The companies behind a massive data center under construction outside Ann Arbor said Friday that they've secured the financing they need to continue the project.
Related Digital and Blackstone are building the data center in Saline Township for the technology company Oracle, which said it will power "the future of AI in the United States."
Governor Gretchen Whitmer has said the project represents "the largest one-time investment in state history."
In a statement released Friday evening, Related Digital and Blackstone described the data center as an economic benefit to the state and the local area. The companies said that will include:
- 2,500 union construction jobs, 450 jobs onsite, and 1,500 jobs county-wide
- Millions of dollars in new, annual tax revenues
- $14 million in direct benefits for the local fire department and community investment
The companies also said they plan to preserve 750 acres of open space, farmland, and wetlands, and use a closed-loop cooling system to protect the state's water.
The project has been controversial, with opponents raising concerns about its environmental impacts, energy demands, and transparency.
DTE Energy has received conditional approval to supply power for the data center, although that's still under appeal by the Michigan attorney general. The project is expected to draw more than a gigawatt of electricity — about 25% of DTE's current peak capacity.
DTE has maintained that the data center's power needs will not increase rates for existing customers. The companies echoed that assertion Friday, saying Oracle will finance the entirety of the battery storage system for the facility and save ratepayers.
Michigan Attorney General Dana Nessel argues the contracts DTE has reached to supply power to the data center have been heavily redacted before being shared with the public and do not provide proof of the companies' claims.
Despite the ongoing litigation, Related Digital and Blackstone said the project is on schedule. "Major construction is well underway in Saline Township," the companies said. "Momentum is strong."
Editor's note: DTE Energy is among Michigan Public's corporate sponsors.
