University Claims Withholding Water From Nuclear Weapons Data Center Is ‘Unlawfully Discriminatory’ to Data Centers

University Claims Withholding Water From Nuclear Weapons Data Center Is ‘Unlawfully Discriminatory’ to Data Centers

The University of Michigan has sent a legal threat over a yearlong pause that would prevent water hookup to a proposed nuclear weapons research and AI data center. Los Alamos National Laboratory and the University of Michigan are looking to build a $1.2 billion, 220,000 square foot data center in Ypsilanti Township. On April 22, the Ypsilanti Community Utility Authority (YCUA) passed a 365-day moratorium on the delivery of water to hyperscale data centers in the area while it conducted environmental sustainability and long-term water use studies.

Luther Blackburn, YCUA’s executive director, told 404 Media: “YCUA staff are working on a Request for Proposal to complete the investigations and studies outlined in the moratorium. I believe YCUA has acted lawfully and in accordance with industry best practices by issuing the moratorium.”

University’s Legal Threat

The University objects to any such sector-specific moratorium which would be legally invalid because, among other defects, it would be unrelated to any documented utility or public health needs. As a threshold matter, a moratorium on utility service is permissible only when linked to legitimate utility considerations such as documented capacity constraints, public health issues, or genuine financing challenges.

YCUA’s Response

The University argued that the courts would not support Ypsilanti’s moratorium and claimed there was plenty of water. “The record contains no evidence supporting any such YCUA capacity constraint,” the letter said, “To the contrary, YCUA’s leadership has publicly stated that serving the University’s proposed facility would not affect the authority’s ability to provide or treat water.”

Data Center Impact

In addition, YCUA leadership has stated that serving the University’s project would likely help mitigate overall utility costs by improving efficiency and cost distribution.

University’s Demand for Relief

“The University respectfully requests that YCUA refuse to issue any sector-specific moratorium, instead basing any service decisions on documented utility factors, applied evenhandedly through existing permitting and technical review processes. If these legal requirements are not followed by YCUA, the University reserves the right to pursue all rights and claims for necessary relief.”

The University of Michigan did not return 404 Media’s request for comment.

Data centers arewidely unpopular in the United States, often causing noise pollution, affecting water quality, and driving up utility bills for their neighbors. Local opposition to the Ypsilanti Township data center has been compounded by its connection to America’s nuclear weapons industry.

Key Takeaways

• The University of Michigan has sent a legal threat to the Ypsilanti Community Utility Authority (YCUA) over a yearlong water hookup pause for its proposed nuclear weapons research and AI data center.
• The moratorium was passed by the YCUA on April 22, with concerns about potential capacity constraints and public health issues.
• The University of Michigan argues that the moratorium is unlawful and discriminatory against data centers, claiming it lacks a legitimate utility or public health basis.