$16 Billion Funds 1-Gigawatt Michigan Data Center; Local Protests Occur
Related Digital has obtained $16 billion in funding to build a massive data center campus in Saline, Michigan, aimed at powering Oracle's AI operations. The project, part of a broader $500 billion AI infrastructure initiative, has drawn protests from local residents over grid and pollution concerns. Oracle anticipates $90 billion in AI revenue by 2027.
Substrate placeholder — needs reviewRelated Digital, the developer of a planned 1-gigawatt data center campus in Saline, Michigan, has secured $16 billion in funding with assistance from Blackstone and PIMCO. The campus, located in rural Saline Township about 50 miles outside Detroit, will span 250 acres and support Oracle's AI business.
Insider reported that this facility exceeds typical data center capacities, which range between 100 and 300 megawatts.
The Saline project forms part of the Stargate initiative, a $500 billion effort led by Oracle, OpenAI, and SoftBank to construct AI infrastructure nationwide. Oracle stated its AI business will generate $90 billion in revenue by 2027. The data center will be powered by DTE, Michigan's largest electric utility.
Local residents in Saline have protested the development. Demonstrators gathered in the town in December, expressing concerns about the data center's impact on the electric grid and potential pollution in the surrounding community. ' Protesters voiced these worries to Michigan Public Radio, highlighting fears for the rural area's quality of life.
The campus's more than 1-gigawatt capacity marks it as one of the largest planned in the United States. Related Digital announced the funding milestone as a key step in advancing the project. U.S. leadership in artificial intelligence development.
Oracle's involvement ties directly to its projected AI revenue growth. Despite the scale, the Saline site has become a focal point for community opposition in Michigan's Midwest region, where data center expansion has accelerated.
Key Facts
Story Timeline
6 events- 2026-04-25
Current date; ongoing development of Saline data center project.
1 sourceInsider - December 2025
Protesters gathered in Saline to oppose the data center, citing grid and pollution concerns.
1 sourceMichigan Public Radio via Insider - 2025
Related Digital secured $16 billion in funding for the Saline project with Blackstone and PIMCO.
1 sourceRelated Digital via Insider - 2024
Business Insider identified 1,240 existing or planned data centers across the U.S., up from 311 in 2010.
1 sourceInsider - March 2026
Tech leaders stated they would cover greater share of data center energy costs during White House visit.
1 sourceInsider - Ongoing
Stargate project, a $500 billion AI infrastructure initiative led by Oracle, OpenAI, and SoftBank.
1 sourceInsider
Potential Impact
- 01
Advancement of U.S. AI supremacy through expanded infrastructure like Stargate.
- 02
Potential strain on Michigan's electric grid due to high energy demands of the data center.
- 03
Increased community opposition and protests in similar rural data center sites across the U.S.
- 04
Job creation and economic reindustrialization in rural Midwest areas from AI infrastructure projects.
- 05
Environmental concerns, including pollution and water resource impacts, prompting further regulatory scrutiny.
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