The disclosure and our analysis
Evidence dates
Evidence: Michigan Public Service Commission news release, October 1, 2026 (Case No. U-22058); DTE Energy investor presentation furnished to the SEC on September 28, 2026; Michigan Attorney General release, June 11, 2026.
What the Commission approved
On October 1, 2026, the MPSC approved two special contracts between DTE Electric and Google LLC for electric service to a data center in Van Buren Township, Wayne County. The Commission says the approval is conditioned on protections meant to keep other DTE customers from bearing the project's costs. [Source 1]
The first is a primary supply agreement covering the terms of electric service. According to the Commission, it includes: [Source 1]
A 20-year term, compared with the 5-year contracts normally required under DTE's large-load D11 rate.
A minimum billing demand of 80% of contracted electric use, compared with 50% to 65% under the general D11 rate.
An early termination payment that requires Google to pay at least 15 years of minimum monthly charges if it cancels early.
Credit and collateral requirements to cover costs if Google stops operating the data center sooner than planned.
The second is a clean capacity accelerator agreement. Under it, Google pays for DTE to develop up to 1,600 MW of renewable energy and 480 MW of battery energy storage to serve the data center. DTE will develop, own and operate those resources. Those are generation and storage capacity figures, not data center load or IT capacity. [Source 1]
According to DTE, the data center is expected to begin taking service in December 2027, with maximum load reached by December 2028. DTE contends the contracts will produce a $1.7 billion benefit to other customers over the 20-year term because Google pays fixed costs that benefit the grid. That is DTE's estimate as described by the Commission. [Source 1]
The Commission notes that its authority covers only the terms of utility service. It has no authority over whether or where a data center locates. [Source 1]
How this connects to earlier disclosures
DTE told investors on September 28, 2026 that the Google contracts covered 1 GW of data center load and were still in the MPSC approval process. DTE did not state whether that figure is peak demand, contract demand or IT load. The Commission release does not give a load figure. [Source 2] [Source 4]
In June 2026 testimony, the Michigan Attorney General recommended raising Google's minimum monthly charge from 80% to no lower than 90% of anticipated demand, and raising exit fees. The approved contract terms described by the Commission keep the minimum billing demand at 80%. [Source 1] [Source 3]
Buyer analysis
This is our analysis.
**This is a single-customer utility contract, not colocation supply.** The approval settles the power terms for a Google campus. None of the reviewed sources describes capacity offered to other buyers.
**The terms are a template for Michigan large loads.** A 20-year term, an 80% minimum bill, a 15-year termination floor and collateral are now approved terms for one hyperscale load in DTE territory. Operators and developers planning large Michigan loads should expect DTE to ask for similar commitments. Smaller colocation tenants may see those costs reflected in provider contracts.
**Timing matters for the region.** Service is expected to start in December 2027 and ramp to maximum load by December 2028, per DTE. Buyers weighing Detroit area capacity in that window should ask providers how their own utility delivery dates fit alongside the Oracle and Google ramps.
