Technology

After a $16 billion Stargate AI data center was built despite being voted down, Michigan towns rush to block new buildouts — massive facility will suck 1.4 Gigawatts of energy to power ChatGPT

Source

Tom's Hardware

Published

May 7, 2026

TL;DR

AI Generated

A $16 billion Stargate AI data center, despite being rejected by a township, is being built in Michigan, sparking backlash and leading to moratoriums on new data center developments in at least 19 municipalities. The facility, powered by 1.4 Gigawatts of electricity, is part of a project for Oracle and OpenAI. The project faced opposition but moved forward with support from the state, despite concerns about energy consumption and environmental impact. Additional AI data center projects are planned in southeast Michigan, with developers eyeing multiple potential sites across the state.

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After a $16 billion Stargate AI data center was built despite being voted down, Michigan towns rush to block new buildouts — massive facility will suck 1.4 Gigawatts of energy to power ChatGPT

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After a $16 billion Stargate AI data center was built despite being voted down, Michigan towns rush to block new buildouts — massive facility will suck 1.4 Gigawatts of energy to power ChatGPT

TL;DR

Similar Articles

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The Download: a Nobel winner on AI, and the case for fixing everything

Standard 90-day vulnerability disclosure policy is likely dead thanks to AI, expert warns that AI can weaponize patches in 30 minutes — LLM-assisted bug-hunting ushers in a new cyberworld order

Google finds first AI-developed zero-day that bypasses 2FA — self-morphing malware and Gemini-powered backdoors signal a new era of cybercrime