Clarendon County, South Carolina: Power, Data Centers and the Local Economy
Home to Manning
Clarendon County is one of the places pushing back on the data center build-out. Clarendon County is home to Manning, Summerton and Turbeville. The Moratorium Tracker holds 1 local measure here (1 in force); the latest is “Clarendon County Council adopts data center moratorium”. Construction employs 168, up 33.3% since 2019. Unemployment was 5.5% in August 2026, against 3.8% in 2019. 4 MW of that came online in 2019 or later, mostly solar.
Cities and towns in Clarendon County
Clarendon County is home to Manning, Summerton and Turbeville.
Unincorporated communities (governed by the county): Alcolu, Foreston, North Santee, Wyboo.
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 Clarendon County
1st = the most. Ranks cover counties with a value on record.
| Measure | Then | Now | Change | Rank in South Carolina |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Population (2020 → 2025) | 30,832 | 31,043 | ▲ 0.7% | 30th of 46 by size |
| Total jobs (2019 → 2025) | 6,948 | 6,700 | ▼ 3.6% | 33rd of 46 by growth |
| Average annual pay (2019 → 2025) | $30,299 | $43,727 | ▲ 44.3% | — |
| Construction jobs (2019 → 2025) | 126 | 168 | ▲ 33.3% | 5th of 25 by growth |
| Unemployment rate (2019 → August 2026) | 3.8% | 5.5% | ▲ 1.7pts | — |
| Generating capacity added since 2019 | — | 4 MW | — | |
| Generating capacity retired since 2019 | — | 0 MW | — |
Employers here counted 6,700 jobs in 2025, down 3.6% from 2019. Its power plants have 8 MW of capacity, 100% of it solar. Duke Energy Progress - (NC) is the largest utility serving Clarendon County, one of 3 with territory here. Its residential customers paid an average 14.88¢/kWh in 2024. 31,043 people live here, up 0.7% since 2020.
Who powers Clarendon County
Net change in operating capacity since 2019: +4 MW. Colors follow the fuel legend above.
Utilities with service territory in Clarendon County
| Utility | Ownership | Service | Residential customers (systemwide) | Residential price, 2024 | Commercial share of sales |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Duke Energy Progress - (NC) | Investor Owned | Bundled | 143,713 | 14.88¢ | 28% |
| Santee Electric Coop, Inc | Cooperative | Bundled | 35,235 | 14.74¢ | 12% |
| Black River Electric Coop, Inc - (SC) | Cooperative | Bundled | 30,610 | 13.47¢ | 18% |
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 4
| Technology | Capacity | Share |
|---|---|---|
| Solar | 8 MW | 100% |
| Largest plants | Owner | Technology | MW | Since |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Abbot Solar | Altus Power America Management, LLC | Solar | 2 MW | 2018 |
| Bloom Solar | Altus Power America Management, LLC | Solar | 2 MW | 2019 |
| Bond Solar | Altus Power America Management, LLC | Solar | 2 MW | 2018 |
| Bonefish Solar | Bonefish Solar, LLC | Solar | 2 MW | 2019 |
The Clarendon County labor market
| Industry (2025) | Jobs | Average pay | Concentration vs U.S. |
|---|---|---|---|
| All industries | 6,700 | $43,727 | 1.00 |
| Construction | 168 | $54,746 | 0.47 |
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 Clarendon County
Local measures 1
| Measure | Status | Date | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Clarendon County Council adopts data center moratorium | In force | 2026-09 |
Clarendon County and its neighbors
Of the 6 counties that border Clarendon County, Berkeley 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 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Clarendon County | 31,043 | ▼ 3.6% | 8 MW | — | — | 1 |
| Berkeley County | 274,666 | ▲ 27.0% | 3,417 MW | 300 MW | 5 | — |
| Calhoun County | 14,188 | ▼ 1.9% | 907 MW | — | — | — |
| Florence County | 138,504 | ▲ 5.5% | 116 MW | — | — | — |
| Orangeburg County | 83,177 | ▼ 6.0% | 716 MW | 174 MW | — | 1 |
| Sumter County | 105,067 | ▼ 5.1% | — | — | — | — |
| Williamsburg County | 29,662 | ▼ 28.5% | 20 MW | 75 MW | — | — |
More of South Carolina
Clarendon County, answered from the record
Who provides electricity in Clarendon County, South Carolina?
3 utilities have service territory in Clarendon County in the EIA-861 2024 report: Duke Energy Progress - (NC), Santee Electric Coop, Inc, Black River Electric Coop, Inc - (SC). The largest, Duke Energy Progress - (NC), charged residential customers 14.88¢/kWh on average in 2024.
What power plants are in Clarendon County?
4 operating plants with 8 MW of capacity. The largest is Abbot Solar (2 MW, solar).
Are there data centers in Clarendon County?
The SAVRN Data Center Map has no data center in Clarendon County. The nearest activity on record is next door in Berkeley County.
Is Clarendon County adding jobs?
Employers counted 6,700 jobs in 2025 against 6,948 in 2019 (-3.6%, BLS QCEW). Construction went from 126 to 168.
Does Clarendon County have a data center moratorium?
The SAVRN Moratorium Tracker holds 1 local measure for Clarendon County, 1 in force.