South Carolina data center and energy laws

What it would do: Enacts the Data Center Development Act, establishing a Data Center Development Office within the Department of Environmental Services to permit and regulate data centers, setting operational efficiency and water use standards, infrastructure requirements, and noise/vibration/light controls while preserving Public Service Commission jurisdiction over electricity rates.

What it would do: Prohibits state governmental entities, counties, municipalities, and political subdivisions from accepting or taking action on data center permits or applications until the General Assembly establishes a comprehensive oversight and approval process. Defines data center as a facility with peak demand of five megawatts or greater used primarily for storing, retrieving, or transmitting data.

What it would do: Establishes demand-side pilot programs for low-income customers, requires public notice and comment periods for energy infrastructure projects involving eminent domain, sets terms for commercial data center electric service contracts, requires data centers to report water usage and file decommissioning plans, and requires electrical utilities to offer discounted rates to low-income households subject to Public Service Commission approval.

What it would do: Prohibits South Carolina governmental entities, counties, municipalities, and political subdivisions from granting final approval for applications, permits, incentives, or other requests related to new data centers until January 1, 2028, and defines data center.

What it would do: Establishes requirements for large load customers (minimum 50MW peak demand) to enter into commission-approved contracts with electrical utilities ensuring ratepayer neutrality, prohibits cost-shifting to other customer classes, requires financial security, and mandates public hearings, water resource plans, and annual reporting.

What it would do: Requires data centers over 5,000 square feet in South Carolina to operate with complete on-site energy independence, use closed-loop cooling systems with zero water discharge, maintain $50 million liability insurance, employ one full-time on-site employee per 1,000 square feet, and prohibits them from receiving any taxpayer-funded incentives or subsidies.

What it would do: Enacts the Data Center Siting Act requiring data centers with one megawatt or more connected electrical load to obtain Public Service Commission certificates before operating, establishing tiered review processes, operational and water efficiency standards, infrastructure adequacy requirements, and enforcement provisions.

What it would do: Amends the sales tax exemption for certain datacenters to include persons who bear a relationship to the taxpayer as described in Section 267(b) of the Internal Revenue Code.

What it would do: Amends energy and tax laws to establish demand-side pilot programs, require public comment periods and landowner notice for energy infrastructure projects involving eminent domain, set terms for commercial data center electric service contracts, require data center water usage reporting, and impose May 30, 2025 deadlines for certain computer equipment and electricity sales tax exemptions.

What it would do: Requires commercial data centers consuming three million or more gallons of water monthly to report annual water usage to the Department of Environmental Services by January 31st, and establishes civil penalties up to ten thousand dollars per day for late filing or ten thousand dollars for inaccurate information.