Massive data center plan dropped in SC after latest public outcry against projects

Stream Data Centers, a Texas-based developer, has withdrawn its proposal for a large data center in Marion County, South Carolina. The company cited "utility timing constraints" as the reason, stating that it could not secure the necessary electricity in a timely and cost-effective manner. This decision followed significant public opposition regarding the project's potential environmental impact, including groundwater usage and noise, as well as concerns about increased electricity costs for local residents. Critics also raised issues of transparency, alleging that parts of the deal were conducted behind closed doors with local officials signing non-disclosure agreements.

The Marion County project's cancellation is part of a broader trend across South Carolina, where several communities are grappling with the impacts of data center development. Residents in counties like Colleton, Newberry, and Spartanburg have voiced strong objections, leading to companies pulling projects and local governments enacting temporary moratoriums. Newberry County, for instance, reversed a pending data center approval and imposed a year-long moratorium after a public outcry, and Colleton County is planning a six-month moratorium.

State lawmakers have also engaged in discussions about implementing tighter statewide regulations for data centers, covering factors such as water demand, noise, and ensuring data center companies pay for their energy demands rather than burdening regular consumers. However, legislative proposals aimed at increasing transparency and setting environmental standards stalled in the General Assembly this year. Budgetary measures requiring water usage reporting are still pending, leaving communities vulnerable to what state Senator Shane Martin described as a "growing data center onslaught" without comprehensive statewide rules.