South Carolina Senate candidates debate data center development and proposed moratorium
Senate candidates debated data center development and its effects on local communities. One candidate described a data center plan that would impose a two-year moratorium, protect utility customers from rate increases and restore local control over development decisions.
Candidates in a Senate debate discussed concerns that data centers are being built near communities without sufficient public input. One candidate promoted a data center plan that would establish a two-year moratorium and give local communities greater authority to negotiate with technology companies over whether projects are built.
The proposal also calls for protections against data centers increasing utility bills. The debate segment framed data center development as a local issue requiring community education and control, but it did not identify a specific project, company or government action beyond the candidate's proposed plan.