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OpenAI CEO Sam Altman announces commencement of steel construction at Michigan Stargate data center site
Saturday, March 28, 2026 at 02:12 AM
Construction has officially entered the structural phase at the Michigan Stargate site, a collaborative data center infrastructure project involving OpenAI, Oracle, and Related Digital.
Context
On March 28, 2026, OpenAI CEO Sam Altman announced that steel construction has officially commenced at the Stargate data center site in Saline Township, Michigan. In a post on X, Altman stated, "The first steel beams went up this week at our Michigan Stargate site with Oracle and Related Digital," marking a critical infrastructure milestone for the project. This facility is a key component of the broader $500 billion Stargate initiative led by OpenAI, Oracle, and SoftBank to scale global AI compute capacity.
The Michigan campus, developed by Related Digital, is designed for more than 1.4 gigawatts of power capacity and is expected to create over 2,500 union construction jobs. To address environmental concerns, the site utilizes a closed-loop cooling system to minimize water consumption. DTE Energy will provide the necessary power through existing transmission capacity, supported by project-funded battery storage. This development is part of a multi-state buildout intended to reach 10 gigawatts of capacity by the end of the decade.
Sources (11)
Expanding Stargate to Michigan | OpenAIOracle is Set to Power on New Data Center in MichiganOpenAI Teams Up With Oracle and SoftBank to Build 5 New Stargate Data Centers | WIREDOpenAI's Stargate data center gets approval to receive 1.4 gigawatts of power in Michigan — some residents furious as energy company is given go-ahead by regulatory body without hearing opposition | Tom's HardwareGov. Whitmer on Stargate Announcement from OpenAI, Oracle, & Related Digital Creating Thousands of Jobs, Largest Investment in Michigan HistoryMassive data center project announced for MichiganOpenAI, Oracle and Related Digital announce Stargate data center site in Michigan | RelatedWhat the Michigan Stargate site says about today’s AI market | Latitude Media
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