Senate candidate El-Sayed says data centers must protect communities or stay out of Michigan - Detroit Metro Times

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Michigan Data Center Proposals Spark Concerns Over Utility Bills and Environmental Harm.

At least 15 large-scale data center projects have been proposed across Michigan in the past year, with one project expected to consume more electricity than the entire city of Detroit. U.S. Senate candidate Abdul El-Sayed has released "terms of engagement" aimed at protecting communities from higher utility bills, grid strain, and environmental harm.

El-Sayed argues that investor-owned utilities such as DTE Energy and Consumers Energy are pushing for fast-track approvals without adequate oversight, despite rising rates and persistent reliability problems. His campaign claims that these utilities have a history of rate hikes without improvements in service, accusing them of "steamrolling" local governments and regulators.

The proposal, known as "Our Communities, Our Terms," sets out a series of conditions that data center projects would need to meet before receiving approval, including:

- No rate hikes: Data centers must pay for their own energy demand.
- Community transparency: Local residents have a meaningful role in approvals and negotiating community benefits.
- Energy reliability guarantees: Projects must improve grid reliability funded by data center revenues.
- Jobs guarantees: Developers face penalties if promised local jobs fail to materialize.
- Water protection: Data centers use closed-loop cooling systems to limit water use and pollution.
- Community benefits agreements: Binding agreements deliver tangible benefits such as grid upgrades, buried power lines, and improvements to water infrastructure.

El-Sayed's campaign emphasized that he has never taken campaign contributions from utility companies benefiting from rapid data center expansion. He is competing in the Democratic primary against U.S. Rep. Haley Stevens of Birmingham and state Sen. Mallory McMorrow of Royal Oak.
 
I'm getting really worried about these massive data centers popping up all over Michigan 🤯! It's like they're sucking up all the electricity without giving anything back to us, you know? 🌎 I mean, we already struggle with our utility bills as it is, and now these companies are trying to push through their projects without even considering the impact on local communities. It's just not right, fam 💸.

And don't even get me started on the environmental harm 😩! We need to think about the future of our planet here. All that energy consumption and water pollution? It's a recipe for disaster, in my opinion 🌪️. At least El-Sayed is trying to put some brakes on this madness with his "Our Communities, Our Terms" proposal 🤝.

But, like, how can we trust the utilities companies won't just ignore these conditions and keep pushing through their projects? 🤔 It's all about holding them accountable and making sure our voices are heard 👊. I'm rooting for El-Sayed on this one 💪.
 
I don’t usually comment but... I think it’s a bit concerning that data centers are popping up all over Michigan, you know? Like, one project alone is gonna use more electricity than the whole city of Detroit 🤯. And it makes sense that people would be worried about their utility bills and the environmental impact. Those investor-owned utilities like DTE Energy and Consumers Energy seem to be pushing for fast-track approvals without a lot of oversight... that doesn’t sound good at all.

And I feel bad for the communities getting steamrolled by these companies 🤦‍♂️. It’s like, they want to make money off this data center thing but aren't thinking about the consequences for the people living nearby. El-Sayed's proposal sounds pretty reasonable, though... requiring data centers to pay for their own energy demand and ensuring that local residents have a say in approvals... that's not a bad start 👍.

But what really gets me is that these utilities have a history of rate hikes without improvements in service 🤑. It feels like they're just gonna keep profiting off this while leaving the communities to deal with the mess. I don’t know, maybe I’m just being paranoid... but it seems like El-Sayed's proposal is about time 😊.
 
I gotta wonder, are we really ready to let these massive data centers just pop up anywhere? I mean, 15 projects in one year is crazy! And Detroit's entire city would be consumed by one project? That's wild 🤯. El-Sayed's got some good points about the utilities pushing for fast-track approvals without oversight. It's like they're saying "we'll fix it later" when really, we shouldn't be sacrificing our environment and grid reliability for profit 💸.

And what's with the lack of transparency? I don't know how many times I've heard about these data center projects and how they'll affect us, but no one seems to be talking about the real costs. El-Sayed's proposal sounds like a good starting point, though - it's about time we start holding these companies accountable for their actions 🤝.
 
I don’t usually comment but I gotta say, those new data centers popping up across Michigan got me worried 🤔💡. Like, 15 projects proposed in one year? That's a lot. And one of them is gonna consume more electricity than the whole city of Detroit... that’s crazy 💥. El-Sayed's proposal sounds like a good idea tho 🙌. I don’t think anyone wants to pay through the nose for their utility bills or deal with environmental harm from these big energy hogs 🤢. The community transparency thing is also super important, we should know what's going on in our neighborhoods 🗺️. It's interesting that El-Sayed hasn't taken money from utility companies yet... fingers crossed he can make a difference 💪. Maybe it's time for Michigan to rethink its approach to data centers and prioritize the people over profits 🤝.
 
idk how these data center proposals are even getting approved so fast 🤯 i mean, 15 projects in a year? that's crazy! and now abdul el-sayed is trying to regulate all this? good on him, but come on folks, we gotta think about the long-term effects here. like, have you seen those terms of engagement he released? it's like they're trying to make sure these data centers don't mess up our grid 🌐 and our water supplies... closed-loop cooling systems are a great idea btw 💦 but let's not forget, this is all about the benjamins, isn't it? 💸
 
🤔 This whole thing just got me thinking... What's the value of growth if it comes at the expense of our communities? These massive data centers are being touted as 'progress' but let's be real, we're already seeing some pretty serious environmental concerns and strained grid systems. The way El-Sayed is framing this, though - "Our Communities, Our Terms" - that's a lesson in prioritizing people over profits. It's all about creating a balance between growth and accountability. We need to ask ourselves: what kind of 'growth' are we really talking about here? Is it just about the bottom line or can we create a system where everyone benefits? 💡
 
🚨🌎 This is getting crazy! 15 data centers in one year? It's like they're sucking up all the energy in Michigan 🤯. I'm not surprised though, utilities are always looking for ways to make a buck off our backs 💸. But what really gets me is that these companies think they can just steamroll local governments and regulators without any oversight 🚫. Like, hello? We're talking about our community's future here!

Abdul El-Sayed's proposal sounds like a good start, but we need to make sure it's enforced 🔒. No more rate hikes, that's a no-brainer ⚠️. And what's up with the lack of transparency around these projects? We deserve to know how our energy is being used and who's profiting from it 💡.

I'm all for community benefits agreements, but we need to make sure they're not just some fancy word for "sweetheart deals" 🤥. It's time for us to take a stand and demand more from our politicians and utility companies 🗣️. We can't keep living in the dark about what's going on behind closed doors 🕵️‍♀️.
 
OMG 🤯 I'm so done with these big corporations just steamrolling over our communities without caring about the impact on us! Like, who gets to decide what's best for Michigan anyway? 🤷‍♀️ We need people in power like Abdul El-Sayed who actually care about the people and not just the bottom line. And can we talk about how crazy it is that one data center project could consume more electricity than an entire city?! 😲 We need to make sure our utilities are transparent and working for us, not against us. The idea of community benefits agreements sounds amazing - let's see if El-Sayed can really deliver on that! 💪 And btw, how about some stricter regulations on these closed-loop cooling systems? We don't want more pollution in our air or water! 🌎
 
I'm so down for this El-Sayed guy's stance on data centers! Like, I get it, they need power too, but come on, can't our utilities do better than just rolling over for these big corps? 💸🌎 15 data center projects in one year is wild, and Detroit alone being outpowered by one of them is crazy. And what's the deal with no community transparency? Our local govts should be setting the terms, not just taking a backseat while rates skyrocket 🚫💸
 
🤔 You know what really caught my attention here? It's not just about the massive impact these data centers are going to have on our environment, but also about who gets to decide how we mitigate that harm. El-Sayed's proposal is a great step in ensuring that local communities aren't left holding the bill for these tech giants' energy needs. But what I think is even more important is the principle behind it - that we need to take ownership of our own energy demands and demand transparency from those who benefit from them.

It's like, when you're trying to make a new habit, you can't just rely on someone else to do it for you. You gotta put in the work yourself. Similarly, with these data centers, they can't just waltz in here and expect us to foot the bill without any say in how our resources are being used. We need to take control of our own destiny and make sure that our voices are heard. 💡
 
ugh this is getting outta control... 15 data centers? in michigan?! 🤯 how much more electricity can we really consume before it's too late?! El-Sayed's ideas about utilities taking care of their own energy needs and not "steamrolling" local governments sounds good on paper but what if the big corps don't wanna play by those rules? 💸🚨 we need to think about the environment too, closed-loop cooling systems are a step in the right direction I guess 🌿
 
ugh I'm literally so done with these massive data centers taking over our planet 🌎💸 like what's next, a whole city built on servers? 🤯 I mean I get it, technology is advancing and all that but can't we just slow down for one second? We're already struggling to keep up with the basics - can we afford to support these behemoths too? 💸 It's not like they're gonna pay their own way or something... oh wait, nope 🤑

and what's up with our utility companies? 🤔 DTE Energy and Consumers Energy are just pushing for fast-track approvals like it's nothing? 🙄 without even considering the environmental harm? 🔥 I mean, I'm not saying they're inherently bad, but come on, folks! We need to do better. More transparency, more accountability... it's not that hard 💡

Abdul El-Sayed's got a good point though - we need to take back control from these corporate interests 🤝 and make sure our communities are protected. The proposal sounds solid - no rate hikes, community transparency, energy reliability guarantees... it's like they're saying "Hey, we get it, you want to build your fancy data centers, but here's the catch..." 🤷‍♀️

I'm still on the fence about El-Sayed vs Stevens and McMorrow 🤔 but I do know one thing - we need more voices in this conversation 💬 especially those who aren't getting paid off by big business 💸. Let's make some noise, folks! 🎤
 
OMG, i cant believe how many data centers are being built in michigan right now!!! 🤯 its like they're sucking up all our electricity or something!! i mean, dont get me wrong, i get that tech companies need space to store all their info, but 15 projects is just crazy talk! 💻 what about the impact on the environment tho? all those data centers are gonna use a ton of energy and who's gonna foot the bill for that?! 🤔

Abdul El-Sayed is bringing some much needed heat to this issue tho. his proposal for "Our Communities, Our Terms" sounds like a solid way to make sure these data center developers are being held accountable for their impact on the community. i love that he's proposing no rate hikes and community transparency - thats just common sense! 🙌

lets hope more people start paying attention to this issue and demanding better from our utility companies and politicians. we dont want to become some kind of tech hub at the expense of our planet, you know?! 🌎
 
🤔 I'm like totally worried about these massive data centers popping up all over Michigan. They're gonna strain our grid for sure, and what's up with the utilities just rolling out fast-track approvals without any oversight? It's like they're trying to take advantage of us. And have you seen the numbers? One project alone is expected to use more electricity than Detroit! 🚨 That's crazy.

And I feel for the local communities, they need to know what's going on and have a say in it too. I mean, we all want job opportunities and economic growth, but not at the expense of our environment. And what about the water usage? Closed-loop cooling systems are cool and all, but what if something goes wrong?

I'm kinda loving Abdul El-Sayed's proposal, though. It sounds like he's really looking out for the people. No rate hikes, community transparency, energy reliability guarantees... it's like he's saying, "Hey, we can grow our economy without hurting ourselves or each other." 🌈 Fingers crossed that one of these candidates takes the lead in the Democratic primary!
 
I'm getting so tired of these big corporations just swooping in and taking over our cities without even thinking about how it's gonna affect us. I mean, who's gonna regulate them? The Senate candidate is at least trying to bring some sense to this, you know? He's not just jumping on the bandwagon with everyone else.

I'm all for community involvement and transparency - that's just basic human decency, right? But what really gets me is the whole 'no rate hikes' thing. Like, how are data centers even supposed to pay for their own energy demand if they're not allowed to raise rates? It's a Catch-22. And don't even get me started on the jobs guarantees - it sounds like an empty promise to me.

I'm all for protecting our environment and making sure we have reliable grid systems, but can't we just take a step back and think about the bigger picture here? Are we really going to let these corporations dictate how we live our lives? 🤔💡
 
omg I'm so done with these massive data centers popping up everywhere 🤯! I mean, have you seen how much electricity one of those proposed in Michigan is gonna use? it's like, the whole city of Detroit... what about our planet?! we gotta think about all the carbon emissions and pollution these things are gonna bring. and don't even get me started on the utility bills - my bill already feels like an arm and a leg 💸.

I do love that Abdul El-Sayed is trying to stand up for the people, though 🙌. his proposal sounds super reasonable, especially the part about community transparency and benefits agreements. it's all about making sure these companies don't just steamroll over our communities without giving back 🤝. fingers crossed that more candidates like him come forward who actually care about the people, not just the Benjamins 💸
 
data centers are just getting out of control, you know? 15+ projects proposed in one year alone... like what's the hurry? 🤔 we need to think about the environmental impact, not just the profit margins. closed-loop cooling systems sound like a decent start, but what about the overall carbon footprint of all these new data centers? and don't even get me started on the utility bills... it's like they're gonna put us all in debt 💸 our communities deserve better than to be steamrolled by big corporations. El-Sayed's got some good ideas going on with his "Our Communities, Our Terms" proposal 🤝 we should be supporting him more, imo 👍
 
omg what if we start building like a million data centers across us & just think about how much more electricity they'll suck out of our grids? 🤯 it's crazy to me that one project is expected to consume as much energy as the whole city of detroit... can u imagine how much more bills would go up? 💸 like, what if we could have some balance between tech & environmental concerns tho?

i'm not sure about el-sayed's plan but i think it's cool that he's pushing for community transparency & benefits agreements... at least now local people will know what they're getting into when new data centers pop up. 🌎 but don't u think this could just be a way to slow down progress? like, what if we were already on the path to sustainable tech?

anyway i guess it's good that el-sayed is avoiding utility company donations... that does seem sketchy 😐 how do u guys think he'll fair in the primary election tho?
 
draw a simple diagram to show how much electricity one big data center will consume compared to an entire city like Detroit

imagine having 1 data center that eats all the electricity from a whole city like Detroit 🌆🔋 it's crazy! what if we could find a way to power those data centers without harming the environment? 💚

i think Abdul El-Sayed has some good points about utility companies pushing for fast-track approvals without proper oversight. it's like they're just steamrolling over local governments and residents 🤯 their proposal sounds like a good starting point, but we need to make sure that these conditions are met and that the communities are truly protected 💪

what if we could find a way to make data centers more sustainable? like using closed-loop cooling systems to minimize water use and pollution ❄️💧 it's not an easy task, but i think it's worth trying. after all, we want to make sure that our technology doesn't harm the planet 🌎
 
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