Michigan Attorney General Dana Nessel has filed a petition for rehearing with the Michigan Public Service Commission, urging them to reconsider their approval of special power contracts for a massive data center planned in Washtenaw County. The fast-tracked decision could leave electric customers exposed to higher costs, according to Nessel.
The proposed 1.4-gigawatt hyperscale artificial intelligence data center is expected to consume as much electricity as nearly one million homes and has raised concerns among residents, environmental advocates, and consumer watchdogs about its long-term impacts on electric rates, grid reliability, and the environment.
Nessel's move pits her against Governor Gretchen Whitmer, a fellow Democrat who has publicly backed the data center as "the largest economic project in Michigan history." However, Nessel argues that the commission's approval of the contracts was an irresponsible approach that cut corners and shut out the public and their advocates.
The Michigan Public Service Commission claims that its professional staff, advisory staff, and commissioners were provided with unredacted versions of the special contracts and reviewed them thoroughly to ensure existing customers are protected. However, Nessel says that many conditions appear to rely on repeated assurances from DTE, rather than concrete commitments backed by evidence.
Nessel is seeking clarification on how those conditions would protect ratepayers and objects to the commission allowing DTE to serve as the project's financial backstop, rather than requiring the data center operator to provide sufficient collateral to cover potential risks.
The power contracts are one piece of a larger controversy surrounding the Saline Township project referred to as "Project Stargate." Residents and environmental groups have raised alarms about wetlands destruction, water contamination risks, and the permanent transformation of a rural farming community.
With over 5,000 public comments opposing the data center power deal submitted to the commission ahead of its December vote, critics argue that the rush to approve the contracts is part of a broader pattern as deep-pocketed utilities and developers seek to capitalize on the AI boom.
The proposed 1.4-gigawatt hyperscale artificial intelligence data center is expected to consume as much electricity as nearly one million homes and has raised concerns among residents, environmental advocates, and consumer watchdogs about its long-term impacts on electric rates, grid reliability, and the environment.
Nessel's move pits her against Governor Gretchen Whitmer, a fellow Democrat who has publicly backed the data center as "the largest economic project in Michigan history." However, Nessel argues that the commission's approval of the contracts was an irresponsible approach that cut corners and shut out the public and their advocates.
The Michigan Public Service Commission claims that its professional staff, advisory staff, and commissioners were provided with unredacted versions of the special contracts and reviewed them thoroughly to ensure existing customers are protected. However, Nessel says that many conditions appear to rely on repeated assurances from DTE, rather than concrete commitments backed by evidence.
Nessel is seeking clarification on how those conditions would protect ratepayers and objects to the commission allowing DTE to serve as the project's financial backstop, rather than requiring the data center operator to provide sufficient collateral to cover potential risks.
The power contracts are one piece of a larger controversy surrounding the Saline Township project referred to as "Project Stargate." Residents and environmental groups have raised alarms about wetlands destruction, water contamination risks, and the permanent transformation of a rural farming community.
With over 5,000 public comments opposing the data center power deal submitted to the commission ahead of its December vote, critics argue that the rush to approve the contracts is part of a broader pattern as deep-pocketed utilities and developers seek to capitalize on the AI boom.
Michigan's Attorney General Dana Nessel is right to call out the Public Service Commission for rushing into this deal without proper scrutiny. I mean, we're talking about a data center that'll consume as much electricity as nearly one million homes! That's like, a whole neighborhood of energy being sucked up every second 
️ And it's just been approved with some dodgy contracts that don't really protect the customers. It's like they're just hoping for the best and crossing their fingers 
Meanwhile, Nessel is trying to get clarity on how these conditions would actually keep ratepayers safe. That's totally fair. I'm rooting for her on this one 
. I mean, one million homes using as much electricity as a data center of that size? It's wild to think about how much of an impact it could have on our grid 
️. And yeah, I get why Nessel is speaking out - she's got a point that the commission was kinda too hasty with its decision 
. I wish they'd taken more time to really dig into all the details and make sure everything was airtight 
. It's not like DTE hasn't been making some questionable moves lately, either... 
. I mean, one million homes worth of electricity? That's insane! 
. The fact that the commission didn't do a thorough review is wild too - it's like they were sleepwalking into this. 
I'm with Dana Nessel on this one, she's trying to keep the people in mind, not just the big corporations 
. And what's up with Governor Whitmer being all pro data center? It's like she's stuck in a Matrix 
moment. We need more transparency and accountability here! 
. As far as I see it, the fact that Dana Nessel is questioning the Michigan Public Service Commission's approval of those special power contracts just shows that something wasn't entirely on the table. I mean, if they were truly doing their due diligence and protecting ratepayers' interests, wouldn't they want to get rid of some of these concerns? 
I'm low-key surprised Dana Nessel is taking a stand here. It's not just about the data center itself, but about the way it was approved - all shady, no transparency 
. DTE's got this whole "financial backstop" thing down pat, which sounds legit on paper, but what happens when they start playing with fire? How are we supposed to trust that their promises won't get jilted by some fancy financial trickery? 
I get why the governor is staking her claim, but Nessel's right to question this whole deal 
what really gets me is that whitmer is backing this project as "the largest economic project" lol no thanks, thats just code for "we dont care about our ppl or the environment" 
. And with over 5,000 public comments opposing it already, you'd think the commission would take a closer look at all the potential risks 
. I'm not sure what's driving this rush to approve the contracts but I hope Nessel gets some answers soon 
. Remember how that whole ordeal brought down so many people and companies? I don't want to see this happen here.
.
It's like they're playing Russian roulette with our energy infrastructure... I just hope Nessel can get some real changes made before it's too late 
Nessel is right to question how conditions would protect ratepayers. shouldn't the data center operator be required to provide some collateral to cover potential risks? 
.