Anderson County, South Carolina: Power, Data Centers and the Local Economy
Home to Anderson, Belton and Williamston
The data center boom is not abstract in Anderson County: it is on the ground here. The SAVRN Data Center Map lists 1 data center in Anderson County. Anderson County is home to Anderson, Belton, Williamston and Honea Path. The Moratorium Tracker holds 1 local measure here (1 in force); the latest is “Six-month data center moratorium”. Its power plants have 2,133 MW of capacity, 99% of it natural gas, the 4th largest fleet in South Carolina. Unemployment was 4.2% in August 2026, against 2.6% in 2019.
Cities and towns in Anderson County
Anderson County is home to Anderson, Belton, Williamston and Honea Path.
Unincorporated communities (governed by the county): Centerville, Fair Play, Homeland Park, La France, Northlake, Piedmont, Powdersville, Sandy Springs.
Residents are 2025 Census estimates for the part of each city, town or township inside this county. Census publishes no annual estimate for unincorporated communities.
What changed in Anderson County
1st = the most. Ranks cover counties with a value on record.
| Measure | Then | Now | Change | Rank in South Carolina |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Population (2020 → 2025) | 204,181 | 219,930 | ▲ 7.7% | 9th of 46 by size |
| Total jobs (2019 → 2025) | 66,525 | 72,704 | ▲ 9.3% | 11th of 46 by growth |
| Average annual pay (2019 → 2025) | $41,289 | $54,229 | ▲ 31.3% | — |
| Electrical contractor jobs (2019 → 2025) | 240 | 239 | ▼ 0.4% | — |
| Unemployment rate (2019 → August 2026) | 2.6% | 4.2% | ▲ 1.6pts | — |
| Generating capacity added since 2019 | — | 11 MW | — | |
| Generating capacity retired since 2019 | — | 166 MW | — |
166 MW has retired here since 2019, including W S Lee (natural gas, 163 MW, 2022). Employers here counted 72,704 jobs in 2025, up 9.3% from 2019. 11 MW of that came online in 2019 or later, mostly solar. Electrical contractors employ 239, down 0.4% since 2019 against up 10.4% statewide, at an average $63,384 a year. Duke Energy Carolinas, LLC is the largest utility serving Anderson County, one of 4 with territory here. Its residential customers paid an average 13.99¢/kWh in 2024, below the 14.59¢ median for South Carolina utilities. 219,930 people live here, up 7.7% since 2020, 9th of 46 South Carolina counties by population.
Who powers Anderson County
Net change in operating capacity since 2019: −155 MW. Colors follow the fuel legend above.
Utilities with service territory in Anderson County
| Utility | Ownership | Service | Residential customers (systemwide) | Residential price, 2024 | Commercial share of sales |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Duke Energy Carolinas, LLC | Investor Owned | Bundled | 568,586 | 13.99¢ | 28% |
| Blue Ridge Electric Coop Inc - (SC) | Cooperative | Bundled | 67,553 | 18.94¢ | 17% |
| Laurens Electric Coop, Inc | Cooperative | Bundled | 58,438 | 14.66¢ | 20% |
| Little River Electric Coop Inc | — | — | — | — | — |
Customer counts, prices and sales shares cover each utility's whole system in the state, not only this county. Commercial sales include data centers.
Operating power plants 12
| Technology | Capacity | Share |
|---|---|---|
| Natural gas | 2,109 MW | 99% |
| Hydro | 12 MW | 1% |
| Solar | 11 MW | 1% |
| Petroleum | 1 MW | 0% |
| Largest plants | Owner | Technology | MW | Since |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| John S Rainey | South Carolina Public Service Authority | Natural gas | 1,154 MW | 2001 |
| W S Lee | Duke Energy Carolinas, LLC | Natural gas | 955 MW | 2007 |
| Hollidays Bridge Hydro | Northbrook Carolina Hydro LLC | Hydro | 4 MW | 1996 |
| Rocky River (SC) | City of Abbeville - (SC) | Hydro | 4 MW | 1941 |
| Pelzer Lower | Central Rivers Power US, LLC | Hydro | 3 MW | 1989 |
| Bluebird Solar SC LLC | Bluebird Solar LLC | Solar | 3 MW | 2020 |
Retired since 2019
| Plant | Technology | MW | Year |
|---|---|---|---|
| W S Lee | Natural gas | 163 MW | 2022 |
| Anderson Regional Landfill | Other technologies | 3 MW | 2023 |
The Anderson County labor market
| Industry (2025) | Jobs | Average pay | Concentration vs U.S. |
|---|---|---|---|
| All industries | 72,704 | $54,229 | 1.00 |
| Electrical contractors | 239 | $63,384 | 0.46 |
| Data processing and hosting | 78 | $102,206 | 0.35 |
Concentration is the BLS location quotient: 1.0 means the industry holds the same share of local jobs as it does nationally. Industry rows count private employers; cells BLS suppresses are left out.
Data centers and local rules in Anderson County
1 data center in Anderson County is on the SAVRN Data Center Map.
Local measures 1
| Measure | Status | Date | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Six-month data center moratorium | In force | 2026-08 |
Anderson County and its neighbors
Of the 7 counties that border Anderson County, Oconee County carries the most build-out activity: data centers, planned generation and operating plants combined.
| County | Population | Jobs since 2019 | Operating MW | Planned MW | Data centers | Local measures |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Anderson County | 219,930 | ▲ 9.3% | 2,133 MW | — | 1 | 1 |
| Abbeville County | 24,836 | ▲ 0.8% | 3 MW | — | — | — |
| Elbert County GA | 20,072 | ▲ 3.6% | 668 MW | — | — | — |
| Greenville County | 583,125 | ▲ 8.2% | 13 MW | — | 4 | — |
| Hart County GA | 28,639 | ▲ 24.2% | 780 MW | — | — | 1 |
| Laurens County | 71,848 | ▼ 4.6% | 47 MW | 45 MW | — | 1 |
| Oconee County | 83,775 | ▲ 6.7% | 4,360 MW | — | — | — |
| Pickens County | 139,198 | ▲ 9.5% | 950 MW | — | — | — |
More of South Carolina
Anderson County, answered from the record
Who provides electricity in Anderson County, South Carolina?
4 utilities have service territory in Anderson County in the EIA-861 2024 report: Duke Energy Carolinas, LLC, Blue Ridge Electric Coop Inc - (SC), Laurens Electric Coop, Inc, Little River Electric Coop Inc. The largest, Duke Energy Carolinas, LLC, charged residential customers 13.99¢/kWh on average in 2024.
What county is Anderson, SC in?
Anderson is in Anderson County, South Carolina. About 31,323 people live there (2025 Census estimate).
What power plants are in Anderson County?
12 operating plants with 2,133 MW of capacity. The largest is John S Rainey (1,154 MW, natural gas).
Are there data centers in Anderson County?
Yes. The SAVRN Data Center Map lists 1 data center in Anderson County.
Is Anderson County adding jobs?
Employers counted 72,704 jobs in 2025 against 66,525 in 2019 (+9.3%, BLS QCEW).
Does Anderson County have a data center moratorium?
The SAVRN Moratorium Tracker holds 1 local measure for Anderson County, 1 in force.