Michigan Data Center Intel

Recent Michigan data center news

• Apr 9, 2026

  From Reactor Designs to Real Projects: SMRs Enter the Execution Era as AI Power Demand Accelerates

  Data Center Frontier reports that the SMR story in early 2026 has moved from reactor design discussion to concrete industrial execution focused on permits, fuel, supply chains, financing, and customer traction.

  • Main announcement / action: Through Q1 2026 (notably March), multiple vendors advanced from partnership announcements to tangible progress: TerraPower secured an NRC construction permit for Natrium; Holtec had its LWA docketed for two SMR-300 units at Palisades and is pursuing preliminary construction and a partnership with Hyundai Engineering & Construction (aiming at up to 10 GW in North America); X-energy confidentially filed for an IPO (Reuters, March 20) and signed MOUs with Talen Energy (evaluating multiple four-unit Xe-100 deployments) and IHI to strengthen U.S.-Japan supply chains.
  • Background and other details: Vendors are addressing three execution constraints: regulatory progress, manufacturing and fuel ecosystems (e.g., NuScale expanded its Framatome fuel partnership and planned U.S. production at Richland; Oklo and Centrus plan HALEU-related joint activities at Piketon, Ohio; Kairos secured a HALEU contract with DOE), and customer alignment (growing emphasis on industrial users, utilities, and data-center-driven load). Additional milestones: GE Hitachi advanced BWRX-300 deployment work (Step 2 UK GDA, MoUs in Southeast Asia and Poland) and Rolls-Royce SMR received a UK Justification Decision and partnered on supply-chain and control-systems work.
• Apr 9, 2026

  Anti-data center rallies planned in Detroit, Ann Arbor Saturday: ‘People don’t want these at all’

  Organizers have planned rallies across six Michigan cities to oppose data center projects tied to DTE Energy and Consumers Energy’s political donations.

  • Rallies and civic action: Rallies are scheduled in Houghton (Apr 10, 6-8 p.m.), Detroit (Apr 11, 5-7 p.m., Roosevelt Park), Ann Arbor (Apr 11, 11 a.m.-4 p.m., University of Michigan Diag), Lansing (Apr 11, 11 a.m.-1 p.m., 1300 Eureka St.), Grand Rapids (Apr 11, 4-5 p.m., Calder Plaza), and Traverse City (Apr 11, 10-11 a.m., Open Space Park); organizers link these activities to the MMOP ballot initiative to ban political donations by regulated monopolies.
  • Legislation and project specifics: Advocates support bills to repeal state data center tax breaks and institute a one-year moratorium; notable projects referenced include a $1-billion Augusta Township proposal (rezoning vote in August) and a previously contested $7-billion Oracle/OpenAI project tied to a Saline Township rezoning and subsequent lawsuit.
• Apr 9, 2026

  Turning Buildings into Energy Assets

  DaisyChain Energy, led by Co-founder and CEO Alex Blumberg, is deploying submetering and smart rate arbitrage to help commercial buildings reduce peak loads and act as grid-stabilizing assets.

  • Main announcement/action: DaisyChain combines submetering and smart rate arbitrage to track energy use at the circuit level and shift consumption to off-peak rates, producing immediate savings for commercial buildings while preparing sites for batteries, heat pumps, and other distributed energy resources. MCJ is an investor in DaisyChain; the company’s approach targets grid congestion and the problem of the grid being built for rare peak events.
  • Background and additional details: The article cites NERC warnings about growing power shortage risks and references global spending on grid upgrades (source: BCC Research). It notes rising demand from electrification and AI data centers and promotes related content: the DaisyChain conversation on the Inevitable podcast (linked to Spotify) and a related episode about Paces accelerating data center and renewable siting. Event details (as provided):
    • San Francisco Climate Week event: Date: not specified in article; Time: not specified; Location: San Francisco; Agenda/subject: New Mexico’s transformation as a hub for entrepreneurs and investments, featuring Rob Black (New Mexico Cabinet Secretary of Economic Development), Bruce Brown (Head of Strategic Climate Initiatives, New Mexico State Investment Council), Carrie Von Muench (Founding COO, Pacific Fusion), and Carl Hoiland (Co-Founder, Zanskar Geothermal).
• Apr 8, 2026

  Heelstone Renewable starts construction on 206MW US solar projects

  Heelstone Renewable Energy has started construction on two US solar PV projects totaling 206MW.

  • Project details: Heelstone (a Qualitas Energy company) began construction on the 104MW Alligator Creek Solar (Wheeler County, Georgia) and the 102MW Murch Solar (Van Buren County, Michigan), backed by long-term PPAs with an unnamed US hyperscale data centre developer; both are expected to reach commercial operation by end of 2026. Alligator Creek reached financial close in December 2025 and Murch closed in March 2026, each securing debt and tax equity commitments and financed on a non-recourse project-level basis.
  • Financing and execution: Construction follows FIDs and signed EPC contracts; advisers and lenders include Paragon Energy Capital (advised Alligator Creek financing), CG/CRC-IB (advised Murch), Stonehenge Capital (tax equity investor and syndication/asset management services), Zions Bancorporation, ING Capital, and Norddeutsche Landesbank Girozentrale as coordinating lead arrangers/lenders. Heelstone appointed Pure Power Contractors for Alligator Creek and Greensol Renewables for Murch. Heelstone also recently completed a $200m senior secured corporate credit facility to support its pipeline.
• Apr 7, 2026

  Data center news: Ypsilanti Township escalates fight against U of M, Los Alamos project

  Ypsilanti Township board formally resolved March 31 to oppose construction of a University of Michigan and Los Alamos National Laboratory data center anywhere in the township.

  • Ypsilanti Township opposition: The township board resolved March 31 to oppose construction of a U‑M / Los Alamos data center anywhere in the township following U‑M’s purchase of a 124‑acre parcel on Textile Road; U‑M says the $1.25‑billion project is a computational research center, no final location has been selected, and community concerns cite environmental impact, national security risks, and lack of transparency.
  • Other verified developments and details:Related Digital is nearing $16 billion in financing for an Oracle data center in Saline Township (part of the Stargate AI initiative); Blackstone is contributing nearly $2 billion equity and Bank of America is leading roughly $14 billion in debt financing structured as a bond offering; the Michigan Public Service Commission unanimously denied Attorney General Dana Nessel’s request to reopen review of DTE Energy’s power contracts for the Saline project; multiple townships have active recall, rezoning, moratorium, or permitting disputes (Lyon Township “Project Flex”, Augusta Township/Thor Equities rezoning, Howell town hall, Deep Green withdrawal in Lansing, Dowagiac expansion by Hyperscale Data).
• Apr 7, 2026

  CO2 battery startup Energy Dome signs MOU to deploy technology at Texas data centre

  Energy Dome has signed a memorandum of understanding (MOU) with New Era Energy & Digital (NUAI) to evaluate deployment of its CO2 Battery Plus at NUAI’s Texas Critical Data Centres (TCDC) in Odessa, Texas.

  • Main announcement: The MOU creates a framework for Energy Dome (headquartered in Italy) and NUAI to evaluate implementing CO2 Battery Plus to support NUAI’s AI-optimised 1GW data centre in Odessa, Texas, with priorities on speed to power, reduced reliance on grid interconnection timelines, high availability for mission-critical operations, and lower-emissions power generation.
  • Background and related projects/details: Energy Dome’s CO2 Battery Plus uses waste heat from OCGT exhaust (removing the need for prior heat storage) and can operate in Charge, Discharge (SuperBoost) and Generation (Boost) modes (SuperBoost can more than double output; Generation can boost net gas turbine output by as much as 25%). Related deployments: 200MWh Sardinia project (financial close 2024, Engie offtake signed in late 2024); Alliant Energy 20MW/200MWh project approved by regulators in July 2025 (construction to begin this year, completion expected by end of 2027). The article also references other LDES and multi-day battery deals including Google’s strategic investment in Energy Dome, Google’s plan for 30GWh of Form Energy iron-air batteries in Minnesota, and Form Energy’s 12GWh supply agreement with Crusoe.
• Apr 4, 2026

  1st Friday Focus on the Environment: Former Michigan Gov. and U.S. Energy Secretary on data centers and energy future

  Jennifer Granholm provided guidance on how data centers should be sited, financed, and integrated with local grids, emphasizing transparency, community benefits, and renewable power.

  • Main announcement/action: Granholm recommended that hyperscalers bring their own power, pay for necessary system upgrades, and commit to flexible load operations so data centers act as community assets rather than burden ratepayers; she cited Google’s Van Buren Township project (agreed to bring power, pay for upgrades, provide weatherization benefits, use clean power and advanced cooling) as an example of doing it right. She also noted national capacity needs estimated at 50–150 gigawatts to meet additional demand from data centers and electrification.
  • Background and details: Granholm framed the comments in the context of federal policy and timelines: she reaffirmed the U.S. goal of net-zero by 2050 (noting 2035 may be missed and 2040 possible), said 92%–94% of recent capacity additions have been renewables, referenced studies from Lawrence Berkeley National Lab and Brattle Group (showing every well-executed gigawatt can lower costs ~1–2%), and highlighted local Michigan disputes (Saline Township Oracle site, proposed Augusta Township project, University of Michigan/Los Alamos plans in Ypsilanti Township).
• Apr 2, 2026

  Panel discusses how energy demand from data centers nationwide will impact Pennsylvania

  The Clean Energy Group, Clean Air Council and Physicians for Social Responsibility Pennsylvania released a report titled “The High Cost of AI: How Data Centers are Reshaping Pennsylvania’s Energy Landscape.”

  • Main finding: The report finds Pennsylvania will export electricity to surrounding PJM states to meet growing data center demand, with PJM relying on Pennsylvania to supply energy to high-demand importers like Virginia (35% of hyperscale data centers); it projects an additional 24 to 44 million metric tons of CO2 by the end of the decade and an estimated $20 billion public health burden in 2028.
  • Background & local context: The report was discussed at a University of Scranton event with local officials and residents; Archbald has six proposed data center campuses under local opposition, the groups support Sen. Katie Muth’s three-year moratorium (co-sponsored by Sen. Rosemary Brown), and utilities such as PPL Electric Utilities perform system upgrade studies that can socialize costs across ratepayers.
• Apr 1, 2026

  Six Emerging Environmental Entrepreneurs Selected for National Fellowship

  E2 and 1 Hotels have announced the 2026 E2 1 Hotels Fellows, awarding six early-career environmental entrepreneurs funding and support to implement projects advancing sustainability, clean energy, and environmental policy.

  • Main announcement: The 2026 E2 1 Hotels Fellows were announced on April 1, 2026, with six fellows each receiving $10,000 to execute projects addressing urban solar, community microgrids, K-12 climate and clean energy workforce development, data center siting and policy toolkits, and the environmental/social impacts of AI. The fellows named are Alex Hill, Alexis Cureton, Danielle Lee, Jolie Villegas, Nathaniel Burola, and Sonali Anderson.
  • Background and details: The fellowship is in its eighth year, started with a donation from 1 Hotels founder Barry Sternlicht and the Sternlicht Sustainability Fund; fellows also receive mentorship from E2 members and membership in E2’s Emerging Leaders program. The press release notes E2 members have collectively managed more than $100 billion in venture and private equity capital and supported over 2,500 companies.
• Mar 31, 2026

  Michigan approves 1,332MW of BESS with 332MW supporting Oracle data centre

  The Michigan Public Service Commission approved six battery energy storage system (BESS) projects totalling 1,332MW.

  • Main action: The MPSC approved six BESS contracts — Big Mitten Energy Centre (450MW), Monroe 1 Energy Centre (350MW), Fermi Energy Centre (200MW), Fish Creek Energy Centre (132MW), Cold Creek Energy Centre (100MW), and Pine River Energy Centre (100MW) — totalling 1,332MW. The first three projects (1,000MW) satisfy DTE Electric’s IRP settlement requiring at least 850MW, and the Big Mitten contract is a 20-year tolling agreement while Fermi and Monroe 1 are self-build contracts.
  • Background and implementation details: The last three (Fish Creek, Cold Creek, Pine River) are company-owned (DTE Electric) and will support a 1,383MW data centre developed by Green Chile Ventures (Oracle) in Saline Township; Oracle/Green Chile must develop 1,383MW of company-owned storage but initially will fund 332MW of storage capacity for the data centre and cover costs over 15 years. The MPSC denied rehearing petitions, citing lack of standing and no new evidence, and set protections including a minimum 19-year contract, 80% minimum billing demand, and a termination payment up to 10 years’ worth of minimum billing demand.