Residents Voice Opinions of Proposed Data Center in Saline Township

On Wednesday night, the Michigan Public Service Commission held a two hour virtual forum on DTE Energy’s proposed contract to power a 1.4 gigawatt data center in Saline Township. DTE asked the commission to fast track the energy agreements by December 5, only two days after the public hearing.

Supporters say the project promises jobs and a chance to make Michigan a major player in the exploding AI data-infrastructure market.

Opponents have raised alarms about what they don’t know, as key terms in the contracts are redacted from the public and members of the commission. DTE has pushed for what’s known as “ex parte” approval: a process that would avoid a full, contested case with testimony, expert review, and cross-examination.

That would mean the state could approve huge grid upgrades and energy commitments before fully assessing environmental impact, long-term costs, or grid strain. DTE claims that expedited approval is necessary for the project to begin construction by early 2026.

Many residents criticized the fast-track request, calling it a secret deal. They argue the community hasn’t been given enough information about costs or long-term impact. Thousands of public comments urged the commission to slow down and conduct a truly open review.

State Senator Sue Shink called into the meeting to read a letter reiterating her and other lawmakers' support of a full review process:

“We are writing to you in opposition to DTE’s request…and to request the MPSC conduct a contested proceeding under MCL 24.271 as requested by the Attorney General and many others.” She stated to the panel.

Governor Gretchen Whitmer also called into the meeting to advocate for moving the project forward; “Right now, time is of the essence,” she stated, “If we do not act, it will cost us thousands of jobs and billions of dollars of investment in our economy."

Two days before the hearing, Saline’s downtown streets were filled with signs reading “Protect Pure MI” and “No Secret Deals,” as approximately 100 residents gathered to protest the data center planned on private township farmland.

The protest was organized by the advocacy group “Protect Saline Township- No Data Center” and was promoted on social media. This group, along with other organizations across the state, have rallied to express their concerns about the increase in data center projects throughout Michigan. This latest demonstration focused more on transparency surrounding the project than the previous concerns by residents regarding the loss of farmland and rural character.

Residents are concerned that a back-door deal with DTE will create a major new draw on the grid and could worsen reliability, increasing the already frequent local outages.

DTE addressed cost concerns in a statement last week, stating: "To be clear, these data center customer contracts will not increase rates for existing customers, as all incremental costs will be recovered from the new data center. In its filing, DTE is asking for the Michigan Public Service Commission to approve additional terms of service that create safeguards to protect our existing customers.”

Local activists are urging the formal hearing to allow for transparency and careful scrutiny, rather than a quick rubber-stamp.

Supporters of the project point to promised jobs, economic benefits, and infrastructure investments that present a massive growth opportunity for a part of Michigan eager for development.

Members of the community wishing to comment on these proceedings to MPSC can email the commission at LARA-MPSC-commissioners@michigan.gov or use the contact information listed below. 

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