Great Lakes Wire

Michigan Attorney General Dana Nessel has filed a notice of intervention with the Michigan Public Service Commission (MPSC) regarding DTE Electric’s request for approval of two special contracts to supply electricity to a proposed data center near Saline, Michigan. The data center customer is Green Chile Ventures LLC, a subsidiary of Oracle Corporation.

Nessel’s intervention urges the MPSC to treat DTE’s request as a contested case and to hold formal public hearings. She cites significant unknowns about the project and potential financial risks for utility ratepayers across DTE’s service area. According to Nessel, such hearings would allow parties to verify whether protections and cost reductions for customers are adequate and would help create a complete evidentiary record for the commission’s decision.

“Reducing electric bills and making energy affordable is essential,” said Nessel. “That’s why I’m asking the Commission to hold a public hearing on this case – to make sure DTE customers are not stuck footing the bill for a data center that never comes to fruition or uses far less electricity than projected. In either scenario, the massive costs of building the data center won't just disappear. The costs would be passed on to ratepayers, driving up bills for families. A public hearing is the only way to ensure transparency, give customers all the facts, and confirm DTE’s proposal truly protects Michiganders before any approval is granted.”

DTE Electric recently submitted an ex parte request seeking approval for these contracts without requiring a public hearing or allowing other parties to conduct discovery or submit testimony before the commission makes its decision. The planned 1.4-gigawatt data center would represent an electric load comparable to more than one million average American homes or a large city within DTE's territory.

Earlier in 2025, when Consumers Energy made an ex parte request related to a data center or large load tariff, the MPSC rejected it and emphasized that new data centers present unique cost implications requiring thorough review and evidence.

Since taking office, Nessel has intervened in utility cases before the MPSC, which she says has helped save Michigan consumers over $4 billion. Her latest action continues her focus on ensuring affordable energy for residents.