South Carolina Counties Consider, Enact Data Center Moratoriums
At least 15 counties in South Carolina have proposed or passed temporary moratoriums on data center development, driven by resident pushback and the absence of statewide regulations. Local governments, including Newberry and Fairfield counties, are using these pauses to study the potential impacts of data centers on energy, environment, and water resources. This trend comes as the state lacks comprehensive data center policies, while projects like Meta's in Aiken County and NorthMark's in Spartanburg County continue to advance.
A significant number of South Carolina counties are implementing or considering temporary moratoriums on data center development, largely in response to public opposition and the lack of comprehensive statewide regulatory frameworks. An analysis of media reports and council agendas indicates at least 15 counties have taken such actions, a notable increase from earlier in the summer.
These local government initiatives, including those by Newberry and Fairfield County Councils, are primarily intended to allow time for comprehensive studies into the cumulative impacts of data centers on energy resources, the environment, water supply, health, and housing prices. Mount Pleasant, a municipality within Charleston County, has also begun exploring a data center moratorium. This local-level action follows the stalling of multiple data center regulation proposals in the South Carolina General Assembly, although a one-year water reporting requirement for data centers was passed in the state's budget.
Despite the growing local pushback, South Carolina continues to attract data center investments, with at least 20 projects planned or operational. Notable developments include a large Meta data center under construction in Aiken County, expected to consume 200 megawatts of power, and NorthMark's $2.8 billion project in Spartanburg County, which includes 450 megawatts of natural gas generation. Smaller facilities, such as a DartPoints data center in Columbia, also operate in the state.
South Carolina was recently ranked among the top 10 states best positioned for artificial intelligence data center deals by CNBC, citing factors like site availability, water resources, and competitive electric rates. This attractiveness exists even as local governments grapple with how to manage the infrastructure's rapid expansion.