IN-DEPTH: Michigan's Data Center Divide

Michigan is becoming a hotspot in the national surge of data center development, raising urgent questions about energy consumption, water use, land impact, and community oversight. As companies race to build the infrastructure that powers cloud computing, artificial intelligence, and everyday digital life, Michigan residents are confronting the real-world effects of these massive facilities.

“Michigan’s Data Center Divide” is a special WKAR News series offering in-depth reporting on the rapid expansion of data centers across Mid-Michigan and the state. The project examines why new proposals are accelerating, how data centers affect electricity rates and local resources, and why communities are increasingly demanding transparency.

WKAR News

Michigan Data Centers: Inside the debate over energy, land and transparency

Victoria Witke

This week, WKAR News unveils its series "Michigan’s Data Center Divide" to take you inside the controversy developing in Mid-Michigan and across the state.