Data Center: News, Information & Resource Center for Aiken SC
Who decides where data centers go near Aiken — zoning and planning, the local elected board, the county, the state utility commission, and environmental permits — plus what is on file and reporting from across the HERE network.
Who Decides on Data Centers Near Aiken
DATA CENTER: NEWS, INFORMATION & RESOURCE CENTER FOR AIKEN
No local data-center vote or application is on file in HERE Aiken's reporting yet. If a proposal arrives, these are the people and agencies that would decide it, and this section will track it every week.
A data center in or near Aiken would first need local land-use approval through City of Aiken, and Aiken County Council weighs in on land outside city limits and on tax incentives. The Public Service Commission of South Carolina is the state utility regulator; it reviews rates and large-customer power contracts for the utilities it oversees. Air and water permits come from the South Carolina Department of Environmental Services.
National context: Federal energy researchers estimate data centers used about 4.4% of all U.S. electricity in 2023 and could use 6.7% to 12% by 2028, which is why utility commissions, local boards, and voters are now central to where these campuses land. U.S. Department of Energy report
What’s on file near Aiken
- Nothing on file yetNo local data-center vote, rezoning, or application is on file in HERE Aiken's reporting yet. When one is filed, it will appear here first.
Who decides: zoning, councils, utility regulators & permits
Zoning & Planning
Local Elected Body
State Utility Regulator
Environmental, Water & Air Permits
From across the HERE network
- From HERE ColumbiaOct 27, 2026 · SC
Data Center Rules Set to Headline SC Legislative Session
COLUMBIA, S.C. — How South Carolina handles the wave of proposed data centers is shaping up as one of the biggest fights waiting for the General…
- From HERE GreenwoodOct 23, 2026 · SC
Greenwood Lawmakers Draft Statewide Rules for Data Centers
GREENWOOD, S.C. — Two Greenwood County members of the S.C. House are writing a bill that would set statewide ground rules for data centers, from how…
- From HERE ColumbiaOct 20, 2026 · SC
Sen. Devine Plans Data Center Town Hall in Columbia Oct. 25
COLUMBIA, S.C. — State Sen. Tameika Isaac Devine wants Columbia residents to come with questions about data centers. She is hosting an educational town hall on…
- From HERE SpartanburgOct 14, 2026 · SC
Tyger River Crypto Mine Set to Become 50-Megawatt Data Center
SPARTANBURG COUNTY, S.C. — A former crypto mining site in Tyger River Industrial Park is being turned into a data-center campus, with a late-2027 target to…
- From HERE SpartanburgNov 4, 2026 · SC
Three Data Center Deals Clear Second Vote in Spartanburg
SPARTANBURG, S.C. — Spartanburg County Council pushed three data center development agreements one step from final approval Tuesday, voting yes on second reading at a special…
- From HERE ColumbiaOct 27, 2026 · SC
Data Center Super PAC Spends Big for Graham
COLUMBIA, S.C. — The statewide fight over data centers and the economic investment they promise has moved from county council chambers into the U.S. Senate race…
- From HERE SpartanburgOct 24, 2026 · SC
Council Backs NorthMark Data Center Deal Draft in Spartanburg
SPARTANBURG, S.C. — Spartanburg County Council has taken the first of three votes on a development agreement for the $2.8 billion NorthMark data center going up…
- From HERE SpartanburgOct 22, 2026 · SC
Spartanburg County Council Revisits Valara Data Center Deal
UPDATE, Oct. 23: Council approved the first reading of the development agreement by a 4-1 vote at the Thursday, Oct. 22, special meeting. Council members Grant…
- From HERE SpartanburgOct 21, 2026 · SC
Jones Road Data Center Deal Clears First Vote in Spartanburg
SPARTANBURG, S.C. — Spartanburg County Council on Monday moved one data center forward and left another on hold, the latest turn in a months-long fight over…
Updated weekly. Last updated Nov 6, 2026.
Data Centers Near Aiken: FAQ
Who approves a data center rezoning near Aiken?
Rezonings and site plans go through local land-use officials: in Aiken that is City of Aiken, Aiken City Council, with Aiken County Council handling land outside city limits and county tax incentives. Planning commissions hold public hearings and recommend; the elected board casts the final vote.
Who approves large power contracts for data centers in South Carolina?
The Public Service Commission of South Carolina is the state utility regulator. It reviews rates and the large-customer contracts and tariffs that utilities it oversees propose for data centers.
Which South Carolina agency issues environmental permits for a data center?
The South Carolina Department of Environmental Services issues the air, water, and wastewater permits a large facility needs, including permits for backup generators.
How can a Aiken resident weigh in on a data center?
Speak or submit written comments at planning commission and council or board meetings, where agendas are posted in advance, and file public comments in utility cases at the state commission. The official links on this page go straight to those bodies.
Is a data center proposed in Aiken?
No local data-center vote or application is on file in HERE Aiken's reporting yet. This page is updated weekly, and any proposal will appear here first.
Data Center Coverage Across HERE
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