SC environmental agency will hold public hearing on Spartanburg data center power request

The South Carolina Department of Environmental Services (DES) has confirmed it will hold a public hearing concerning NorthMark's application to significantly increase power generation for its data center project in Spartanburg. This decision comes after State Sen. Shane Martin (R-Spartanburg County) formally requested a hearing, citing substantial public concerns following reports by The Post and Courier. NorthMark initially announced plans for a data center in Spartanburg in April 2025, securing tax breaks from the Spartanburg County Council. The company now seeks to increase its power generation capacity from under 50 megawatts to over 450 megawatts, a move NorthMark claims was always part of a phased construction plan and known to officials. However, Senator Martin expressed worry about the expansion's impact on grid reliability, air quality, environmental factors, water usage, and potential costs to utility ratepayers, writing a letter to DES Director Myra Reece. Martin also attempted to introduce a budget provision to prevent projects from drastically expanding infrastructure and resource demands after initial presentations, though his suggestion was not adopted. The upcoming public hearing, a standard procedure when requested during the permitting process, marks a departure from NorthMark's initial 48-megawatt permit, for which no hearing was held. A timeline for the hearing has yet to be established as the application remains under review.