Colleton County, South Carolina: Power, Data Centers and the Local Economy
Home to Walterboro and Edisto Beach
Colleton County is one of the places pushing back on the data center build-out. Colleton County is home to Walterboro, Edisto Beach and Cottageville. The Moratorium Tracker holds 3 local measures here (2 in force); the latest is “Six-month data center moratorium, partially repealed Sept. 14, 2026”. Construction employs 392, down 27.3% since 2019. 75 MW of new generation is planned here across 1 unit, led by Colleton Solar (solar), the 9th largest pipeline among South Carolina's counties. Unemployment was 4.8% in August 2026, against 3.3% in 2019.
Cities and towns in Colleton County
Colleton County is home to Walterboro, Edisto Beach and Cottageville.
Unincorporated communities (governed by the county): Islandton, Jacksonboro.
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 Colleton County
1st = the most. Ranks cover counties with a value on record.
| Measure | Then | Now | Change | Rank in South Carolina |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Population (2020 → 2025) | 38,538 | 39,382 | ▲ 2.2% | 27th of 46 by size |
| Total jobs (2019 → 2025) | 10,669 | 10,059 | ▼ 5.7% | 38th of 46 by growth |
| Average annual pay (2019 → 2025) | $35,589 | $49,087 | ▲ 37.9% | — |
| Construction jobs (2019 → 2025) | 539 | 392 | ▼ 27.3% | 24th of 25 by growth |
| Unemployment rate (2019 → August 2026) | 3.3% | 4.8% | ▲ 1.5pts | — |
| Generating capacity added since 2019 | — | 0 MW | — | |
| Generating capacity retired since 2019 | — | 0 MW | — | |
| Planned generation (Aug 2026) | — | 75 MW | 2996% of today's fleet | 9th of 16 by size |
Employers here counted 10,059 jobs in 2025, down 5.7% from 2019. Its power plants have 2 MW of capacity, 100% of it solar. Dominion Energy South Carolina, Inc is the largest utility serving Colleton County, one of 3 with territory here. Its residential customers paid an average 14.59¢/kWh in 2024. 39,382 people live here, up 2.2% since 2020.
Who powers Colleton County
Utilities with service territory in Colleton 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% |
| Edisto Electric Coop, Inc | Cooperative | Bundled | 15,421 | 16.40¢ | 15% |
| Coastal Electric Coop, Inc - (SC) | — | — | — | — | — |
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 1
| Technology | Capacity | Share |
|---|---|---|
| Solar | 2 MW | 100% |
| Largest plants | Owner | Technology | MW | Since |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Colleton Solar Farm | TIG Sun Energy I LLC | Solar | 2 MW | 2013 |
Planned generation 1
| Plant | Technology | MW | Status | Year | Owner |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Colleton Solar | Solar Photovoltaic | 75 MW | Approvals received | 2028 | Colleton Solar |
The Colleton County labor market
| Industry (2025) | Jobs | Average pay | Concentration vs U.S. |
|---|---|---|---|
| All industries | 10,059 | $49,087 | 1.00 |
| Construction | 392 | $57,940 | 0.74 |
| Electric utilities | 100 | $99,798 | 3.67 |
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 Colleton County
Local measures 3
| Measure | Status | Date | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Six-month data center moratorium, partially repealed Sept. 14, 2026 | In force | 2026-09 | |
| Colleton County Council (moratorium finalized, related SELC lawsuit paused) data center moratorium | In force | 2026-07 | |
| Colleton County Council (first-reading 6-month moratorium on 850-acre Eagle Rock proposal in ACE Basin), SC data center moratorium (proposed) | Proposed | 2026-05 |
Colleton County and its neighbors
Of the 7 counties that border Colleton County, Orangeburg 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 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Colleton County | 39,382 | ▼ 5.7% | 2 MW | 75 MW | — | 3 |
| Allendale County | 7,355 | ▼ 8.0% | 121 MW | 50 MW | 1 | — |
| Bamberg County | 12,796 | ▼ 2.9% | 6 MW | — | — | — |
| Beaufort County | 204,433 | ▲ 5.0% | 229 MW | — | — | 1 |
| Charleston County | 436,200 | ▲ 9.3% | 177 MW | — | 1 | — |
| Dorchester County | 178,397 | ▲ 15.0% | 22 MW | — | 3 | — |
| Hampton County | 18,174 | ▼ 0.3% | 49 MW | — | — | — |
| Orangeburg County | 83,177 | ▼ 6.0% | 716 MW | 174 MW | — | 1 |
More of South Carolina
Colleton County, answered from the record
Who provides electricity in Colleton County, South Carolina?
3 utilities have service territory in Colleton County in the EIA-861 2024 report: Dominion Energy South Carolina, Inc, Edisto Electric Coop, Inc, Coastal Electric Coop, Inc - (SC). The largest, Dominion Energy South Carolina, Inc, charged residential customers 14.59¢/kWh on average in 2024.
What power plants are in Colleton County?
1 operating plant with 2 MW of capacity. The largest is Colleton Solar Farm (2 MW, solar).
How much new power is planned in Colleton County?
75 MW across 1 units in the August 2026 EIA-860M inventory, 0 MW of it under construction or built. The largest owner is Colleton Solar.
Are there data centers in Colleton County?
The SAVRN Data Center Map has no data center in Colleton County. The nearest activity on record is next door in Dorchester County.
Is Colleton County adding jobs?
Employers counted 10,059 jobs in 2025 against 10,669 in 2019 (-5.7%, BLS QCEW). Construction went from 539 to 392.
Does Colleton County have a data center moratorium?
The SAVRN Moratorium Tracker holds 3 local measures for Colleton County, 2 in force.