A proposed data center campus spanning 860 acres in South Carolina's Lowcountry region could become the state's first gigawatt-scale facility if approved. The $6 billion project has generated significant debate among local residents and officials.
Community Opposition Emerges
During a Thursday meeting at the Colleton County civic center, numerous opponents expressed concerns about the development's potential impacts. The gathering, which lasted three hours, became heated at times with participants chanting and interrupting proceedings.
"The AI race that our country is in with other countries around the world is real," stated Ken Loeber, co-founder of Eagle Rock Partners, the Charlotte-based firm proposing the development.
Only Loeber spoke in support of the project during the session, while opponents included environmental activists, a state senator, and a Democratic gubernatorial candidate.
Environmental Concerns Take Center Stage
A primary concern involves the campus's proximity to the ACE Basin, a 350,000-acre undeveloped estuary system. This protected area supports nine federally endangered species, including peregrine falcons and leatherback turtles, along with six threatened species and 30 state-protected species.
"The most significant conservation achievement in the state of South Carolina, I'd dare say on the entire East Coast, is the protection of the ACE Basin," said state Sen. Chip Campsen, R-Isle of Palms, addressing county zoning board members.
Water usage represents another major concern, with the Ashepoo River located approximately six miles south of the proposed site. Residents worry about potential impacts on local water resources they depend on for homes and agricultural operations.
"To the extent that they use any water at all it will pose a great risk to the Ashepoo River system and the ecology of that river system," Campsen warned.
Mullins McLeod, a Democratic gubernatorial candidate who grew up in Walterboro, added: "Rural South Carolina is under attack by for-profits who seek to steal God's gift to us — our water — right out from underneath our feet."
Developer's Response and Technical Details
Loeber addressed water concerns by explaining the facility would use approximately 12,000 gallons daily, equivalent to 14 four-bedroom homes. This represents about 0.1% of the county's annual 4.2 billion gallon water availability.
"So the amount of water that we're using every day is not billions and billions of gallons," he clarified. "That is the way data centers in the past might have been developed. It's not the way the modern data center is used."
The center would employ a water recycling system for cooling hundreds of thousands of servers, requiring only initial filling of cooling tanks. Most daily water consumption would come from an estimated 500 employees operating the facility.
Energy Requirements and Infrastructure
Despite reduced water usage, the facility would demand substantial electricity—approximately 1,000 megawatts according to Loeber's estimate to the SC Daily Gazette. This would consume nearly all of Santee Cooper's share of a proposed 2,200-megawatt natural gas power plant planned for nearby Canadys.
By comparison, existing large data centers in South Carolina operated by companies like Google and Meta use about 200 megawatts each.
The Canadys power plant and associated $431 million natural gas pipeline have just begun state and federal permitting processes, with operations not expected until the 2030s. This timeline suggests power providers would need at least that long to generate sufficient electricity for the proposed gigawatt center.
Additional Community Worries
Local residents expressed concerns about landscape changes, property values, and whether the rural location was appropriate for such development.
"The main question is why here? Why now? The answer is not here, not now, not ever," said Richard Burke, whose parents live near the proposed site.
Employment promises also faced scrutiny. Shannon Wait shared her experience working at a Google data center in Berkeley County, where she remained a temporary worker earning $15 hourly with contracts renewed every three months.
"I was constantly on the job hunt," she recalled.
Loeber outlined employment projections: 30% IT positions, 30% facility management and maintenance roles, 30% security personnel, and 10% administrative staff from the estimated 500 permanent jobs.
Regulatory Process and Next Steps
The zoning board took no immediate action, indicating it would vote on the request at a future meeting. Developers must first secure a zoning exception for the timberland tract approximately four miles southeast of Walterboro.
Beyond zoning approval, the project requires numerous county and state permits covering noise, construction, water use, and well drilling. An electrical provider study must also determine when sufficient grid power would be available to meet the center's substantial energy needs.
Loeber noted the project is being developed speculatively without a specific tenant currently committed, though facilities of this scale typically attract major technology companies.
