Spartanburg data center pushback continues
A data center project in Spartanburg County, South Carolina, developed by Northmark Strategies, is generating concern over its plan to produce 450 megawatts of electricity using natural gas turbines. Environmental and citizens groups are pushing back due to air pollution worries, although the Public Service Commission has ruled the company does not face the same regulatory process as traditional power plants.
Northmark Strategies is developing a data center in Spartanburg County, South Carolina, that has become a point of contention due to its ambitious plan to generate its own power. Initially, the company projected a need for 50 megawatts, but this figure has drastically increased to 450 megawatts of on-site natural gas-fired generators.
Environmental and citizens groups have voiced strong concerns regarding potential air pollution from these generators, leading to ongoing pushback against the project. Despite these concerns, the Public Service Commission recently ruled that the data center company is not subject to the same stringent regulatory process as traditional power plants in the state, requiring only an environmental review process. This decision has implications for how future data center power generation projects might be regulated in South Carolina.