Records: Land in Richmond County sold to data center company
Digital Hamlet LP, linked to Digital Realty, purchased over 400 acres in Richmond County, NC, for a potential data center. This development coincides with active opposition and regulatory scrutiny over Amazon's existing data center project in the same county, focusing on electricity costs and water usage. State officials are pushing Duke Energy to ensure data centers bear their full energy costs to protect ratepayers.
A company identified as Digital Hamlet LP, whose mailing address aligns with data center giant Digital Realty, has purchased 403.82 acres of land north of Hamlet in Richmond County, North Carolina, according to county GIS records from July 23. This acquisition suggests another major data center development is being considered for the area. Richmond County Economic Developer Martie Butler confirmed the county became aware of the private land sale through tax office records, noting it was not facilitated by county staff.
Meanwhile, Amazon's existing $10 billion multi-building data center complex, currently under construction in the Energy Way Industrial Park in the same county, continues to face significant public scrutiny and opposition. The N.C. Department of Environmental Quality is holding a public hearing on July 30 for air quality permits related to generators for Amazon's site, coinciding with a planned protest outside the courthouse. Petitions on Change.org and MoveOn.org have gathered signatures, with opponents primarily concerned about rising electricity bills and water usage associated with data centers.
North Carolina Attorney General Jeff Jackson and Governor Josh Stein have publicly challenged Duke Energy to make a legally binding commitment to the North Carolina Utilities Commission regarding the "Ratepayer Protection Pledge." This pledge, which Duke Energy joined on July 23, aims to prevent the costs of data center energy consumption from being shifted onto residential ratepayers. Both officials advocate for a "legally binding large load tariff" to ensure data centers pay their full freight for generation. Amazon, for its part, states that its Richmond County project will utilize existing surplus water capacity, generating new revenue for the county's water and sewer operations without additional cost to ratepayers.