Michigan's data center buildout became a 2026 election flashpoint after Gov. Whitmer's groundbreaking for the 1.4 GW Oracle/OpenAI Saline Township facility drew sharp backlash, while northern Michigan townships pass moratoriums, partly because transmission upgrades don't extend north of Ludington.
Related Digital's $16 billion Stargate campus in Saline Township, Michigan, broke ground after an exclusionary zoning lawsuit forced a settlement: $14 million in community benefits, farmland preservation, and fire department support.
Saline Township, Michigan rejected a 21-million-square-foot OpenAI-Oracle Stargate project in September; the developer sued, the township settled, and construction began by November.
Michigan's gubernatorial candidates spent Thursday in East Lansing debating moratoriums, energy cost caps, and Public Service Commission transparency while Oracle's Stargate project in Saline Township drew community fire.