Panattoni Project Cannoli data center, Van Buren Charter Township, Michigan

Panattoni Development Co. proposed Project Cannoli, a 1-gigawatt data center, for a site north of I-94 between Haggerty Road and I-275 in Van Buren Township, in Wayne County, Michigan. On March 17, 2026 Google confirmed it was the company behind it. The facility would be 800,000 square feet on 282 acres and use around 2 million to 3.6 million gallons of water a day, according to the township, and DTE says it would begin taking service in December 2027, “with max load being achieved by December 2028.”

Google announced the project alongside a DTE Energy deal for 2.7 gigawatts of new solar and storage resources. It said existing customers would see nearly $1.7 billion in affordability benefits, and pledged $10 million for energy affordability work in Michigan communities. Michigan attorney general Dana Nessel said Google had "obviously learned a lesson from the Oracle/Open AI boondoggle", referring to the fast-tracked approvals given to the Saline Township campus.

The township planning commission gave preliminary site plan approval on February 11, 2026, and approved the DTE and ITC substation and switching station on the site in May after a five-hour meeting. “Our job is not to debate the moral aspects of whether you think AI is a good thing or bad thing,” planning commissioner Jeff Jahr said. Commissioner Jackson Pahle's motion to deny the substation failed: “I'm still concerned about the burden placed on nearby residents through cumulative community and environmental impacts as well as infrastructure strain.” Nearly 1,700 people have signed a petition against the data center.

Residents planned a protest outside the township hall on January 14, 2026, when they still did not know who the customer was. Sanjay Singh, who lives in the township, told Planet Detroit that “the general community sentiment is currently a resounding 'no,'” adding: “If the township only receives standard water/sewer fees and basic property tax, this is a waste of land.” The objections were that the outreach had been inadequate, that a gigawatt would strain local utilities, and that residents already dealing with higher bills and outages would carry the cost. The township has approved a $125 million local tax break for the project, which Supervisor Kevin McNamara defends as leverage for requirements on landscaping, water use and noise.

Because the data center is a use by right under township zoning, officials say the planning commission must approve the final site plan if it complies with the ordinance. That vote, pushed back from August 26, is likely on October 14, 2026, according to township municipal services director Ron Akers. The Michigan Public Service Commission decides whether to approve the DTE energy contracts with Google.