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

Michigan Senate Candidate Unveils 'Terms of Engagement' for Data Centers, Demanding Transparency and Accountability.

Abdul El-Sayed, a progressive Democrat running in the 2026 Senate primary, has released what he calls "terms of engagement" aimed at protecting Michigan communities from the negative impacts of large-scale data center projects. At least 15 data center proposals have been submitted across the state in the past year, including a massive 1.4-gigawatt facility tied to Oracle and OpenAI.

El-Sayed's campaign argues that utility companies are pushing for rapid approvals without adequate oversight, while residents face rising energy bills and reliability issues. The former Detroit health director and Wayne County health executive has built his Senate run around challenging corporate power and prioritizing public health, affordability, and environmental protection.

Under El-Sayed's framework, data center projects would be required to meet a series of conditions before receiving approval, including:

* No rate hikes for residential ratepayers
* Community transparency and involvement in approvals
* Energy reliability guarantees to improve grid stability
* Jobs guarantees with penalties for failed promises
* Water protection using closed-loop cooling systems
* Community benefits agreements with tangible benefits
* Bar on clean-energy loopholes
* Enforceability of all commitments

El-Sayed's campaign emphasizes that he has never taken campaign contributions from utility companies that could benefit from rapid data center expansion. His opponents, U.S. Rep. Haley Stevens and state Sen. Mallory McMorrow, have supported tax exemptions for data center development without enforceable protections.

The "Our Communities, Our Terms" policy is part of a broader push by El-Sayed to ensure large infrastructure projects deliver measurable benefits to the communities that host them.

omg I'm so down for this ! as someone who's always worried about big corporations getting away with exploiting our environment and local communities, it's amazing to see Abdul El-Sayed taking a stand like this. his 'terms of engagement' policy seems super reasonable - I mean, who wouldn't want transparency and accountability when it comes to something as huge as data centers? especially considering how much energy they consume, it's crazy that utility companies are just pushing for fast approvals without thinking about the long-term effects on our grid stability. let's hope El-Sayed's campaign can make a real difference in Michigan and beyond!

omg u guys can u even believe this?? abdul el-sayed is like literally fighting for the future of michigan!!! his "terms of engagement" policy is everything i need and more!!! transparency, accountability, community involvement... it's like he's talking directly to our souls i mean how many ppl are actually looking out for us? our senator should be working for us not just the corporations that want to exploit us plus its so refreshing to see someone with actual plans and not just empty promises anyone else following this campaign??

omg i think its about time someone puts pressure on these big corps! 15 data centers in one year? that's crazy talk! our community needs more transparency, not less. el-sayed is trying to hold utility companies accountable and protect our wallets from rising energy bills . his 'terms of engagement' policy seems pretty reasonable to me, like who doesn't want a say in how their own community is run? and those energy reliability guarantees sound like a must-have to me . lets keep supporting el-sayed's campaign and give the people what they deserve - fair treatment and transparency!

just read about this new senate candidate in michigan and his proposal sounds like common sense lol how many times have we seen these massive data center projects come through without anyone questioning their impact on the environment or local energy bills? at least someone's trying to hold utility companies accountable for once, but idk if it's gonna be enough considering some of the big players involved

Yaaas , I'm low-key obsessed with Abdul El-Sayed's 'Terms of Engagement' for data centers!!! He's all about keepin' it real and makin' sure utility companies don't just rush through approvals without thinkin' about the people, you feel? It's like, we gotta make sure our energy bills aren't goin' up because of some big corporation movin' in and gettin' special treatment .

I love that he's got all these conditions laid out to protect our communities - from water protection to community benefits agreements. It's like, we deserve better than just empty promises ! And it's dope that his campaign is transparent about no takin' campaign cash from utility companies ...he's keepin' it 100.

This 'Our Communities, Our Terms' policy is like the ultimate flex . He's not just talkin' the talk, he's walkin' the walk. I'm totally on board with this, and I think we should be too . It's time for some real accountability in Michigan !

I don’t usually comment but I think it’s crazy how much power utility companies have over our politicians in Michigan . It's like they're getting away with murder (or at least, a serious disruption of our energy grid) without any real oversight. El-Sayed's "terms of engagement" seems like a step in the right direction, though - I mean, who doesn't want their community to have a say in what gets built on their land? The idea of jobs guarantees and community benefits agreements is also super cool . It's about time we start holding these big corporations accountable for their actions!

I think it's awesome that Abdul El-Sayed is taking on this issue . As someone who cares about the environment and public health, it's super important that we have regulations in place to protect Michigan communities from the negative impacts of big data center projects. I mean, can you imagine having a massive 1.4-gigawatt facility just popping up anywhere and causing all sorts of problems? It sounds like El-Sayed is on the right track with his "terms of engagement" policy .

The fact that he's pushing for transparency and accountability from utility companies and data center developers is really refreshing . And I love how he's emphasizing community involvement and benefits agreements - it's all about making sure that these projects actually benefit the people living in those communities, not just the corporations behind them .

It'll be interesting to see how this plays out in the Senate primary and beyond . But for now, kudos to El-Sayed for taking on this tough issue and proposing some really sensible solutions .

I think it's awesome that Abdul El-Sayed is taking on the big corporations and advocating for transparency in data center development . As someone who's already feeling the pinch of rising energy bills, it's refreshing to see a candidate who's not afraid to speak up and demand accountability . The idea of community benefits agreements with tangible benefits sounds like a game-changer for Michigan residents . It's about time we start putting people over profits and ensuring that our communities thrive alongside big business . Can't wait to see how this policy plays out in the 2026 Senate primary!

I gotta say, I'm loving this move from Abdul El-Sayed . As someone who's always been concerned about the environmental impact of tech giants, it's refreshing to see a candidate standing up for community rights and holding big corps accountable . I mean, think about it, we're talking about massive data centers that'll be siphoning off our energy resources and putting pressure on the grid... but what are we getting in return? A bunch of empty promises and vague commitments from utility companies? No way, José! El-Sayed's "terms of engagement" are a game-changer. It's about time we start prioritizing people over profits and making sure these data center projects deliver tangible benefits to our communities .

omg can u believe this?! Abdul El-Sayed is like a breath of fresh air in politics! he's actually putting people and planet over profits and demanding transparency from these big corps? like, about time! data centers are everywhere now and it's all about who gets to control the energy market but El-Sayed's got some solid ideas. community benefits agreements, water protection, and jobs guarantees? that sounds like a fair deal to me and btw, how come his opponents are just gonna let utility companies walk all over Michigan communities without any oversight?

I'm loving this new initiative from Abdul El-Sayed ! As someone who's been following the data center boom in Michigan, it's crazy how many people are still left in the dark about what these massive facilities actually mean for our community . El-Sayed's 'Terms of Engagement' is exactly what we need - a way to level the playing field and make sure that utility companies aren't just pushing for more profits without caring about the impact on residents .

I'm all for community transparency and involvement in approvals, it's time we take back control of our energy future . And those jobs guarantees with penalties? Absolutely necessary! We need to know that companies are going to follow through on their promises or face consequences .

I'm curious to see how this policy will play out in the 2026 Senate primary, but I'm already impressed by El-Sayed's commitment to putting people over profits . Bring it on, I'm all for change!

I'm low-key stoked about Abdul El-Sayed's "Terms of Engagement" for data centers ... I mean, can you believe he's actually proposing some real accountability measures? Like, no more hiding behind corporate speak and environmental loopholes . His plan makes sense – transparency, community involvement, and actual jobs guarantees are the way to go! But what I'm really rooting for is the part where he's pushing back on those big utility companies . We need someone who's gonna stand up for the people, not just the fat cats profiting off our energy bills . And I gotta give him props for being upfront about taking no campaign cash from utilities – that takes guts! Still, it's all about how it gets implemented and if he actually sticks to his promises .

I'm low-key impressed with Abdul El-Sayed's 'Terms of Engagement' plan for data centers . It seems like he's actually putting people over profits, and I love that . The fact that his campaign has never taken money from utility companies is a major win in my book . I'm also excited to see the emphasis on community transparency and involvement - it's time for us to take back control of our communities . Let's hope the other candidates step up their game too

I'm telling you, something fishy's going on here . This whole thing about Abdul El-Sayed's "Terms of Engagement" for data centers sounds like it's trying to distract us from the real issue: control . I mean, think about it – he's not taking any campaign contributions from the utility companies that stand to gain from these massive data center projects? That's just too good to be true . And what about all those conditions he's laying out for approval? It sounds like a bunch of PR spin to me. You gotta wonder if there's more to this story than meets the eye . Mark my words, this is just the tip of the iceberg ...

I'm thinkin' it's about time someone stood up to these big corps and their data center plans . I mean, what's wrong with havin' some transparency and accountability, right? These utility companies are always pushin' for fast approvals without considerin' the impact on regular folks. It's all about the benjamins, not about doin' what's best for the community. El-Sayed's got some decent ideas goin' on with his "terms of engagement" – job guarantees, water protection, and community benefits agreements are all good stuff . We should be lookin' out for ourselves, not just our wallets . It's like my grandma used to say, 'You can't put a price on your community!'

The new senator candidate's "terms of engagement" sounds like a solid plan to protect Michigan communities from data center projects . I'm all for transparency and accountability, especially when it comes to big corps influencing policy . It's about time we make sure utility companies aren't just pushing for fast approvals without considering the impact on residents . The jobs guarantee and community benefits agreement ideas are also super smart moves . Can't wait to see how this plays out in 2026 !

I think its dope that Abdul El-Sayed is pushing for transparency and accountability with his 'Terms of Engagement' . As someone who's always been concerned about the environmental impact of big tech companies, I'm loving this move . It makes sense to me that he wants to make sure utility companies aren't just rushing through approvals without checking in with the community first . I also appreciate how he's prioritizing public health and affordability - it's all about finding a balance between progress and people, you know? Anyway, I'm keeping an eye on this one...