Andrade
Proposed data center developments are recently popping up on various legislative agendas across the country, including South Carolina. The push by the tech industry to develop sustainable infrastructure to power our digital world is being increasingly met with pushback and fearmongering.
South Carolina has already benefited from these data centers through multi-billion-dollar capital investments. With the 10,000+ percent growth of the high-wage tech industry in the Charleston region since 2001 when Charleston Digital was launched, our state is on its way to becoming a major player in the tech industry. Google’s investment in Berkeley County in 2007 catalyzed this growth. Since then, it has become the largest taxpayer in the county.
Much of the fear about data center development is driven by misinformation. The biggest misconceptions about the projects revolve around water usage or impact to electric utilities.
Contrary to what you may hear, Google uses our region’s surface water sources, which does not require the same level of replenishment of groundwater. In fact, the volume of surface water used is less than what is naturally lost to evaporation. Dorchester Water officials have publicly stated that the company’s investment is actually helping them increase system capacity and expand opportunities for new connections - a direct win for the community.
In March 2026, tech companies across the country signed the White House’s Ratepayer Protection Pledge, agreeing to either build, bring or buy their own power supply and to pay for any infrastructure upgrades needed to power their centers. Importantly, this pledge protects ratepayers from seeing additional costs to their utility bills as a result of their projects. Google has already been doing this in South Carolina for years - just ask your local utility provider.
One of the impacts that is less widely discussed is that these data center projects, in mostly rural areas of South Carolina, bring substantial capital investment and subsequent tax revenue to the areas that need it most. One development alone could provide additional funding for schools, infrastructure and municipal services. For example, Dorchester County School District 2 is staring down a $6.6 million budget shortfall for next year. The development of Google’s two new data centers in the county will yield significant tax revenue, a portion of which can be used by the school district to address this budget shortfall.
Beyond tax revenues, the overall economic impact of data centers cannot be understated. In 2001, Charleston had just 18 tech companies. Today, we have more than 1,900 tech business which are entirely reliant on these data centers. These are companies providing high-wage jobs, while creating economic opportunity for other industries including hospitality, construction, and logistics.
The presence and support of global tech brands like Google in our state and region makes it more attractive to entrepreneurs, companies and seasoned professionals who help accelerate Charleston’s innovation economy. The ripple effect of this is enhanced economic opportunity for the broader workforce through upskilling and education. The Charleston Learning Center, located on the Charleston Tech Center campus is a textbook example of this effect. Novices and seasoned professionals alike gain access to practical training, mentorship, and hands-on experience with the tools today's top companies actually use - turning curiosity into careers and ensuring that the future of tech in Charleston isn't just imported, it's homegrown.
South Carolina is poised to become a hub for technological advancement if we don’t get in our own way. Google has already proven that data centers can deliver the investment we need to preserve what makes our state beautiful and build the future our communities deserve.
Ernest Andrade is the founder and executive director of Charleston Digital, a public-private business development partnership that attracts, nurtures and promotes tech companies in Charleston.
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