ESD

Michigan Tightens Transmission Line Siting Rules As Grid Expansion Accelerates

LANSING — Michigan regulators are moving to overhaul how new high-voltage electric transmission lines are planned and approved, responding to mounting public pushback as the state’s power grid expands to meet rising demand — including from large-scale data centers. The Michigan Public Service Commission (MPSC) approved new voluntary filing guidelines designed to strengthen public engagement,

By |2026-02-02T19:15:57-05:00February 2nd, 2026|ESD, Government/Politics, Politics, Politics/Government|

MCWT Names Little Caesars CIO Anita Klopfenstein New President

SOUTHFIELD – Michigan Council of Women in Technology Foundation (MCWT) has named Anita Klopfenstein and Christine Shook as its new president and vice president, respectively. Their tech and leadership expertise will help advance MCWT as it continues to inspire and grow more girls and women in IT across the state. Anita Klopfenstein “This

By |2026-02-02T15:45:07-05:00February 2nd, 2026|ESD, Featured|

OpenAI-Linked Saline Data Center Controversy Deepens After Township Admits Documentation Error

SALINE TOWNSHIP  — A proposed hyperscale data center tied to OpenAI has reignited controversy in Washtenaw County after township officials acknowledged a documentation mistake that added to public confusion over how the project was approved. The development — part of a broader national push to build massive computing infrastructure for artificial intelligence — is planned

By |2026-01-31T16:04:11-05:00January 31st, 2026|ESD, News|

Michigan Data Centers By The Numbers

How much power does a data center use? A single hyperscale data center typically consumes 300 to 500 megawatts of electricity — roughly the same as a small Michigan city. How big is the demand facing Michigan utilities? Consumers Energy has reported data center inquiries totaling more than 15 gigawatts of potential new demand. For

By |2026-01-29T13:07:29-05:00January 29th, 2026|Artificial Intelligence, ESD|

AI’s Hidden Cost: How Billionaire-Built Data Centers Are Testing Michigan’s Power Grid

ANN ARBOR - The artificial intelligence boom has a physical footprint — and it’s far larger than most people realize. Behind every AI model and cloud service are massive data centers operating 24/7, consuming enormous amounts of electricity. Once invisible to consumers, these facilities are now reshaping power grids, utility planning, and political debates nationwide.

U-M–Los Alamos Supercomputer Pushback Reflects Michigan’s Growing Revolt Against Data Centers

ANN ARBOR - A proposed $1.2 billion high-performance computing facility backed by the University of Michigan and Los Alamos National Laboratory has become the latest flashpoint in Michigan’s escalating backlash against data centers — a debate now centered as much on electric rates as on land use or environmental risk. The project, planned for Ypsilanti

By |2026-01-28T15:45:48-05:00January 28th, 2026|ESD, News|

Michigan’s Long Road to Driverless Cars — And Why Musk’s Latest Claim Doesn’t Change The Timeline

DETROIT -If self driving cars were judged by promises alone, Michigan highways would have been filled with autonomous vehicles years ago. Instead, the state that built the modern auto industry has spent more than a decade quietly stress-testing a harder truth: getting a car to drive itself reliably, everywhere, and in all conditions is far

By |2026-01-27T17:41:26-05:00January 25th, 2026|Auto Tech, ESD, Featured|

Auto Loan And Lease Burdens By Generation: How Rising Vehicle Costs Are Pressuring Household Budgets In 2025

ANN ARBOR — As U.S. auto prices and monthly payments hit historic highs, new data reveals generational differences not only in borrowing but in how these costs are squeezing household finances. A LendingTree analysis of ~66,000 anonymized credit profiles from mid-2025 highlights stark contrasts in debt loads, payment burdens, and now leasing vs financing payment

By |2026-01-24T16:56:17-05:00January 24th, 2026|Auto Tech, ESD|

Attorney General Lawsuit Targets Oil Cartel As EV Manufacturing In Michigan Faces Headwinds And Opportunity

LANSING -Michigan Attorney General Dana Nessel filed a high-stakes federal antitrust lawsuit this week targeting major oil companies—including BP, Chevron, Exxon and Shell—and the American Petroleum Institute, alleging a decades-long conspiracy to stifle competition from renewable energy and electric vehicles. The suit, filed in U.S. District Court in western Michigan, frames the case as not

By |2026-01-24T16:56:19-05:00January 23rd, 2026|Auto Tech, ESD, Government/Politics, Politics, Politics/Government|

Michigan Auto Makers Hit The Brakes On EVs As Incentives Fade — Just As Canada Opens The Door To Chinese Imports

DETROIT - Michigan’s auto industry is navigating one of its most complex transitions in decades — and recent policy shifts on both sides of the border are accelerating the pressure. As Canada moves to sharply reduce tariffs on Chinese electric vehicles, Detroit’s legacy automakers are slowing EV expansion, pivoting toward hybrids, and reassessing long-term capital

By |2026-01-22T17:47:15-05:00January 22nd, 2026|Auto Tech, ESD, Featured|