The Great Lakes region is in the midst of a seismic energy shakeup, from skyrocketing data center demand and a nuclear energy boom, to expanding renewables and electrification. In 2026, the Great Lakes News Collaborative is exploring how shifting supply and demand affect the region and its waters.

This story is part of the Great Lakes News Collaborative‘s latest series on rising energy demand and the future of the Great Lakes

The collaborative’s five newsrooms — Bridge Michigan, Circle of Blue, Great Lakes Now, Michigan Public and The Narwhal — are funded by the Charles Stewart Mott Foundation.

Consumers Warns Michigan: Dams Could be Torn Down Unless Utility Sells Them

This story is part of a Great Lakes News Collaborative series called Shockwave: Rising energy demand and the future of the Great Lakes. The Great Lakes region is in the midst of a seismic energy shakeup, from skyrocketing data center demand and a nuclear energy boom, to expanding renewables and electrification. In 2026, the Great Lakes News Collaborative will explore…

by Kelly House

Small modular reactors, big dreams: Ontario’s nuclear pitch

With the first SMR in North America being built at the Darlington nuclear site, the province is testing new ground to meet future power demand

This story is part of a series called Shockwave: Rising energy demand and the future of the Great Lakes. The Great Lakes region is in the midst of a seismic energy shakeup, from skyrocketing data center demand and a nuclear energy boom, to expanding renewables and electrification. In 2026, the Great Lakes News Collaborative will explore how shifting supply and…

by Fatima Syed