Substation for 1 GW Google data center clears planning commission despite overflow crowd's objections

The Van Buren Township Planning Commission has granted preliminary site plan approval for a high-voltage substation and switching station tied to Google's proposed 1-gigawatt data center, following a contentious five-hour meeting. The decision was made despite an overflow crowd of concerned residents and significant pushback, including a petition signed by nearly 1,700 people. Residents and Commissioners Jackson Pahle and Bernard Grant voiced concerns regarding potential cumulative community and environmental impacts, infrastructure strain, noise, and impacts on property values and nearby wetlands. The data center, referred to as "Project Cannoli," is projected to consume electricity equivalent to 800,000 homes and use up to 3.6 million gallons of water daily, along with filling 10 acres of wetlands. DTE Energy and transmission operator ITC Holdings, who applied for the substation, along with developer Panattoni Development Co., sought to address these concerns. They affirmed Google's contract includes provisions for the tech giant to cover full costs for its energy load and related infrastructure investments, with plans for 450 megawatts of energy storage and 1.6 GW of renewable energy. ITC representatives also denied the need for eminent domain for power lines, stating underground cables would utilize public rights-of-way.