Roseville -- In the latest sign of Michiganders’ growing frustration with sky-high utility bills and the proliferation of data centers across the state, Macomb County residents joined State Sen. Veronica Klinefelt and advocates at a town hall last night to call for stronger protections for ratepayers.
Hosted by the Sierra Club Michigan Chapter and the People’s Water Board Coalition, town hall speakers addressed how data centers are impacting energy and water costs, where people can go to get help paying their bills, and the specific steps concerned citizens can take to get engaged and fight back.
“Michigan residents are tired of watching their utility bills climb every year with no relief in sight,” said Tim Minotas, Legislative and Political Director for the Sierra Club Michigan Chapter. “Those bills are only going to go up as more data centers come online and place new demands on our energy and water systems without paying their full share of utility costs. People want fairness, and tonight was a great step toward channeling that energy into real change.”
Michigan families are grappling with some of the highest utility rates in the Midwest. DTE is currently seeking a $474 million rate hike, already having a $242 million hike approved earlier this year. Consumers Energy is seeking a $456 million increase on top of a $276 million hike in March. These costs are being exacerbated by the proliferation of data centers, which require enormous amounts of energy and water to run. A 2025 MLive story found at least 16 sites in Michigan where data centers are proposed or under construction, and the costs are increasingly being passed onto all utility ratepayers.
With 1 in 10 households already struggling with unaffordable water bills, data center growth has only exacerbated Michigan’s water affordability problem. Unlike energy bills, there is no sustainable state or federal program to help ensure residential customers can pay their water bill. In May, a Michigan Senate subcommittee approved funding for a one-time, $10 million investment for water assistance. While that will help many keep water flowing from their taps, it is far short of the estimated $60 million that is needed annually.
“For too many families in Michigan, keeping the water running is already a challenge,” said Sylvia Orduño, Director of the People’s Water Board Coalition. “No one in the Great Lakes State should experience water insecurity. We thank Sen. Klinefelt and other legislators who have made affordable water bills a priority, but we need more leaders to ensure that all households have access to this basic requirement for human health.”
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