Saline residents protest data center project, chant “no secret deals”

Data centers are planned for rural areas in Michigan, including a 1.4-gigawatt data center in Saline Township. The project is being developed by Related Digital for tech companies OpenAI and Oracle, with power to be provided by DTE Energy. Residents of Saline Township are protesting the data center, chanting "no secret deals" and arguing there is a lack of transparency around how DTE plans to meet the data center's energy needs. They are concerned the data center will impact the local electricity grid. Governor Gretchen Whitmer has touted the project as the largest economic project in Michigan history, but protesters argue it conflicts with the state's climate and green energy goals. Protesters say this is the most rapid and unifying political mobilization they've seen against a project in Michigan. The Saline Township board initially denied rezoning for the project, but a settlement allowed construction to proceed with limits. The state utility regulator is now holding a public hearing to address concerns about the approval process.