The Michigan Public Service Commission (MPSC) has given DTE Energy permission to deliver 1.4 gigawatts of power to a planned data center that will be built in Saline Township, about 40 miles southwest of downtown Detroit. This data center project is part of the Stargate data center project by OpenAI and Oracle, which aims to deliver more than 5GW of computing capacity. According to the Detroit Free Press, DTE filed an “ex parte” motion with the MPSC to get the nod for its contract without contest, with the commission voting 3-0 for its approval.
This move meant that DTE Energy did not have to go through a lengthy hearing, wherein opposing groups could seek expert testimony and present evidence to challenge DTE’s claims. Many residents are concerned that this massive project would cause electricity prices to spike and affect the water quality in the area — issues that several U.S. senators are also looking into. On the other hand, the utility company argued that it didn’t need to prove that this project would affect energy prices for local residents, especially as a 2024 state law prevents data centers from passing on energy costs to the community to qualify for preferential tax treatment.
