A massive new AI and cloud data center campus in Michigan is moving closer to a historic financing milestone, with a total package approaching $16 billion. The deal, one of the largest in U.S. data center history, will fund construction of the campus designed to support Oracle Cloud Infrastructure and OpenAI’s AI workloads.

The financing consists of roughly $2 billion in equity from major institutional investors and approximately $14 billion in structured debt. Analysts say the scale and complexity of the financing reflect both the enormous computational demand driving the AI sector and the sophistication required to fund giga-scale technology infrastructure.

Construction Progress and Project Scale

The campus, located on over 250 acres in Saline Township, has begun vertical construction, with initial steel structures already in place. The site is expected to house multiple buildings, each roughly 550,000 square feet, featuring LEED-certified, energy-efficient design, closed-loop cooling systems, and environmentally sensitive land management.

The Michigan campus is designed to deliver more than 1 gigawatt of AI compute power, making it one of the largest AI-focused data centers in the United States. Once fully operational, the project is projected to create 2,500 construction jobs, 450 permanent on-site positions, and an additional 1,500 roles in the surrounding economy.

Key Milestones:

October 2025: Project announced publicly

Late 2025: Regulatory approvals and utility agreements finalized

February 2026: Vertical construction begins

April 2026: $16 billion financing package nearing completion

2026–2027: Campus expected to begin operations

Regulatory Approvals and Local Oversight

The Michigan Public Service Commission (MPSC) approved the project’s critical power supply agreements on December 18, 2025, granting DTE Energy authorization to deliver up to 1.4 gigawatts of electricity to the Saline Township Data Center under specially structured contracts. The three-member commission issued the approval unanimously, attaching conditions designed to shield existing ratepayers from cost exposure and ensure grid reliability. The decision followed weeks of review, public comment, and regulatory scrutiny, and marked a pivotal milestone that enabled the project to move into active construction in Feb 2026.

Strategic Importance

The campus is part of a broader push to expand U.S. AI infrastructure, supporting both enterprise cloud operations and cutting-edge AI model training. With 1+ gigawatt of compute capacity, the Michigan site represents a key step in meeting the surging demand for AI compute resources nationally. Analysts highlight the financing as a benchmark for future giga-scale technology projects, demonstrating investor confidence in AI-driven infrastructure.

Looking Ahead

With financing nearly finalized and construction underway, the Michigan AI campus is on track to begin operations in late 2026 through 2027, positioning the state as a hub for high-performance computing and enterprise AI. The project is expected to have a lasting impact on the region’s economy, energy infrastructure, and the national AI landscape.

Beyond securing financing, the ~$16 billion Oracle‑OpenAI AI data center project in Saline Township is actively moving forward. Supporting infrastructure is also progressing: on March 27, 2026, the Michigan Public Service Commission approved DTE Electric’s 1,332 MW battery energy storage system portfolio, including 332 MW dedicated to powering the AI campus. These batteries provide contract-backed, reliable energy for the data center. While the remaining 1,000 MW strengthens grid reliability and renewable integration across Michigan.

 

Saline Township Data Center — Project Factsheet

Developers: Oracle, OpenAI, Related Digital
Financing: $16 billion

• Equity: $2 billion
• Debt: $14 billion

Location: Saline Township, Michigan
Site Size: 250+ acres
Buildings: Multiple, 550,000 sq ft each
Compute Capacity: 1+ gigawatt (AI-focused)

Milestones:

• October 2025: Project announced
• Late 2025: Regulatory approvals and utility agreements finalized
• February 2026: Vertical construction begins
• April 2026: Financing nearing completion
• 2026–2027: Expected operational start

Economic Impact:

• 2,500 construction jobs
• 450 permanent on-site positions
• 1,500 additional local economic roles

Key Features:

• LEED-certified, energy-efficient buildings
• Closed-loop cooling systems
• Environmentally sensitive land management
• Part of the U.S. national AI infrastructure expansion

Strategic Importance:

• Supports Oracle Cloud & OpenAI AI workloads
• Largest AI-focused data center in Michigan
• Benchmark for giga-scale AI infrastructure financing