Michigan Data Center Intel

Recent Michigan data center news

• Feb 4, 2026

  123NET Partners with Intermedia to Deliver Updated Unified Communications Platform

  123NET announced a partnership with Intermedia Intelligent Communications to update its Unified Communications platform and introduce 123NET Unified Communications as a Service (UCaaS) and 123NET Contact Center as a Service (CCaaS).

  • Main announcement: 123NET has partnered with Intermedia Intelligent Communications to expand its communications portfolio with AI-powered UCaaS and CCaaS, available to existing and new customers; the offering unifies voice, contact center, video meetings, SMS, collaboration, CRM integrations, and analytics into a single secure platform. The press release is dated Southfield, MI, Feb. 2, 2026.
  • Details & capabilities: Intermedia brings AI-Powered Call Intelligence (automatic call summaries, sentiment analysis, searchable transcripts), Business SMS & Company Texting, Direct CRM integrations (Salesforce, HubSpot), long-term retention up to ten years, enhanced video conferencing, and advanced supervisor/queue tools; 123NET highlighted its operation of one of Michigan’s largest carrier-neutral data centers and its peering with Google, AWS, GM.
• Feb 2, 2026

  AI Data Centers Need Skilled People: Oracle Academy Helps Build AI Careers

  Oracle has announced a programmatic expansion pairing AI data center investments with education and workforce training through Oracle Academy.

  • Main announcement: Oracle is building AI data centers across the United States and hiring thousands of skilled employees, while Oracle Academy will bridge the talent gap by launching Data Center Technician courses to fast-track candidates into frontline roles; targeted states named include Texas, New Mexico, Michigan, and Wisconsin.
  • Background and program details: Oracle Academy (nearly 30 years of operation) provides curriculum, cloud technologies, software, and hands-on labs; recent launches include AI and machine learning in Java, generative AI workshops, and hands-on analytics and AI labs. In Texas Oracle Academy works with more than 130 institutions and nearly 350 faculty members; New Mexico partnerships include New Mexico State University and University of New Mexico.
• Jan 30, 2026

  Oracle may slash up to 30,000 jobs to fund AI data-center expansion as US banks retreat

  Oracle is considering workforce cuts and selling Cerner to alleviate financing pressure, according to TD Cowen.

  • Main action: TD Cowen reports Oracle is weighing 20,000–30,000 job cuts (to free $8–$10 billion in cash flow) and a potential sale of Cerner (acquired for $28.3 billion in 2022) to address financing shortfalls tied to an estimated $156 billion infrastructure capital requirement.
  • Background/details:US banks have pulled back from financing Oracle-linked data-center projects (raising borrowing costs and stalling leases); Oracle raised ~$58 billion of debt recently ($38 billion for Texas and Wisconsin facilities; $20 billion for New Mexico), while Asian banks remain willing to lend at premium rates; TD Cowen highlights slowed US data-center procurement and measures Oracle is pursuing such as 40% upfront deposits and BYOC arrangements.
• Jan 30, 2026

  Hyde-Smith Introduces Legislation to Improve Broadband Service

  U.S. Senators Cindy Hyde-Smith (R-Miss.) and Elissa Slotkin (D-Mich.) introduced bipartisan legislation to reauthorize the USDA middle-mile program for five years (2026-2031).

  • Main announcement: The Middle Mile for Rural America Act proposes a five-year (2026-2031) reauthorization of the USDA middle-mile infrastructure program to help connect rural communities to high-speed internet, authorizing support for loans, loan guarantees, and grants aimed at stand-alone middle-mile projects and explicitly supporting electric cooperatives (noted for Mississippi).
  • Background and details: The bill is a bipartisan introduction by Senators Hyde-Smith and Slotkin; the 2018 Farm Bill previously expanded USDA RUS authority to fund loans, loan guarantees, and grants for stand-alone middle-mile projects (previously only supported indirectly as part of last-mile projects).
• Jan 30, 2026

  U of M data center event fails the transparency test, residents say

  The University of Michigan announced a planned US$1.2 million high-performance computing/data center project in partnership with Los Alamos National Laboratory.

  • Project details and status: The project is described as a $1.2 million “high-performance computing facility” that U‑M says would create 200 jobs, support work in medicine, climate science, energy, and national security, and have a maximum energy use of 110 megawatts phased in over 5–10 years; it could use up to 500,000 gallons of water per day and U‑M is considering Huron River and American Center for Mobility sites, with a final site decision expected in the coming weeks. U‑M, as a public university, is exempt from local zoning and local use taxes.
  • Background, concerns, and other details: Township officials and residents raised concerns about power bills, air and water quality, and impacts to natural areas; a petition signed by over 800 U‑M employees, faculty, and students urges cancellation due to Los Alamos’ nuclear weapons work (an archived source notes 84% of LANL’s 2026 budget request is for nuclear weapons), and Los Alamos’ webpage about work with DHS was removed after questions; township officials say they were excluded from negotiations over the American Center for Mobility site.
• Jan 29, 2026

  Madison, Wis. Joins Growing List of Cities Pausing Data Center Development

  The Madison Common Council has approved a one-year moratorium on new large-scale data center development.

  • Scope & duration: The moratorium applies to new data centers and telecommunications centers larger than 10,000 square feet and will remain in effect for one year; existing facilities and smaller data centers are exempt. The city said the pause will allow staff to review zoning rules, electricity and water use, land use planning, and community benefits before approving additional projects.
  • Implementation & context: Planning Division Director Meagan Tuttle described the moratorium as a planning tool to develop clearer standards as demand for computing power (driven by artificial intelligence and cloud services) grows; the city plans to engage utilities, environmental experts, developers, and policymakers during the moratorium. The article also references similar moratoria in other U.S. jurisdictions (Coweta County, Douglas County, Clarke County, Springfield Township, St. Charles).
• Jan 29, 2026

  What we’re reading: Polar vortex incoming

  Planet Detroit compiled a news roundup summarizing multiple environmental and infrastructure stories in Michigan and across the United States.

  • Major items summarized:stretched polar vortex impacting 230 million Americans starting Friday with frigid weather into late Jan/early Feb; Michigan AG Dana Nessel seeks to block $7 million of DTE‘s $574 million rate-hike request; Great Lakes Water Authority proposes 6.83% water and 5.98% sewer rate increases affecting 112 communities across 8 southeast Michigan counties; Consumers Energy proposes a $70 million, 45-MW battery storage project on the former Weadock coal plant site (5 of 74 acres, 36 lithium iron phosphate batteries, intended to support grid reliability for 30 years).
  • Additional factual details and background: Data shows 25 data center projects canceled in 2025 (about 4.7 GW of potential demand); an April oil/brine spill in Pigeon River Country State Forest totaled 221 barrels; Consumers Energy spent $164 million operating the Campbell plant under DOE emergency orders and recorded an $80 million loss; Detroit reported 51 broken water mains (Sterling Heights: 115 homes lost service); sources cited include PBS, mlive, The Detroit News, CBS, Detroit Free Press, Journal Sentinel, Utility Dive, and Gizmodo.
• Jan 26, 2026

  Oracle AI Infrastructure in 2026 and Our Commitment to Local Communities

  Oracle has announced its 2026 AI infrastructure buildout and community commitments.

  • Main announcement: Oracle announced AI data center projects in 2026 in partnership with OpenAI, with campuses at two sites in Texas and additional sites in New Mexico, Wisconsin, and Michigan; Oracle commits to funding onsite power and grid upgrades (including onsite transmission lines, battery storage, and dedicated substations) and to use closed-loop non-evaporative cooling so water usage is on par with a typical office building.
  • Background and details: The company states it will pay its own way on energy when required or invest in grid improvements where sharing the grid; sites include extensive landscape screening and setbacks, planned road infrastructure upgrades funded by Oracle, and workforce commitments: tens of thousands employed during construction and thousands during operation (Oracle estimates a ~1 GW site requires more than 1,000 permanent employees).
• Jan 25, 2026

  Data center news: Michigan communities prepare for data center-driven water challenges

  Pontiac City Council unanimously approved a six-month moratorium on data center development to study potential impacts on public health, utilities, and infrastructure.

  • Main action: Pontiac enacted a six-month moratorium on data center development to assess impacts on public health, utilities, and infrastructure; the vote was unanimous, Mayor Mike McGuinness said inquiries after his November election prompted the action, and Councilman Mikal Goodman unsuccessfully proposed a 12-month moratorium. The city joins other Oakland County communities (including Northville and Springfield Township) pausing projects.
  • Background and related details: Multiple Washtenaw County communities (including Freedom Township — a one-year moratorium, City of Saline, Sylvan Township, Pittsfield Township, and York Township) are enacting or considering moratoria or ordinance amendments; Ypsilanti Township adopted rules limiting hyperscale data centers to industrial and commercial revitalization zones. The report highlights concerns about water use (facilities up to 5 million gallons daily), a proposed $1.25 billion University of Michigan/Los Alamos data center with a $100 million state grant under review, DTE negotiating 7 gigawatts of power for multiple proposals, and Monroe County residents organizing protests and a petition drive (1,200 signatures by Feb. 15) to challenge a zoning amendment.
• Jan 25, 2026

  US’ carbon pollution up 2.4% in 2025, reversing past years’ reduction

  Rhodium Group released a study finding U.S. greenhouse gas emissions rose 2.4% in 2025 compared to 2024.

  • Main announcement: The Rhodium Group study (released Jan. 13) reports a 2.4% increase in U.S. greenhouse gas emissions in 2025, estimating 5.9 billion tons of carbon dioxide equivalent — 139 million tons more than 2024; cited drivers include a cool winter, explosive growth of data centers and cryptocurrency mining, higher natural gas prices, and a 13% increase in coal power.
  • Background and other details: The study notes solar generation jumped 34%, pushing zero-carbon sources to 42% of U.S. power; researchers say Trump administration policy rollbacks were not in place long enough to affect 2025 but may affect future years, and prior projections for a 2035 emissions decline of 38%–56% vs 2005 are now expected to be about one-third smaller.