Michigan's Attorney General Dana Nessel has filed a petition for rehearing with the state's utility regulators, seeking to block the approval of special power contracts for a massive data center in Washtenaw County. The project, backed by Oracle, OpenAI, and developer Related Digital, is set to be one of the largest data centers in the country, consuming as much electricity as nearly 1 million homes.
Nessel's office has raised concerns about the potential risks to ratepayers, including the possibility of higher costs, grid strain, and environmental harm. The attorney general argues that the approval process was rushed and that the commission did not provide adequate scrutiny or transparency.
The data center project has sparked controversy among residents, environmental advocates, and consumer watchdogs. Over 5,000 public comments opposing the power deal were submitted to the commission ahead of its December vote. Critics argue that the state's utilities and developers are seeking to capitalize on the AI boom, driving a nationwide surge in electricity demand from large-scale data centers.
Nessel's move puts her at odds with Governor Gretchen Whitmer, who has publicly backed the project as "the largest economic project in Michigan history." Whitmer has cited thousands of construction jobs and hundreds of permanent positions as benefits. However, Nessel argues that the commission's approval process served only the interests of DTE Energy and the billion-dollar businesses involved, rather than Michigan residents.
The attorney general is seeking clarification on how the conditions imposed by the commission will protect ratepayers and is concerned about the lack of transparency in the project. She has called for a full contested case to review the contracts and assess affordability claims.
The controversy surrounding the data center project highlights the need for greater scrutiny and transparency in the state's energy policy, particularly when it comes to large-scale infrastructure projects like data centers. As Nessel notes, "As my office continues to review all potential options to defend energy customers in our state, we must demand further clarity on what protections the Commission has put in place and continue to demand a full contested case concerning these still-secret contracts."
Nessel's office has raised concerns about the potential risks to ratepayers, including the possibility of higher costs, grid strain, and environmental harm. The attorney general argues that the approval process was rushed and that the commission did not provide adequate scrutiny or transparency.
The data center project has sparked controversy among residents, environmental advocates, and consumer watchdogs. Over 5,000 public comments opposing the power deal were submitted to the commission ahead of its December vote. Critics argue that the state's utilities and developers are seeking to capitalize on the AI boom, driving a nationwide surge in electricity demand from large-scale data centers.
Nessel's move puts her at odds with Governor Gretchen Whitmer, who has publicly backed the project as "the largest economic project in Michigan history." Whitmer has cited thousands of construction jobs and hundreds of permanent positions as benefits. However, Nessel argues that the commission's approval process served only the interests of DTE Energy and the billion-dollar businesses involved, rather than Michigan residents.
The attorney general is seeking clarification on how the conditions imposed by the commission will protect ratepayers and is concerned about the lack of transparency in the project. She has called for a full contested case to review the contracts and assess affordability claims.
The controversy surrounding the data center project highlights the need for greater scrutiny and transparency in the state's energy policy, particularly when it comes to large-scale infrastructure projects like data centers. As Nessel notes, "As my office continues to review all potential options to defend energy customers in our state, we must demand further clarity on what protections the Commission has put in place and continue to demand a full contested case concerning these still-secret contracts."
- Mahatma Gandhi. Sounds like Dana Nessel is trying to be that change for Michigan's ratepayers! The rush to approve this massive data center project without proper scrutiny or transparency is a red flag. We need more voices like hers, demanding clarity and protection for the people, not just big corporations 
.
. I mean, 1 million homes worth of electricity? That's crazy! And Nessel's right, the whole approval process was rushed - it's like they just didn't want to scrutinize the details enough. I get that we need jobs and all, but at what cost to our environment and ratepayers? 
It's just another example of big business getting ahead of everyone else. And what's up with all these secret contracts? Transparency, please! 
. Nessel's trying to do her part by demanding more clarity and a full contested case... hope she succeeds! 
. And let's not forget all them public comments comin' in from people who aren't gettin' paid to comment, but are still makin' their voices heard 
.
. And what's with Governor Whitmer's support for this project? I'm all for economic growth, but at what cost? The environment, public health... it's all worth considerin', you know? 
by how much electricity this data center is gonna consume! 1 million homes worth of power is wild 
. I mean, I get it, AI and tech are the future, but can't we just find more sustainable ways to run these things? 
. That's like powering an entire small town! And with this one project alone, it's gonna be like that for Washtenaw County 
.
. It's no wonder Nessel is speaking up... and btw, 5,000 public comments opposing the power deal is insane 
.
, especially since it's bringing attention to the lack of transparency in these projects. We need more people like her fighting for ratepayer protection 
it's like they're just going to suck up all the electricity without even considering the impact on us, you know? 1 million homes' worth of energy consumption is insane! And what really gets me is that these big corporations are behind it all. Oracle and OpenAI and whoever else... they just don't care about anyone but their bottom line 
it's finally someone saying something! But of course Governor Whitmer has got to go and side with the corporations... like, hello?! We need our leaders to represent us, not just the fat cats who are making all the money 
like governor whitmer is doing her thing for the economy but what about the environment & ratepayers? it's all about balance, right? 
we need more ppl like nessel who care about accountability & transparency. it's the only way we can make sure these massive projects dont just benefit a select few, but actually serve the greater good 
i mean, dont get me wrong, im all for innovation and progress but come on! 
Nessel's right on the money here. We need more transparency and accountability from these utility companies. It's time to take a step back and ask ourselves if this is really worth it 
. And yeah, it's a shame that Governor Whitmer isn't being more careful about who she's supporting on this one 
. I'm all for economic growth and job creation, but we gotta make sure it doesn't come at the expense of our environment and ratepayers' pockets 
. What if this sets a precedent for other large-scale data centers in our state? We need to think about the long-term consequences 
.
"The greatest glory in living lies not in never falling, but in rising every time we fall." - Nelson Mandela 
.
. I'm gonna keep an eye on this one, that's for sure 
.
. And I don't trust that DTE Energy or Oracle or whoever is behind this project. They're not exactly known for being transparent, right? 
.
. I think we need to make sure ratepayers are protected and have more transparency around these kinds of deals. Can't we find a middle ground between growth and caution? The numbers just don't add up when it comes to this massive energy demand 
.
. I mean, we're talking about one of the largest data centers in the country, sucking up as much electricity as 1 million homes... it's just crazy to think about what kind of impact that's gonna have on our grid and our environment. And now Michigan's AG Dana Nessel is pushing back against it, saying the approval process was super rushed and that the commission didn't give ratepayers enough scrutiny. I'm not surprised, tbh - all these massive infrastructure projects come with some major risks and we need to make sure those are being looked at properly.