ANN ARBOR - Michigan’s push to become a hub for artificial intelligence infrastructure is running into a hard constraint: the electric grid. As hyperscale data centers expand across the United States, their massive energy demands are forcing utilities, regulators, and local communities to confront a difficult question—how to power the next generation of computing without
LANSING — Michigan residents are about to see their electric bills rise again. State regulators have approved a $276.6 million rate increase for Consumers Energy, marking the latest in a steady series of hikes that are quietly—but consistently—pushing household energy costs higher. For the average customer, the increase will add about $6 per month, depending
DETROIT — Michigan’s push to become a major hub for artificial intelligence and advanced computing is running into a growing obstacle—not technology, but local resistance. Across the state, from rural townships to small cities, residents and local officials are raising concerns about the rapid expansion of data centers—massive, energy-intensive facilities that power everything from cloud
LANSING — A massive $4.3 billion battery plant in Michigan was supposed to help power the next generation of electric vehicles. Now, it may be powering something else entirely. In a move that is sending ripples through the auto industry, Tesla and LG Energy Solution are shifting the focus of the Lansing-area facility away from
GRAND RAPIDS - AI-powered Woodchuck announced a joint sustainability initiative with Walbridge, an industrial and automotive constructors, to supports Ford Motor Company’s construction waste-reduction efforts at its new manufacturing facility in Marshall. During the first three months, the program has given teams a clearer view of the materials being discarded, diversion rates, cost reductions, and
ANN ARBOR - Michigan needs more power as renewable energy demand continues to grow across the state. However, local opposition to wind projects is creating challenges for future energy development. A massive wind energy project proposed for rural West Michigan has been shelved after years of debate, underscoring the growing tension between local opposition and
ANN ARBOR — After nearly four decades of environmental monitoring and legal battles, the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency has officially designated the former Gelman Sciences site and its spreading 1,4-dioxane groundwater plume in Ann Arbor and Scio Township as a federal Superfund site. The designation places the contaminated area on the National Priorities List, unlocking
DETROIT - A new scientific analysis warns that humanity’s carbon emissions have already pushed far beyond what researchers consider a safe operating limit for the planet—raising new questions about the economic and industrial transition now underway in Michigan and across the Midwest. The study, published in the journal Nature Climate Change and highlighted by Phys.org,
ANN ARBOR — Ann Arbor Electronics Recycling is expanding in 2026, offering residents multiple opportunities to safely dispose of household electronics. From City Hall drop-offs to scheduled collection events, the program aims to make responsible e-waste disposal more accessible across the city. The City of Ann Arbor Office of Sustainability and Innovations will offer several
COVERT, MI - The effort to restart the Palisades Nuclear Generating Station is entering its most consequential regulatory phase, as missing decades-old weld documentation forces owner Holtec International to seek relief from federal regulators. At issue is whether the 800-megawatt nuclear plant — shut down in May 2022 after 51 years of operation — can
