Oakland County

Updates, newest first

1. Aug. 13, 2026 Project Flex · Verrus submitted updated plans and asked the township to approve them administratively. (The Livingston Post, Sept. 8, 2026)
2. July 13, 2026 Project Flex · Planning Commission meeting canceled after Walbridge withdrew its third site plan to submit a fourth; Verrus had warned of legal action if approval were delayed. (The Oakland Press, July 13, 2026)
3. March 2026 Project Flex · A township-hired engineering firm found the sound study did not yet show compliance with the noise ordinance. (The Livingston Post, Sept. 8, 2026)
4. Dec. 15, 2025 Metrobloks Southfield data center · Southfield City Council voted 5-2 to approve the site plan after nearly six hours of comment. (Planet Detroit, Dec. 16, 2025)
5. Dec. 2025 Metrobloks Southfield data center · City issued a statement saying the use is permitted in the Regional Center district and did not need a formal public hearing. (City of Southfield, undated)
6. Sept. 8, 2025 Project Flex · Planning Commission unanimously granted conditional site plan approval; no board vote or hearing was required because the use is permitted in the industrial district. (The Oakland Press, Dec. 16, 2025; The Livingston Post, Sept. 8, 2026)

Statewide

Through Public Acts 181 and 207 of 2024, which changed MCL 205.94cc (use tax) and MCL 205.54ee (sales tax), Michigan created a sales and use tax exemption on equipment for certified "enterprise data centers": at least $250 million invested, at least 30 new jobs paying 150% of the regional median wage, municipal water, and no local property tax break unless each affected local board approves it by resolution. The exemption runs from April 22, 2025, through 2050 (2065 on brownfield or former power-plant sites); the Michigan Strategic Fund certifies projects and may issue no new certificates after 2029. (Michigan Strategic Fund / Michigan Economic Development Corp., undated) The same acts extended the older "qualified data center" sales and use tax exemption, in place since 2016, through Dec. 31, 2050, after local development agencies certified 2,972 data center jobs created since 2016, above the 1,000-job condition in the law. (Michigan Strategic Fund, Dec. 12, 2025) Repeal and pause bills: in December 2025 Reps. Jim DeSana (R) and Dylan Wegela (D) announced a three-bill package to repeal the exemptions, and on Feb. 26, 2026, a bipartisan House group introduced bills to pause new enterprise data center approvals, including MPSC approvals, until April 1, 2027. Neither had become law as of the sources reviewed; the bill numbers are not yet checked. (Bridge Michigan, Dec. 16, 2025; WKAR, Feb. 27, 2026) Consumers Energy large-load tariff (MPSC Case No. U-21859, Nov. 6, 2025): customers of 100 MW or more (or 100 MW across sites of 20 MW or more with one owner) must sign contracts of at least 15 years, pay at least 80% of contracted demand, post collateral and pay an exit fee for leaving early. (Michigan Public Service Commission, Nov. 6, 2025) DTE Electric serves large customers under its D11 rate (standard five-year terms); in approving the Saline Township contracts (Case No. U-21990, Dec. 18, 2025) the MPSC ordered DTE to file a general large-load tariff within 90 days, to be decided in a contested case. The docket number of that tariff filing is not yet checked. (Michigan Public Service Commission, Dec. 18, 2025; Planet Detroit, Dec. 18, 2025) Michigan data centers →