Michigan is experiencing a surge in proposed data center developments, despite the protests of local residents all across the state - who have good reason to be skeptical.
Data centers consistently promise economic development opportunities that don’t materialize. While there are temporary job gains during construction, data centers have historically created few low wage jobs in the long term, while communities pay the price in higher energy bills and threats to water quality.
Data centers are being forced through despite opposition from many of our neighbors across the state, because DTE and Consumers specifically lobbied for huge data center tax breaks to access a loophole that they also made sure was included in our clean energy laws.
The supposed agreements to ensure that ratepayers don’t pay more due to data center development are not enforceable. Data centers moving into Michigan will drastically increase the baseload need on our already strained and outdated grid, while we get next to nothing in return.
Data centers are being rushed and pushed into communities, including larger “hyperscale” data centers such as the 1.4 Gigawatt Saline Twp Oracle-Open AI project backed by DTE - which will require filling in wetlands to build and 10,000-20,000 gallons of water a day to operate. A May 2026 poll found that 77% of Michigan residents support regulations requiring more transparency from data center projects. We need to pause this data center frenzy before more damage is done.
A bipartisan package of bills introduced in the Michigan House, called the “Data Center Regulation Act” (HB 5594-5596), would stop construction on any new data centers in Michigan until April 2027.
Write to your MI state representative today and ask them to support a moratorium on any new data center developments in Michigan.
