After requesting large power increase, Spartanburg data center says that's been the plan all along

NorthMark, a data center developer constructing a facility on South Pine Street in Spartanburg, South Carolina, has submitted a request to the S.C. Department of Environmental Services for a permit to generate over 400 additional megawatts of power, bringing its total planned capacity to more than 450 megawatts. The company maintains that this substantial increase was always part of a pre-planned phased construction and was presented to state and county officials from the outset. This expansion has raised significant concerns from the Southern Environmental Law Center (SELC), which previously intervened to secure stronger pollution controls on NorthMark's initial 48-megawatt permit. The SELC argues that if the larger scope was known, it was not transparently communicated to the public, especially before Spartanburg County Council approved tax breaks for the project. The group fears the increased power generation will lead to considerable air pollution, far exceeding previous industrial emissions from the site. Spartanburg County Councilmember Jack Mabry, while noting that the council was less concerned about power output due to NorthMark's self-sufficient design, admitted he does not recall being informed of the exact megawattage of the planned facility. NorthMark asserts its on-site power generation will not impact the local electrical grid and has pledged to implement continuous emissions monitoring, making real-time data available to regulators.