Getting your news
Attempting to reconnect
Finding the latest in Climate
Hang in there while we load your news feed
SC · State profile
South Carolina Data Center Intel
Latest data center news, projects, power and policy across South Carolina — updated daily.
Recent South Carolina data center news
-
Simplified Storage for SMBs with Dell PowerVault ME5
Dell promotes the PowerVault ME5 as simplified, enterprise-class storage targeted at SMBs, partners, and edge deployments.
- Main announcement: The article presents PowerVault ME5 as a storage platform that delivers enterprise-class performance, built-in data protection, plug-and-play deployment, automated tiering, and effortless scalability, citing specific models ME5212, ME5224, ME5284 and options such as dual-controller, all-flash or hybrid configurations. The piece is a product-marketing blog post by Joe Catalanotti (Primary Storage Product Marketing Manager, Dell Technologies) rather than a formal press release announcing a new launch date or pricing.
- Background and details: The blog frames ME5 for SMBs, regional service providers, VARs, and edge use cases, notes support for workloads including virtualized workloads, databases, backup repositories, departmental applications, and light AI/ML pipelines, and references Dell product portfolios (PowerVault, Unity XT, PowerStore); no pricing, sales commitments, or timelines are provided.
-
The Benefits of Amazon Investments
Amazon Web Services (AWS) announced a major data center investment and related developments in Mississippi.
- Main announcement: AWS announced a $10 billion Madison County project (Jan 2025) covering 1,700 acres across two sites, with 1,000 direct high-tech jobs averaging $80,000 annually, and 6,000–7,000 construction workers needed through 2027; AWS also announced a $3 billion investment in Warren County. The first building is coming online soon, with full construction completion targeted for 2027.
- Background and additional details: Local firms have scaled rapidly (e.g., Mighty Fresh expanding from one truck to 14 trucks and adding two more within 90 days at $150,000–$200,000 per vehicle); ABB is investing $40 million to double its Senatobia facility and add 122 jobs; direct AWS suppliers must meet $5 million–$10 million insurance minimums and other requirements; primes listed include Yates Construction, Gray Construction, Haskell, Cupertino Electric, MMR Group, Faith Technologies Inc., and Edwards Electrics.
-
CBRE’s 2026 Data Center Outlook: Demand Surges as Delivery Becomes the Constraint
CBRE announced its 2026 U.S. data center outlook and confirmed the acquisition of Pearce Services (announced November 4, 2025), positioning the firm to address power and execution constraints in large-scale data center delivery.
- Main announcement: CBRE’s outlook finds the U.S. data center market constrained by power delivery rather than land, capital, or connectivity; developers and occupiers now prioritize sites capable of supporting 300-MW-plus deliveries within 36 months, with preleasing expected in the mid-70% range and construction/interconnection timelines commonly extending 24–48 months for incremental generation or transmission upgrades.
- Acquisition and execution detail: CBRE acquired Pearce Services (announced Nov 4, 2025) for approximately $1.2 billion in cash plus an earn-out up to $115 million; Pearce is forecast to generate > $660 million revenue and > $90 million EBITDA in 2026, and CBRE expects to produce > $350 million of Core EBITDA from its digital and power infrastructure services businesses in 2026; financial advisors included J.P. Morgan Securities and Wells Fargo, with legal advisers Sullivan & Cromwell (CBRE) and Ropes & Gray (Pearce/New Mountain Capital).
-
Vertical integration improves capital efficiencies through scale, stability, goal alignment
EQT Corp announced it achieved net zero Scope 1 and Scope 2 for its upstream operations in 2024.
- Operational and decarbonization actions: EQT reports net zero (Scope 1 & 2) in 2024, a 100% electric frac fleet, replacement of more than 8,000 natural gas pneumatic devices completed in under 18 months, and participation in nearly 15,000 aerial surveys over 20,500 square miles via the Appalachia Methane Initiative.
- Integration, investments and synergies: After acquiring Equitrans EQT became a vertically integrated operator, actively developing ~1.5 million lateral feet/year, underwrote nearly $20 billion in deals over six years, realized $60 million in capital synergies this past year with $250 million anticipated over the next few years, and is an equity investor in Context Labs (working with KPMG) for carbon accounting and verification.
-
Can Trump’s coal comeback last? Experts say no
The Department of Energy has issued emergency orders delaying retirements of multiple coal-fired power plants and the Trump administration has issued an April executive order promoting coal to meet rising electricity demand from AI data centers.
- DOE emergency orders: Chris Wright has issued emergency orders delaying retirement of at least five of the 11 plants slated for closure, renewing them every 90 days; under these orders, plant operators can seek FERC approval to recover costs from customers, with examples such as the J.H. Campbell plant’s expenses being spread across millions of Midwest ratepayers.
- Context & impacts: Analysts estimate keeping slated plants open through 2028 could cost ratepayers up to $6 billion, on top of a $6 billion increase in coal-fired generation costs from 2021–2024; roughly 25 gigawatts of aging coal capacity may continue operating to meet data center demand through 2030, while the EPA and Interior Department actions have eased pollution constraints and opened lands to mining.
-
Cleanstar National Inc Expands Critical Environment Cleaning Operations Across the Southeast
Cleanstar National Inc has announced expansion of its specialized critical environment cleaning operations across the Southeastern United States.
- Expansion scope: Cleanstar National Inc is expanding operations across Georgia, Alabama, Florida, South Carolina, North Carolina, and Tennessee to support data centers, healthcare campuses, higher education, industrial facilities, and construction projects; the company cites more than 30 years of experience and a self-performing workforce of over 700 E-Verified professionals and offers audit-ready protocols aligned with EPA, ISO 14644, GMP, OSHA, IICRC, and IJCSA.
- Operational details and background: The company is founder-led since 1995, operates a fully self-performing model with zero outsourcing, provides 24/7 emergency response, and will deliver standardized, compliance-first cleaning services to support multi-site portfolios and regional developments from its Metro Atlanta headquarters.
-
Emerging Data Center Markets: Key Locations to Watch in 2026
Cushman & Wakefield reports that power and land constraints in major U.S. data center hubs are driving operators to consider secondary and tertiary markets.
- Main announcement: Cushman & Wakefield finds power and land constraints in primary hubs (Northern Virginia, Phoenix, Dallas-Fort Worth, Chicago, Atlanta, Portland/Eastern Oregon) are shifting site selection toward secondary/tertiary markets; highlights include OpenAI’s Stargate (~$100 billion) and Vantage Frontier (~$25+ billion) as large upcoming projects.
- Details/background: Regions such as Pennsylvania, the Carolinas, Central Washington, New Jersey, and Massachusetts are offering economic incentives, faster approvals, and flexible regulatory frameworks; Central Washington offers low-cost hydro power enabling 100% renewable operation but is also facing power constraints.
-
Environmental groups protest proposed natural gas power plant near Edisto River
Dominion Energy has proposed building the Canadys Station natural gas power plant on the retired coal site in Colleton County, South Carolina.
- Main announcement: Dominion Energy proposes the Canadys Station natural gas plant on the retired coal-fired site ~40 miles northwest of Charleston in Colleton County; the company states the site was chosen for its established footprint, strong transmission connectivity, and that the facility would use advanced air-cooling and about 90 percent less water than the retired coal plant. The project includes a planned pipeline to supply natural gas that protesters say would run near the ACE Basin. The South Carolina Public Service Commission is expected to issue a final decision on April 14.
- Background and other details: Local environmental groups (including the Charleston Climate Coalition) protested outside Dominion Energy headquarters, citing pollution, health risks (residents have experienced higher rates of asthma and cancer) and threats to downstream drinking water and protected lands. Activists say the plant could operate 30 to 40 years and questioned whether it is intended to meet data center demand; Dominion disputes attributing the need to data centers and says a proposed Colleton County data center is not in its service area.
-
Engineering and Construction Firm Names New Operations Chief and Phoenix-Based Semiconductor VP
Fluor Corporation announced two strategic leadership appointments: John Palmer as Senior Vice President of Operations for Advanced Technologies and Denis Bacon as Vice President of Semiconductors.
- Appointments: John Palmer named Senior Vice President of Operations for Advanced Technologies (based in Greenville, South Carolina) and Denis Bacon named Vice President of Semiconductors (based in Phoenix, AZ); reporting line: Bacon will report to Palmer. Scope: Palmer will lead Fluor’s global data center, semiconductor, and advanced manufacturing portfolio and drive strategic growth and operational excellence.
- Experience and focus: Palmer has engineering and construction experience across semiconductor facilities, data centers, flat panel display and photovoltaic manufacturing, consumer electronics, life sciences and advanced automotive manufacturing with assignments in Europe and Asia; Bacon brings more than 25 years of global project delivery and design/build execution experience and will focus on strengthening Fluor’s semiconductor market strategies and project delivery capabilities.
-
Data Center Jobs: Engineering, Construction, Commissioning, Sales, Field Service and Facility Tech Jobs Available in Major Data Center Hotspots
Data Center Frontier, in partnership with Pkaza Critical Facilities Recruiting, published a monthly roundup of current data center job openings on its jobs board.
- Monthly jobs roundup: The post lists roughly 15–18 open roles (examples: Data Center Facility Technician, Electrical Commissioning Engineer, Construction Project Manager, Senior Electrical Engineer, Production Architect, Strategic Sales Account Manager, Mechanical Engineer, Site Selection Manager/Director/VP, Electrical Project Manager, Electrical Superintendent, Project Executive, MEP Construction Project Manager, Mechanical Commissioning Engineer, Engineering Design Director, Navy Nuke Facility Technician) with locations across the United States including Impact, TX; Ashburn, VA; Dallas, TX; Atlanta, GA; Reading, PA; Allentown, PA; Charlotte, NC; New Albany, OH; Lyndhurst, NJ; Boulder, CO; Richmond, VA; Austin, TX.
- Role and employer context: Positions are listed with mission-critical data center providers, engineering design and commissioning firms, A/E/C architecture firms, equipment rental providers, electrical contractors and general contractors; listings repeatedly cite energy efficiency, sustainable design, and AI infrastructure support, and several technician roles explicitly note acceptance of Navy Nuke / military veterans.