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South Carolina Data Centers Face Local Resistance
Coverage from The Island Packet, WSPA 7News, and others
South Carolina is encouraging large data center projects through site-readiness funding and economic development incentives, while residents, counties, and some elected officials seek pauses or stricter oversight.
Proposed and active projects in Spartanburg, Colleton, Aiken, Berkeley, Dorchester, Gaffney, and Rock Hill have brought concerns about electricity demand, water use, noise, land use, emissions, and limited permanent employment. At least nine counties have proposed or enacted temporary moratoriums as officials develop local rules, while manufacturers such as EPC Power are expanding in the state to supply grid and data center power equipment.
The story now includes a clearer, more specific map of where the biggest projects are and adds evidence that South Carolina's data center buildout is being paired with related industrial expansion. The regulatory picture is still fragmented, but the current version emphasizes local rulemaking and active litigation more than the prior one.
The story has broadened from a mostly legislative debate into a fuller statewide development picture: South Carolina is now actively attracting major data center investment even as counties impose moratoriums and legal challenges multiply. The new version also adds concrete project examples, state incentives, and related industrial activity tied to the sector.