Berkeley County, South Carolina: Power, Data Centers and the Local Economy
Home to Goose Creek, Hanahan and Moncks Corner
Berkeley County sits inside the data center build-out. The SAVRN Data Center Map lists 5 data centers in Berkeley County, 14% of South Carolina's total. Berkeley County is home to Goose Creek, Hanahan, Moncks Corner and part of Charleston (16,691 of its 159,423 residents). Employers here counted 70,252 jobs in 2025, up 27.0% from 2019 (the fastest growth of 46 South Carolina counties). 300 MW of new generation is planned here across 1 unit, led by Pinopolis BESS LLC (battery storage), the 3rd largest pipeline among South Carolina's counties. Its power plants have 3,417 MW of capacity, 91% of it coal, the 2nd largest fleet in South Carolina.
Cities and towns in Berkeley County
Berkeley County is home to Goose Creek, Hanahan, Moncks Corner and part of Charleston (16,691 of its 159,423 residents).
- Charleston also extends into Charleston County.
- Summerville also extends into Dorchester County, Charleston County.
Unincorporated communities (governed by the county): Bonneau Beach, Ladson, Pimlico, Pinopolis, Russellville, Sangaree.
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 Berkeley County
1st = the most. Ranks cover counties with a value on record.
| Measure | Then | Now | Change | Rank in South Carolina |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Population (2020 → 2025) | 231,478 | 274,666 | ▲ 18.7% | 8th of 46 by size |
| Total jobs (2019 → 2025) | 55,299 | 70,252 | ▲ 27.0% | 1st of 46 by growth |
| Average annual pay (2019 → 2025) | $53,168 | $70,179 | ▲ 32.0% | — |
| Construction jobs (2019 → 2025) | 4,129 | 5,012 | ▲ 21.4% | 8th of 25 by growth |
| Electrical contractor jobs (2019 → 2025) | 756 | 746 | ▼ 1.3% | — |
| Data processing and hosting jobs (2019 → 2025) | 23 | 274 | ▲ 1091.3% | — |
| Unemployment rate (2019 → August 2026) | 2.4% | 3.9% | ▲ 1.5pts | — |
| Generating capacity added since 2019 | — | 71 MW | — | |
| Generating capacity retired since 2019 | — | 54 MW | — | |
| Planned generation (Aug 2026) | — | 300 MW | 9% of today's fleet | 3rd of 16 by size |
Construction employs 5,012, up 21.4% since 2019, and construction is 1.4 times as concentrated here as in the U.S. economy. Unemployment was 3.9% in August 2026, against 2.4% in 2019. 274,666 people live here, up 18.7% since 2020, 8th of 46 South Carolina counties by population. 54 MW has retired here since 2019, including Williams (natural gas, 54 MW, 2022). 71 MW of that came online in 2019 or later, mostly natural gas. Electrical contractors employ 746, down 1.3% since 2019 against up 10.4% statewide, at an average $86,600 a year. Dominion Energy South Carolina, Inc is the largest utility serving Berkeley County, one of 4 with territory here. Its residential customers paid an average 14.59¢/kWh in 2024.
Who powers Berkeley County
Net change in operating capacity since 2019: +18 MW. Colors follow the fuel legend above.
Utilities with service territory in Berkeley County
| Utility | Ownership | Service | Residential customers (systemwide) | Residential price, 2024 | Commercial share of sales |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Dominion Energy South Carolina, Inc | Investor Owned | Bundled | 696,385 | 14.59¢ | 36% |
| South Carolina Public Service Authority | State | Bundled | 185,529 | 11.38¢ | 20% |
| Berkeley Electric Coop Inc | Cooperative | Bundled | 115,117 | 14.93¢ | 68% |
| Edisto Electric Coop, Inc | Cooperative | Bundled | 15,421 | 16.40¢ | 15% |
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 8
| Technology | Capacity | Share |
|---|---|---|
| Coal | 3,111 MW | 91% |
| Hydro | 231 MW | 7% |
| Natural gas | 65 MW | 2% |
| Solar | 6 MW | 0% |
| Other technologies | 3 MW | 0% |
| Largest plants | Owner | Technology | MW | Since |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Cross | South Carolina Public Service Authority | Coal | 2,452 MW | 1984 |
| Williams | South Carolina Genertg Co, Inc | Coal | 660 MW | 1973 |
| Jefferies | South Carolina Public Service Authority | Hydro | 145 MW | 1942 |
| St Stephen | US Army Corps of Engineers | Hydro | 84 MW | 1985 |
| Bushy Park Combustion Turbine Facility | Dominion Energy South Carolina, Inc | Natural gas | 65 MW | 2024 |
| Omtanke Solar | DG South Carolina Solar, LLC | Solar | 6 MW | 2020 |
Planned generation 1
| Plant | Technology | MW | Status | Year | Owner |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Pinopolis BESS | Batteries | 300 MW | Planned, approvals not started | 2027 | Pinopolis BESS LLC |
Retired since 2019
| Plant | Technology | MW | Year |
|---|---|---|---|
| Williams | Natural gas | 54 MW | 2022 |
The Berkeley County labor market
| Industry (2025) | Jobs | Average pay | Concentration vs U.S. |
|---|---|---|---|
| All industries | 70,252 | $70,179 | 1.00 |
| Construction | 5,012 | $86,562 | 1.35 |
| Electrical contractors | 746 | $86,600 | 1.47 |
| Data processing and hosting | 274 | $36,198 | 1.26 |
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 Berkeley County
5 data centers in Berkeley County are on the SAVRN Data Center Map: see them by city and operator.
Berkeley County and its neighbors
Of the 6 counties that border Berkeley County, Georgetown 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 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Berkeley County | 274,666 | ▲ 27.0% | 3,417 MW | 300 MW | 5 | — |
| Charleston County | 436,200 | ▲ 9.3% | 177 MW | — | 1 | — |
| Clarendon County | 31,043 | ▼ 3.6% | 8 MW | — | — | 1 |
| Dorchester County | 178,397 | ▲ 15.0% | 22 MW | — | 3 | — |
| Georgetown County | 65,912 | ▲ 2.5% | 1,573 MW | 413 MW | — | — |
| Orangeburg County | 83,177 | ▼ 6.0% | 716 MW | 174 MW | — | 1 |
| Williamsburg County | 29,662 | ▼ 28.5% | 20 MW | 75 MW | — | — |
More of South Carolina
Berkeley County, answered from the record
Who provides electricity in Berkeley County, South Carolina?
4 utilities have service territory in Berkeley County in the EIA-861 2024 report: Dominion Energy South Carolina, Inc, South Carolina Public Service Authority, Berkeley Electric Coop Inc, Edisto Electric Coop, Inc. The largest, Dominion Energy South Carolina, Inc, charged residential customers 14.59¢/kWh on average in 2024.
What county is Goose Creek, SC in?
Goose Creek is in Berkeley County, South Carolina. About 52,010 people live there (2025 Census estimate).
What county is Hanahan, SC in?
Hanahan is in Berkeley County, South Carolina. About 22,415 people live there (2025 Census estimate).
What county is Moncks Corner, SC in?
Moncks Corner is in Berkeley County, South Carolina. About 20,612 people live there (2025 Census estimate).
What power plants are in Berkeley County?
8 operating plants with 3,417 MW of capacity. The largest is Cross (2,452 MW, coal).
How much new power is planned in Berkeley County?
300 MW across 1 units in the August 2026 EIA-860M inventory, 0 MW of it under construction or built. The largest owner is Pinopolis BESS LLC.
Are there data centers in Berkeley County?
Yes. The SAVRN Data Center Map lists 5 data centers in Berkeley County.
Is Berkeley County adding jobs?
Employers counted 70,252 jobs in 2025 against 55,299 in 2019 (+27.0%, BLS QCEW). Construction went from 4,129 to 5,012.
Does Berkeley County have a data center moratorium?
No county-level measure is on record for Berkeley County. South Carolina has 22 local measures statewide, listed on the state page.