Michigan Data Center Intel

Recent Michigan data center news

• Mar 18, 2026

  Detroit council calls for 2-year data center freeze: ‘A lot of question marks’

  The Detroit City Council has voted 6-2 to urge Mayor Mary Sheffield to impose a two-year moratorium on new data center permits.

  • Main action: The resolution, spearheaded by District 3 Council Member Scott Benson, asks the mayor’s office and city departments (Buildings, Safety Engineering, and Environmental Department; Planning and Development Department) to refrain from issuing new data center permits for two years to allow a comprehensive study addressing grid stability, water consumption, noise pollution, economic impact, and land use; the council vote was 6-2 (Council President James Tate Jr. and Pro Tem Coleman A. Young II voted no; Council Member Angela Whitfield-Calloway was absent).
  • Background and details: The resolution was drafted by the council’s Legislative Policy Division and is aligned with similar actions in about 20 Michigan communities; state-level context includes tax incentives approved late in 2024 where projects that invest at least $250 million and employ 30 people may receive sales and use tax exemptions through at least 2050 (savings that could total hundreds of millions per facility). The mayor’s office said it will vet the request; the Detroit City Planning Commission supports a moratorium, noting the zoning ordinance lacks regulations for such facilities.
• Mar 17, 2026

  Google, DTE plan 1 gigawatt Michigan data center, eye Van Buren Township site

  DTE Energy and Google announced plans to develop a 1-gigawatt data center in Michigan served by 2.7 GW of new solar, energy storage, and demand flexibility; DTE filed contracts with the Michigan Public Service Commission (MPSC) as a contested case.

  • Main announcement and project specifics: Google and DTE plan a 1-GW data center (site under evaluation in Van Buren Township, associated with “Project Cannoli”), to be served by 2.7 GW of new grid resources (solar, storage, demand response). Google is expected to begin service in December 2027 with “max load being achieved by December 2028”, and DTE requested an MPSC decision by Sept. 10 while filing the application as a contested case. Google also pledged a $10 million fund for energy affordability initiatives.
  • Background, contract and regulatory details: DTE’s filing says contracts include provisions that Google will pay full cost of serving the load and require Google to cover new generation, storage, transmission, and distribution investments; DTE expects nearly $1.7 billion in “positive affordability benefits” for existing customers. This contested-case filing contrasts with the earlier ex parte, fast-tracked approval for the $7-billion, 1.4-GW Saline Township project (Oracle/OpenAI), which drew objections and a motion to reopen from the Michigan Attorney General. Additional project details: proposed site 282 acres, water use ~2.0–3.6 million gallons/day, 450 MW energy storage and 1.6 GW renewable energy designated to serve the Google data center.
• Mar 17, 2026 · Google

  Scaling clean energy and reliability in Michigan

  Google has announced plans to develop a new data center in DTE Energy’s service territory in Michigan.

  • Main announcement: Google will develop a new data center in DTE Energy’s Michigan service territory, is evaluating a site in Van Buren Township, and has agreed a Clean Capacity Acceleration Agreement with DTE to add 2.7 gigawatts (GW) of new grid resources (solar, advanced storage, demand flexibility). Google will fully cover its electricity costs and infrastructure needs and will launch a $10 million Energy Impact Fund to support energy affordability initiatives.
  • Background and implementation details: The Clean Capacity Acceleration Agreement uses the same structure as the Clean Transition Tariff; the $10 million fund will support home weatherization, household efficiency technology innovations, and energy workforce development; Google will kick off a funding application process for local organizations and has committed to a responsible water use assessment to guide cooling decisions.
• Mar 17, 2026

  Cryptocurrency Industry Accelerates Transition To Renewable Energy Sources

  The cryptocurrency industry is actively shifting away from fossil fuels and embracing renewable energy sources.

  • Main announcement/action: The article reports that the cryptocurrency industry is transitioning infrastructure and operations to renewable energy, with server farms and mining operations relocating to regions with abundant green power such as Iceland, Norway, and parts of the United States; it cites 52.4% of global Bitcoin mining energy from renewables in 2025 and an industry projection of 70% renewables by 2030.
  • Background and details: The piece notes software and operational changes including the wider adoption of Proof-of-Stake protocols, reference to a Cambridge study showing reduced emission intensity and improved hardware efficiency by mid-2024, and miners participating in grid demand response programs to stabilize local networks.
• Mar 16, 2026

  How much do DTE, Consumers customers pay in utility profits? 

  The Energy & Policy Institute released a report and online calculator showing DTE Energy and Consumers Energy customers pay larger-than-average shares of monthly bills toward utility profits.

  • Key findings: EPI estimates a DTE customer with a $150 monthly electric bill pays 16.7% ($25.05) toward utility profits and a Consumers Energy customer pays 13.9% ($20.82); EPI calculated a 12.8% average of investor-owned utility revenues going to profits (2021–2024) and ranks DTE 33rd, Consumers 52nd out of 110 utilities.
  • Context and next steps: The piece cites supporting analysis and data sources (SEC, FERC, EPI), references related coverage (Grist, Canary Media), notes the MPSC sets returns on equity and lists MPSC meetings March 27, 2026 and April 17, 2026; it also flags related local actions (a proposed 100-megawatt Gibraltar data center, a Gibraltar City Council one-year moratorium, and an Ann Arbor municipal utility ballot effort) and states DTE plans to file a rate hike around April 27.
• Mar 16, 2026

  Washington Township attorney says data centers bring ‘strong possibility’ of litigation: Zoning decision postponed to June

  Washington Township postponed Prologis’ rezoning request to the June 11 planning commission meeting while the township reviews and considers amendments to zoning ordinances related to data centers and large industrial uses.

  • Main action: Washington Township Board of Trustees directed the planning commission to review zoning ordinances related to data centers and other large industrial uses; the Prologis rezoning request for a 312-acre site on the south side of 32 Mile Road between M-53 and Powell Road was postponed to June 11. Prologis previously submitted and then withdrew a conditional rezoning application in November and is now requesting a straight rezoning to an Industrial – Research – Technology district; after rezoning, Prologis would need a special land use approval to build a data center.

  • Background & process details: A memo from Kayla Mauldin (Spalding DeDecker) cites the Michigan Zoning Enabling Act limiting total prohibition of land uses but allowing reasonable restrictions; the township outlined a 5-step amendment process (initiation, research/draft, public hearing, planning commission recommendation, board consideration). The Prologis petition includes a five-year reversion clause if development is not completed within five years of site-plan approval.

• Mar 16, 2026

  Turning Off the Tap: The Case for Seawater Cooling in Data Centers

  The article explains that seawater can be used to cool data centers through multiple technical approaches and that the primary barrier to wider adoption is cost rather than feasibility.

  • Main point: The article outlines multiple concrete seawater-cooling approaches — Wet Surface Air Cooling (WSAC) (saltwater sprayed over pipes, with periodic fresh-water cleaning), closed-loop direct-to-chip systems (saltwater circulated in sealed pipes), air exchangers (cold seawater in pipes with air blown over them), and salt-filtered evaporative systems (research into nanofibers for desalination). It cites Google’s Hamina, Finland data center and Microsoft’s Project Natick as real-world examples.
  • Background/details: Adoption is limited by financial costs (higher-capital cooling infrastructure) rather than fundamental technological barriers; additional facts include the risk of salt deposition on evaporative membranes, the need for periodic cleaning with fresh water, and rising incentives due to increasing water demand from new facilities and energy-hungry AI workloads and growing public concern over freshwater impacts.
• Mar 16, 2026

  Data center news: Saline residents blast Oracle data center construction

  City officials in Saline have met with contractors and pledged additional traffic enforcement over gravel truck impacts tied to Oracle/OpenAI data center construction.

  • Main action: Saline officials met with contractor Walbridge and pledged additional traffic enforcement to address complaints about speeding gravel trucks, noise, dust, and road damage; an Oracle/OpenAI spokesperson said “gravel deliveries should wind down by early spring.” Key named parties: Oracle, OpenAI, Walbridge, Saline Mayor Brian Marl.
  • Background and related details: The piece aggregates multiple developments: a Pew Research Center survey (8,512 adults) showing growing negative public views on data centers’ environmental and quality-of-life impacts; University of Michigan researchers released a planning guide advising municipalities on zoning and state oversight (noise, light, placement, water/electricity regulation); the Michigan Public Service Commission (MPSC) faced public criticism over an approved $7-billion Oracle data center in Saline Township.

  Event: Demystifying Data Centers townhall

  • Date & time: March 30, 6:30–8:30 p.m.
  • Location: Howell
  • Agenda / subject: panel on environmental impacts, consumer protection, labor, municipal effects, and AI legislation (hosted by Michigan AG Dana Nessel and State Rep. Jennifer Conlin).
• Mar 12, 2026

  DOE Unveils Initiative to Add 5 GW of Nuclear Capacity Through Uprates and Restarts

  The U.S. Department of Energy has announced the Utility Power Reactor Incremental Scaling Effort (UPRISE) to accelerate nuclear uprates, restarts, and life extensions with targets of 2.5 GW by 2027 and 5 GW by 2029.

  • Main announcement/action:UPRISE unveiled March 12 will focus on power uprates, license renewals, restarts, and plant efficiency optimization, delivering 2.5 GW by 2027 and 5 GW by 2029 through targeted technical support to owners and the NRC, matchmaking workshops between plants and large end-users, and expanded use of federal loan authority to de‑risk investments.
  • Background and concrete details: DOE/EDF provide financial and program support including EDF loan authority > $289 billion (can fund up to 80% of eligible project costs); specific restart loans include a $1.52 billion DOE loan guarantee for Palisades (800 MW, Holtec targeting 2026) and a $1 billion DOE loan for Crane (Constellation’s ~ $1.6 billion restart, 835 MW, possible 2027 online under a Microsoft contract); Duane Arnold is a candidate for restart targeting ~2029 with a PPA announced by NextEra/Google; NEI and NRC pipeline data cited (NEI: >8 GWe potential from fleet; NRC: ~30 expected uprates through 2030 representing ~2.5 GWe).
• Mar 12, 2026

  Gibraltar data center could support DTE grid with diesel generators: Developer

  The Gibraltar City Council passed a one-year data center moratorium applying to Raeden’s proposed 100 MW data center.

  • Moratorium and project details: The Gibraltar City Council approved a one-year data center moratorium that applies to Raeden’s proposed 100 MW data center at the former McLouth Steel site (moratorium allows waiver requests). Raeden COO Jason Green said the company may seek a waiver or ask the council to rescind the moratorium; Green estimated investment up to $2 billion, planned 30–35 diesel backup generators, and projected 60–100 permanent jobs and 500–700 construction jobs.
  • Context, timeline and technical details: A town hall was held Wednesday night (reported March 11, 2026) where residents raised concerns about air quality, electricity bills, and impacts to Humbug Marsh; Raeden proposed using an adjacent Superfund property for potential natural gas generation, and Michigan regulators (MPSC) are required to file a data center tariff (utility tariff not yet filed). DTE said Raeden has proposed ideas but the utility cannot comment at this time.