Aiken’s famed horse country is a magnet for gas plant speculators

LS Power, a power plant developer, is actively exploring sites in Aiken, South Carolina, to build a new gas-fired power plant, sparking alarm among local residents. The proposed plant aims to supply the burgeoning electricity demands of data centers, including an $800 million Meta data center under construction and recently greenlighted data centers by Oppidan and DC BLOX in Aiken County. Landowners, such as Sue and Chuck Thoreson and Symantha and Allen Melemed, have received letters and calls from LS Power representatives offering to purchase properties, often at three times market value. Symantha Melemed, a cancer researcher and equestrian competitor, recorded a conversation with an LS Power representative who indicated the company was in a time crunch and targeting sites near an existing electrical substation off New Holland Road. The representative mentioned the need for new gas and power lines for the "actual generating station." LS Power spokesman Steven Arabia confirmed the company's "very early stages of exploring multiple sites in South Carolina, including in and around Aiken County" but stated no site or technology had been settled, nor any agreements with data centers or utilities. The news has deeply concerned Aiken's horse country residents, many of whom moved to the area for its unique equestrian culture, which dates back over a century. They fear a gas plant would be inconsistent with the area's history, current uses, and conservation easements. While Aiken County Council Chairman Gary Bunker and utility companies like Central Electric Power Cooperative and Santee Cooper stated they were unaware of or had not authorized LS Power's specific actions, the active land acquisition efforts by LS Power's representatives suggest a significant, albeit preliminary, push. Eddy Moore, decarbonization director for the Southern Alliance for Clean Energy, noted that a typical gas-fired power plant would require an initial green light from the S.C. Public Service Commission, which has not yet received an application.