South Carolina Data Center Intel

Recent South Carolina data center news

• Jun 4, 2026

  Data center developers ousted from Monterey Park as voters approve permanent ban

  Monterey Park has permanently banned data centers via Measure NDC.

  • Measure NDC approved: More than 86% of voters approved a permanent ban on data centers in Monterey Park, codifying a moratorium in effect since late January; the ban bars any new computing facilities inside city limits and can only be overturned by another citywide vote. Key local facts: city population ~62,000, a proposed 250,000-square-foot data center by HMC Capital had its application withdrawn in April.
  • Context and background: The article documents broader regional and state-level resistance — mentions a massive Box Elder County project backed by investor Kevin O’Leary, states that have introduced moratoriums or bans (Georgia, Michigan, New York, Pennsylvania, South Carolina, Vermont), and notes Maine’s legislature passed a statewide moratorium bill that was vetoed by Gov. Janet Mills.
• Jun 1, 2026

  Can Data Centers Ditch Concrete – or Just Use Less of It?

  Equinix and other operators are adopting low-carbon materials and retrofit strategies while acknowledging that mission-critical structural elements will continue to rely on conventional concrete.

  • Main action: Operators including Equinix, DataBank, and WhiteFiber are implementing low-carbon concrete mixes, mass timber for non-critical buildings (Equinix administrative building in Frankfurt; Meta admin building in Aiken County, S.C.), and retrofits (WhiteFiber NC-1 in Madison, N.C.) to reduce embodied carbon while meeting accelerated AI-driven timelines.
  • Background/details: The article documents compute densities of 50–150 kW per rack, the shift to liquid cooling increasing structural demands, the timing constraint (construction schedules compressed from years to months), and Equinix’s three-step framework: Avoid, Reduce, Scale; it also notes emerging carbon capture in cement works in several European markets as a decarbonization pathway.
• Jun 1, 2026 · Information Technology and Innovation Foundation

  Targeted Pressure: How Chinese Manufacturing Competition Impacts US States

  The Information Technology and Innovation Foundation (ITIF) has published a report finding Chinese industrial policy is reshaping global manufacturing and harming industries across every U.S. state.

  • Main finding & method: The ITIF report (June 1, 2026) analyzes one “national power industry” per state using County Business Patterns employment data, HS/SITC export proxies, and global market-share series to conclude that state-backed Chinese subsidies, export pushes, and overcapacity are driving down prices and pressuring U.S. producers in sectors such as semiconductors, batteries, aircraft, and fabricated metals.
  • Key facts, numbers, and timelines:China plans ~$150 billion in semiconductor investment through 2030 vs. $52 billion under the U.S. CHIPS funding; the report cites $63.3 billion Chinese semiconductor spending in H1 2025, TSMC’s $165 billion U.S. investment announcement, GE Appliances’ $490 million Appliance Park investment (2025), and state/national export shares and HS-code trade series used throughout the analyses.
• May 28, 2026

  Shapiro pitches sustainability, transparency requirements for data center developers

  Governor Josh Shapiro delivered detailed GRID (Governor’s Responsible Infrastructure Development) Standards that developers must satisfy to qualify for state tax benefits, representing a first public specification of requirements tied to certification and tax incentives.

  • Main announcement: The Shapiro administration proposes a certification requirement for data center developers to claim state tax benefits (including the Computer Data Center Equipment sales tax exemption) administered by the Office of Transformation and Opportunity and Department of Revenue; certified projects would be eligible for the PA Permit Fast Track Program. The proposal is presented as a new, detailed policy (first-time release of GRID standards) and would require applicants to commit tax savings to public priorities and maintain certification with audited compliance documentation. Key numeric requirements include the current sales tax exemption costing $517 million annually by 2030, a $250 million new investment commitment from applicants, at least 200 construction jobs, at least 50 permanent jobs paying at least 125% of the statewide average wage, and a payroll floor of $1.5 million annually by year four.

  • Background and implementation details: GRID applications must demonstrate plans for energy supply (build/bring/buy capacity without affecting other customers), rooftop solar provisions for projects >100,000 sq ft, progressive clean energy percentages (10% in 2027, 14.5% in 2030, 32% in 2035), community engagement (public meetings, disclosure of major tenant/operator), community benefits agreements, noise/traffic/air quality studies, and sustainability certifications (e.g., LEED or ENERGY STAR). The administration calls on the legislature to amend the Computer Data Center Equipment Exemption Program to make it part of GRID; the proposal is subject to further legislative deliberation.

• May 27, 2026

  The NextEra-Dominion Merger and the New Economics of AI Power

  NextEra Energy has announced a proposed all-stock acquisition of Dominion Energy to create the world’s largest regulated electric utility business.

  • Deal mechanics and commitments: The proposed transaction is an all-stock acquisition with Dominion shareholders receiving 0.8138 NextEra shares per Dominion share, leaving an ownership split of ~74.5% NextEra / ~25.5% Dominion. The combined company would operate under the NextEra name, serve ~10 million utility customer accounts, own 110 GW of generation capacity, and cite >130 GW of “large-load opportunities” in its pipeline. The merger proposal includes $2.25 billion in bill credits for Dominion customers (distributed over two years post-close), $10 million annually in additional charitable giving for five years, retention of dual headquarters, and employment protections for ~15,000 employees. The Virginia GS-5 large-load rate (approved Nov 2025) takes effect Jan 1, 2027.

  • Context and rationale (background facts): NextEra frames the deal as a response to AI-driven, concentrated hyperscale load growth—especially in Northern Virginia’s Data Center Alley—citing Virginia electricity consumption growth of ~3.1% annually (2019–2024) and nearly 30 million MWh added commercial sales. The announcement is a proposed merger (subject to regulatory review) intended to increase capital, generation, transmission, and grid-building capacity while drawing scrutiny over cost allocation, regulatory protections, and risk allocation for residential ratepayers and large-load customers.

• May 23, 2026

  Utilities May Get an AI Boom the Grid Wasn’t Built For

  AEP Ohio reported in a February filing that its speculative data center queue, initially exceeding 30,000 MW, fell to 5,642 MW after requiring binding financial and legal commitments under a new data center tariff (DCT).

  • Main announcement: AEP Ohio’s February filing states the DCT requirement reduced speculative queue from >30,000 MW to 5,642 MW; the utility says the remaining committed load will be used for PJM Interconnection transmission planning and that the DCT’s primary purpose was to flush out speculative and uncommitted data center load.
  • Context and supporting details: The article contrasts training vs. inference load shapes, cites Jigar Shah on differing policy levers (long-term procurement and behind-the-meter generation for training vs. flexible interconnection, interruptible tariffs, and demand response for inference), and documents ongoing efforts: EPRI, Nvidia, InfraPartners, and Prologis collaborating on a distributed compute demonstration for 5–20 MW AI sites; an E3 whitepaper warning about multi-gigawatt forecasting swings; a Duke University study finding roughly 100 GW of potentially stranded capacity if data centers curtailed 0.5% during peaks; and EPRI’s DCFlex pilots of grid-interactive data center concepts.
• May 20, 2026

  WOW! Announces Expansion in South Carolina

  WOW! announced on May 19, 2026 that it will bring fiber connections to more than 10,000 additional homes and businesses in Greenville County, South Carolina.

  • Main announcement: WOW! under CEO Frank van der Post will deploy an all-fiber internet network to more than 10,000 additional homes and businesses in Greenville County, S.C. in 2026, offering upload and download speeds up to 5 Gbps and targeting service coverage of more than 20,000 homes and businesses by fall 2026.
  • Background and implementation details: The company said the fiber offers exceptional uptime; Heather McCallion (chief experience officer) commented on the activations. WOW! also plans upgrades to its core network, fiber backbone and data transport systems across South Carolina and other U.S. service areas to increase reliability and speeds.
• May 18, 2026

  Energy Experts Discuss Implications, and Intrigue, of NextEra/Dominion Deal

  NextEra Energy announced an all-stock purchase of Dominion Energy on May 18 for about $66.8 billion, creating the world’s largest regulated utility if approved.

  • Main announcement: NextEra will acquire Dominion Energy for approximately $66.8 billion (reported also as $67 billion in some references); the deal is all-stock, would cover customers in Virginia, North Carolina, South Carolina, and Florida, and NextEra has proposed $2.25 billion in bill credits over two years for Dominion customers in Virginia and the Carolinas. The agreement requires federal and state approvals and analysts expect a regulatory review of 12–18 months.
  • Background and details: The merger is being framed around data-center and AI power demand: Dominion controls nearly 51 GW of contracted data center capacity in Northern Virginia; NextEra brings 3,800+ MW of operating battery storage, $5.5B committed through 2029, and a 32–43 GW pipeline through 2032, while the combined entity would have a 130-GW construction backlog. The article also notes Dominion’s $11.5B Coastal Virginia offshore wind project is not fully complete, references a residential rate increase of $11.24/month (Jan 2026), and Virginia law SB 253 shifting infrastructure costs toward data centers.
• May 18, 2026

  From Backup to Prime Power: How AI Data Centers Are Bypassing the Grid

  Data center developers and suppliers are increasingly adopting onsite prime power generation and expanded backup generator deployments to bypass grid connection delays.

  • Main action: Data center operators and developers are pursuing on-site prime power (backup generators and engine power plants) to bypass grid congestion and accelerate time-to-power; analysts project more than 35 GW of data center power is likely to be self-generated by 2030 (Omdia), and 27% of data centers are expected to rely entirely on onsite generation for primary power by 2030 (Bloom Energy survey). Key names: Omdia, Wärtsilä Energy, Rolls-Royce, Cummins, Applied Digital; concrete project detail: Wärtsilä supplying 282 MW via 15 × 18V50SG engines for a new Ohio data center.
  • Background and specifics: Grid constraints drive the shift—LBNL projects data centers will account for 12% of U.S. electricity demand by 2028; equipment and supplier responses include Rolls-Royce investing $75 million (Aiken, SC mtu Series 4000 production) plus $24 million expansion in Mankato, MN, Cummins’ containerized Centum Force offering, and deployment of synchronous clutches (SSS Clutch Company) to enable ancillary grid services and improve generator economics.
• May 18, 2026

  NextEra-Dominion Merger: A $67B Bet on AI Power Demand

  NextEra Energy has announced it will acquire Dominion Energy in an all-stock transaction valued at $66.8 billion, creating the world’s largest regulated electric utility and tying NextEra to Northern Virginia’s AI data center grid. The companies expect the transaction to close within 12 to 18 months.

  • Main announcement: NextEra will buy Dominion in a $66.8 billion all-stock deal, combining operations that would serve roughly 10 million customer accounts across Florida, Virginia, North Carolina, and South Carolina, own 110 GW of generation, and operate a pipeline of more than 130 GW of large-load opportunities; the combined business will draw more than 80% of revenues from regulated operations. Implementation timeline: transaction expected to close within 12–18 months, pending approvals from state utility commissions, FERC, and shareholders.
  • Background and details: The merger gives NextEra exposure to Northern Virginia’s hyperscale AI data center market and PJM Interconnection transmission issues; the article cites industry commentary that AI-driven load growth and roughly $1.4 trillion in planned U.S. utility infrastructure investment through 2030 are reshaping utility planning, and notes the companies will use large-load tariffs and scale to finance needed generation, transmission, and substations.