Another Upstate county puts temporary hold on data center applications
Anderson County, South Carolina, approved a six-month moratorium on data center applications to allow time for the county to develop regulations. This decision was made amidst concerns about potential negative impacts on the county's power grid, water supply, and local infrastructure, and in anticipation of renewed state legislative efforts to regulate data centers. The county intends to conduct a comprehensive study and update its zoning regulations during this period.
Anderson County, South Carolina, has enacted a six-month moratorium on data center applications, a move approved by the county council earlier this week. The decision aims to provide the county with time to develop comprehensive regulations for data center development, addressing concerns about potential strains on the local power grid, water supply, and infrastructure, as well as impacts on neighboring properties.
Councilmembers cited a current lack of adequate zoning regulations to manage the scale and effects of data centers, necessitating a detailed study during the moratorium period. The temporary halt aligns with broader efforts in South Carolina, as evidenced by two state House Bills, H.5286 and H.5526, introduced earlier this year to implement a statewide data center moratorium. Although these bills did not pass committee, they are expected to be reintroduced in the next legislative session.
The moratorium in Anderson County may be extended but will not go beyond December 31, 2027. Anderson County joins several other South Carolina counties, including Chester, Greenwood, Newberry, and York, that have also implemented similar temporary bans on data center applications.