What Virginia’s data center boom could teach Spartanburg
Spartanburg County officials visited Loudoun County, Virginia, to study the benefits and tradeoffs of large-scale data center development as local controversy continues over projects by TigerDC and Valara Holdings. Residents have raised concerns about noise, land use, electricity, air pollution and transparency, while county officials are considering stronger setbacks and other protections for future facilities.
Spartanburg County Council members and administrators traveled to Loudoun County, Virginia, to learn from the region with the world’s largest concentration of data centers. Council members Monier Abusaft and Paul Abbott said the visit highlighted the importance of siting facilities away from homes and rural areas, establishing adequate buffers and setbacks, and weighing tax revenue and jobs against infrastructure and community impacts.
The discussion comes amid opposition to data center development in Spartanburg County. The council rejected a proposed tax incentive package for TigerDC’s $3 billion Project Spero after residents raised concerns about energy use, noise and environmental effects. Valara Holdings’ data center campus on South Pine Street is under construction and faces opposition tied in part to a planned 450-megawatt natural-gas power plant. The county council also voted to ask the South Carolina Department of Environmental Services to add an air-quality monitoring station, while officials continue examining land-use rules and protections for future projects.