Over the past year, Michigan has seen a surge of interest from major tech companies looking to build large-scale data centers across the state. These facilities can span hundreds of acres, consume as much electricity as a large city, and use millions of gallons of water each day for cooling.
Proposals have emerged in Washtenaw County, Livingston County, and elsewhere — often in rural townships that have never dealt with development on this scale. Local officials and residents are wrestling with serious questions: What happens to energy grids and utility rates? How much water will these facilities use? Who actually benefits from the tax abatements being offered?
To help communities navigate these decisions, we brought together four experts with different perspectives on data center development…