Michigan Data Center Intel

Recent Michigan data center news

• Feb 21, 2026

  The Big Environmental Issues of 2026

  Four northern Michigan nonprofits (Flow Water Advocates, Conservation Resource Alliance, Citizens Climate Lobby - Grand Traverse, and Northern Michigan Environmental Action Council) outlined their primary objectives and specific 2026 projects and policy priorities in an interview with Northern Express.

  • Main announcement and actions: Flow Water Advocates is pushing for a statewide septic code, a water trust fund, and transparency/accountability for water, energy, and land use related to data centers while opposing Enbridge’s Line 5; CRA plans to replace seven road-stream crossings and remove eight dams in 2026 (work focused ~90% on rivers/streams), including habitat restoration and oak–pine barrens projects with Huron-Manistee National Forests and Tribal partners; Citizens Climate Lobby (Grand Traverse) is pushing Community Solar legislation and federal permitting reform (and is tracking a ballot petition to amend the Michigan Campaign Finance Act); NMEAC is focused on opposing Line 5, scrutinizing proposed mega-data centers for water/energy impacts, and seeking transparency around Cherry Capital Airport expansion.

  • Background and context: Groups cited reduced federal investment via the State Revolving Fund (SRF), are watching GLRI funding renewal in October 2026, and are tracking potential rollbacks or protections for federal laws such as the CWA and NEPA; CRA’s 2026 river projects (7 crossings replaced, 8 dams removed) and regional forest restoration work are scheduled for the 2026 season and tied to ongoing partnerships and funding streams.

• Feb 21, 2026

  Judge denies Saline Township resident’s move to intervene in data center settlement

  Washtenaw County Circuit Court Judge Julia Owdziej denied Kathryn Haushalter’s motion to intervene in the consent judgment allowing the $7-billion Oracle and OpenAI data center to proceed.

  • Denial details: Judge Owdziej found the intervention request untimely and concluded by-right intervention is not possible in a closed case; the consent judgment was entered Oct. 15 and the township vote on the consent agreement occurred at a meeting on Oct. 1 (video shows the vote in open session). Haushalter and others have also filed a mandamus complaint (filed Jan. 28) alleging the Zoning Board of Appeals failed to hold a required hearing and the clerk did not publish a notice related to a Jan. 14 rezoning amendment.
  • Project and litigation background: Developer Related Digital sued after the township board voted Sept. 10 to deny rezoning for 575 acres; lawyers for landowners/developers say parties have relied on the consent judgment — developers have paid DTE Energy a nonrefundable $40-million deposit and have ordered $2 billion in specialized equipment for the $7-billion, 1.4 gigawatt project; attorneys argued the consent judgment enables a form of conditional zoning that the township ordinance bars.
• Feb 17, 2026

  Designing Data Centers for the Communities and Natural Environments Where We Operate

  Oracle commits to community-centered design and environmental protections for its AI data center projects.

  • Main announcement/action: Oracle will design and build AI data centers with community and environmental protections including closed-loop, non-evaporative cooling systems, commitments to preserve and enhance on-site land, reduced light and noise impacts, and a financial commitment of $50 million to modernize Doña Ana County’s water system. Oracle also states it will fund any electrical infrastructure upgrades required to service its campuses (not ratepayers), and that daily potable water use at its sites will be similar to a typical office building.

  • Details and site-specific facts:

    • Port Washington, Wisconsin: 672-acre site; 172 acres to be preserved/enhanced; planting more than 2,000 native trees; supporting the Valley Creek Corridor Revitalization Project to restore/protect waterways.
    • Saline Township, Michigan:Three-quarters of the site to remain farmland, wetlands, and open space; buildings sit below road level; sensor-controlled, downward-facing lighting; site noise ~55 decibels at the property line; new stormwater systems will reduce runoff into the Saline River to below current levels.
    • Doña Ana County, New Mexico: closed-loop cooling initial fill will use non-potable water drawn from existing commercial water rights (not community drinking water); $50 million committed to modernize the county water system.
    • Abilene, Texas: data center will utilize excess, low-cost wind energy from the local grid to help stabilize utilization.
• Feb 10, 2026

  Crain’s Detroit Business Tours 123NET’s Southfield Data Center

  Crain’s Detroit Business published an inside look at 123NET’s Southfield data center.

  • Facility details: The piece profiles 123NET’s seven-story, 136,000 square-foot Southfield building that functions as “Southeast Michigan’s digital backbone,” sits atop the state’s most fiber-dense intersection, and moves 10 terabytes of data every second; the site is the state’s largest carrier hotel, links 40 internet service providers, and 123NET reports 60%–70% of its business is fiber connectivity with the remainder in data center services.
  • Background and context: Crain’s documents technical specs, security and value of equipment (noting “millions of dollars in computing equipment” per cabinet), includes commentary from CRO Chuck Irvin distinguishing the carrier-hotel role from hyperscalers, and cites industry estimates that AI-driven growth could raise data-center infrastructure spending to $6.7 trillion by 2030.
• Feb 9, 2026

  Refrigeración de bucle cerrado en centros de datos de Oracle AI

  Oracle announces it will implement closed-loop, non-evaporative, direct-to-chip cooling in its new AI data centers in several U.S. states.

  • Main announcement: Oracle will deploy closed-loop, non-evaporative, direct-to-chip cooling in AI data centers in New Mexico, Michigan, Texas and Wisconsin; the systems are filled initially via tanker trucks and then operate as a sealed recirculation system, so daily cooling does not consume community potable water.
  • Background and details: The article cites an Uptime Institute estimate that conventional evaporative cooling can use on the order of millions of liters per MW per year; Oracle states that replenishment of coolant is rare and only for abnormal conditions, and that routine water use at the sites is limited to typical office occupancy needs. Oracle also notes local investments including hiring local staff, partnerships with colleges, and funding for infrastructure.
• Feb 9, 2026

  Closed-loop cooling in Oracle AI data centers

  Oracle announces it will deploy direct-to-chip, closed-loop, non-evaporative cooling systems at its upcoming AI data centers in New Mexico, Michigan, Texas, and Wisconsin.

  • Main announcement: Oracle will use direct-to-chip, closed-loop, non-evaporative cooling systems at AI data centers in New Mexico, Michigan, Texas, and Wisconsin, designed to remove heat at the server/processor level and avoid continuous consumption of potable water. The design circulates cooling fluid in sealed piping so day-to-day cooling does not depend on adding water.
  • Background and technical details: The cooling loop is initially filled using water delivered via tankers and then operates as a sealed, recirculating system with rare top-offs under abnormal conditions; ongoing daily water use for cooling is stated as effectively zero, and the article cites an Uptime Institute benchmark that conventional evaporative systems can use on the order of millions of gallons per year per megawatt of IT load.
• 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).