Rep. Nancy Mace Proposes One-Year Pause on New Data Centers in South Carolina

Rep. Nancy Mace (R-SC) called for a one-year moratorium on new data center construction in South Carolina. She said the pause would give lawmakers time to establish protections for ratepayers and the state's electric grid. Mace argued that data centers should be required to pay for the electricity they consume and any infrastructure upgrades needed to support their operations.

A press release from her office stated that South Carolina families and small businesses should not pay for those costs. South Carolina currently has 44 data centers operating in the state. Virginia and Texas lead the nation with 398 and 296 facilities, respectively.

Developers have been drawn to the state by tax incentives, available land, and expanding energy infrastructure.

U.S. electricity in 2023, according to an Energy Department report. U.S. electricity by 2028. U.S. has more than 3,000 operational data centers, with more than 1,500 additional facilities in various stages of development. President Donald Trump has made AI infrastructure a priority for his administration. He discussed the issue with Chinese President Xi Jinping during a meeting last week.

Other State Actions Earlier this year, Sen. Bernie Sanders (I-VT) and Rep.

Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez (D-NY) introduced legislation that would temporarily halt new data center construction while lawmakers study the impacts of AI. Lawmakers in Maine recently passed legislation that would have paused new data center construction until November 2027, though Gov. Janet Mills (D-ME) later vetoed the bill.