DTE Rate Case Puts Saline Data Center Claims Back In Spotlight

DTE Energy has filed its latest electric rate request, seeking approximately $474.3 million in additional annual electric revenue. The company attributes this request primarily to grid reliability investments but also points to data center development, including the approved Barn Data Center in Saline Township, as a factor that could allow it to avoid future rate requests until at least 2028. DTE claims that two data center contracts, one approved and one pending, are expected to contribute nearly $9 billion to its electric system by 2045 and that these will not raise customer rates because they are governed by separate contracts covering infrastructure costs. Michigan Attorney General Dana Nessel has strongly criticized DTE's proposal, labeling it a "ransom note" and stating her office will intervene in the rate case. Nessel has also appealed the Michigan Public Service Commission's (MPSC) approval of the Saline Township data center contracts, which are tied to a 1.4-gigawatt artificial intelligence data center in Washtenaw County involving Green Chile Ventures LLC. Nessel argues that the MPSC approved these contracts without a contested case hearing, which would have allowed public scrutiny of the redacted contracts and protections for ratepayers. State Sen. Jeff Irwin echoed concerns about the lack of transparency, emphasizing the need to verify that data centers are not subsidized by residential ratepayers. Matt Helms, public information officer for the MPSC, affirmed that all rate cases are conducted publicly and costs are thoroughly reviewed.