Valley tolling agreement was extended to Oct 2038, with an expected full-year adjusted EBITDA uplift of ~US$70 million by 2032 and an uprate contributing ~US$8 million/year starting 2027.

Mar 3, 2026

Data center news: DTE Energy’s data center pipeline could require power of 6 nuclear plants

DTE Energy is seeking to allocate over 4.4 gigawatts of electricity to data center projects across Michigan, a demand a researcher said is equivalent to six Palisades Nuclear Plants.

Main announcement/action: DTE Energy is pursuing allocation of 4.4 GW to proposed data center projects across Michigan; one Saline Township project alone would represent 25% of DTE’s current load and the scale of proposals is creating major interconnection and grid-planning challenges (researcher quoted to WKAR-FM). Many projects are in lengthy interconnection queues and may never be built.
Background and related facts: Indiana Michigan Power says revenue from massive AI data center projects (including an Amazon Web Services 2.2-GW complex) will allow it to lower electric rates for Indiana customers and could be replicated in Michigan if regulators approve a new large-load tariff; local governments are responding with measures including Ypsilanti’s expected vote on a data center moratorium (two measures: a 60-day emergency ordinance and a 365-day resolution by Amber Fellows). Additional concrete items: AWS reported drone strikes that damaged data centers in the UAE and Bahrain causing prolonged service disruptions; California-based Raeden submitted plans for an inference data center in Gibraltar requiring 100 megawatts from DTE and 200–500 gallons/day of cooling water (public informational meeting scheduled for March 11 at the Gil Talbert Community Center to review the site plan); research (Sightline Climate / Latitude Media) estimates 30–50% of large data centers planned to open in 2026 may be delayed and cites 16 GW of global planned capacity for the year (only 5 GW under construction).

Mar 3, 2026

Data center moratorium bills reflect public sentiment, says Michigan lawmaker

A bipartisan group of Michigan lawmakers introduced legislation to impose a statewide one-year moratorium on data center approvals and related MPSC agreements until April 1, 2027.

Main announcement: The bills (House Bills 5594, 5595, 5596) would bar EGLE, local governments, and the Michigan Public Service Commission from issuing permits, approvals, or agreements for data centers until April 1, 2027; sponsors include State Rep. Jennifer Wortz and State Rep. Dylan Wegela.
Background and context: Several southeast Michigan municipalities (Howell Township, Sterling Heights, Pontiac) have enacted local moratoria; high-profile projects include Oracle and OpenAI’s $7-billion Saline Township proposal and a $1-billion proposed Howell Township project. Additional related legislation includes Senate Bills 761–763 (water withdrawal and transparency limits) and House Bills 5396 and 5399; none of these bills have passed committee.
- Upcoming event: MPSC Commission Meeting — March 12, 2026, 1:00 PM, Michigan Public Service Commission, 7109 W. Saginaw Highway, Lansing.

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