University Claims Withholding Water From Nuclear Weapons Data Center Is ‘Unlawfully Discriminatory’ to Data Centers
The University of Michigan has threatened legal action over a year-long 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.
As first reported by MLive, the University hand-delivered and emailed a legal threat to the YCUA on April 21, the day before it was to vote on the proposed water moratorium. According to a copy of the letter obtained by 404 Media, the university feels the moratorium is “unlawfully discriminatory” against data centers and promised to pursue “all rights and claims for relief” if its demands weren’t met.
Key Takeaways
- The University of Michigan has threatened legal action over a year-long water ban on a proposed nuclear weapons research and AI data center in Ypsilanti Township.
- The Ypsilanti Community Utility Authority (YCUA) had initially passed a 365-day moratorium on the delivery of water to hyperscale data centers in the area while conducting environmental sustainability and long-term water use studies.
- The University of Michigan claims that the moratorium is “unlawfully discriminatory” against data centers, citing various legal precedents and arguing that it has ample capacity for such facilities.
Luther Blackburn, YCUA’s executive director, confirmed receipt of a legal communication from the university but declined to comment on potential or pending litigation. The University argues that the moratorium is “unlawfully discriminatory” due to its sector-specific nature and lack of documented utility or public health needs.
The letter also highlights the capacity of Ypsilanti’s water supply, stating that it has enough water to accommodate the proposed data center without affecting other users. It further claims that adding the data center would help mitigate overall costs by improving efficiency and cost distribution.
Originally published at 404media.co. Curated by AI Maestro.
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