Michigan data center pledge aims to protect ratepayers and water
Governor Gretchen Whitmer has announced the Michigan Affordable and Responsible Growth Action Plan, which aims to protect residents from higher energy bills and safeguard natural resources. The plan calls for data center companies to pledge to cover all their development, water, and energy costs, and seeks legislative action to codify these protections.
Governor Gretchen Whitmer has announced the Michigan Affordable and Responsible Growth Action Plan, an initiative designed to implement new safeguards for data center operations in the state. The plan's primary goal is to ensure that data center companies assume all development and operational costs, thereby protecting Michigan residents from potential increases in energy bills.
The plan encourages data center firms to sign a voluntary pledge, committing to pay for their own construction, water usage, and energy consumption. This commitment is also tied to the creation of local, good-paying jobs within Michigan.
Additionally, Governor Whitmer is calling on state lawmakers to codify these protections into state law. This includes transforming Michigan Public Service Commission requirements related to billing, contract terms, and credit standards into permanent legislation. Governor Whitmer stated that any data center company wishing to invest in Michigan must guarantee that working families will not bear any costs for data center development or operations, while also protecting the state's natural resources and contributing to local employment.