Darlington County, South Carolina: Power, Data Centers and the Local Economy
Home to Hartsville and Darlington
Darlington County is a generation frontier for South Carolina. Darlington County is home to Hartsville, Darlington and Lamar. 425 MW of new generation is planned here across 6 units, led by Lotus Solar LLC (solar), the largest pipeline among South Carolina's counties. 75 MW of it is already under construction or built. 529 MW has retired here since 2019, including Darlington County (petroleum, 329 MW, 2020). Unemployment was 5.0% in August 2026, against 3.5% in 2019. Its power plants have 1,162 MW of capacity, 66% of it nuclear, the 8th largest fleet in South Carolina.
Cities and towns in Darlington County
Darlington County is home to Hartsville, Darlington and Lamar.
Unincorporated communities (governed by the county): Dovesville, Lydia, North Hartsville, Pine Ridge.
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 Darlington County
1st = the most. Ranks cover counties with a value on record.
| Measure | Then | Now | Change | Rank in South Carolina |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Population (2020 → 2025) | 62,853 | 62,888 | ▲ 0.1% | 23rd of 46 by size |
| Total jobs (2019 → 2025) | 20,638 | 19,834 | ▼ 3.9% | 34th of 46 by growth |
| Average annual pay (2019 → 2025) | $47,874 | $60,477 | ▲ 26.3% | — |
| Unemployment rate (2019 → August 2026) | 3.5% | 5.0% | ▲ 1.5pts | — |
| Generating capacity added since 2019 | — | 27 MW | — | |
| Generating capacity retired since 2019 | — | 529 MW | — | |
| Planned generation (Aug 2026) | — | 425 MW | 37% of today's fleet | 1st of 16 by size |
27 MW of that came online in 2019 or later, mostly solar. Employers here counted 19,834 jobs in 2025, down 3.9% from 2019. Duke Energy Progress - (NC) is the largest utility serving Darlington County, one of 2 with territory here. Its residential customers paid an average 14.88¢/kWh in 2024. 62,888 people live here, up 0.1% since 2020.
Who powers Darlington County
Net change in operating capacity since 2019: −502 MW. Colors follow the fuel legend above.
Utilities with service territory in Darlington 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% |
| MPD Electric Cooperative | Cooperative | Bundled | 31,874 | 10.94¢ | 27% |
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 15
| Technology | Capacity | Share |
|---|---|---|
| Nuclear | 769 MW | 66% |
| Natural gas | 318 MW | 27% |
| Other technologies | 38 MW | 3% |
| Solar | 37 MW | 3% |
| Largest plants | Owner | Technology | MW | Since |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| H B Robinson | Duke Energy Progress - (NC) | Nuclear | 769 MW | 1971 |
| Darlington County | Duke Energy Progress - (NC) | Natural gas | 316 MW | 1997 |
| Sonoco Products Co | Sonoco Products Co | Other technologies | 40 MW | 1947 |
| Darlington Solar, LLC | SunStrong Management | Solar | 10 MW | 2016 |
| Jefferson Solar (SC) | Jefferson Solar | Solar | 8 MW | 2022 |
| 1634 Solar | 1634 Solar, LLC | Solar | 2 MW | 2021 |
Planned generation 6
| Plant | Technology | MW | Status | Year | Owner |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Lotus Solar | Solar Photovoltaic | 75 MW | Approvals received | 2027 | Lotus Solar LLC |
| B & K Solar | Solar Photovoltaic | 75 MW | Under construction (>50%) | 2026 | B & K Solar |
| Culpepper Solar | Solar Photovoltaic | 75 MW | Approvals received | 2027 | Culpepper Solar |
| Rollins Solar | Solar Photovoltaic | 75 MW | Approvals received | 2027 | Rollins Solar |
| Ross Solar | Solar Photovoltaic | 75 MW | Approvals received | 2027 | Ross Solar |
| GEB Solar | Solar Photovoltaic | 50 MW | Approvals received | 2028 | GEB Solar |
Retired since 2019
| Plant | Technology | MW | Year |
|---|---|---|---|
| Darlington County | Petroleum | 329 MW | 2020 |
| Darlington County | Natural gas | 200 MW | 2020 |
The Darlington County labor market
| Industry (2025) | Jobs | Average pay | Concentration vs U.S. |
|---|---|---|---|
| All industries | 19,834 | $60,477 | 1.00 |
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 Darlington County
No data center, local measure or delayed project is on record in Darlington County. South Carolina has 22 local measures on record statewide, and 2 neighboring counties have one: Chesterfield County, Kershaw County.
Darlington County and its neighbors
Of the 5 counties that border Darlington County, Chesterfield 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 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Darlington County | 62,888 | ▼ 3.9% | 1,162 MW | 425 MW | — | — |
| Chesterfield County | 44,740 | ▼ 9.7% | 77 MW | 151 MW | — | 1 |
| Florence County | 138,504 | ▲ 5.5% | 116 MW | — | — | — |
| Kershaw County | 73,166 | ▲ 5.0% | 110 MW | — | — | 1 |
| Lee County | 15,730 | ▼ 2.5% | 50 MW | 60 MW | — | — |
| Marlboro County | 25,488 | ▼ 20.5% | 63 MW | — | — | — |
More of South Carolina
Darlington County, answered from the record
Who provides electricity in Darlington County, South Carolina?
2 utilities have service territory in Darlington County in the EIA-861 2024 report: Duke Energy Progress - (NC), MPD Electric Cooperative. The largest, Duke Energy Progress - (NC), charged residential customers 14.88¢/kWh on average in 2024.
What power plants are in Darlington County?
15 operating plants with 1,162 MW of capacity. The largest is H B Robinson (769 MW, nuclear).
How much new power is planned in Darlington County?
425 MW across 6 units in the August 2026 EIA-860M inventory, 75 MW of it under construction or built. The largest owner is Lotus Solar LLC.
Are there data centers in Darlington County?
The SAVRN Data Center Map has no data center in Darlington County.
Is Darlington County adding jobs?
Employers counted 19,834 jobs in 2025 against 20,638 in 2019 (-3.9%, BLS QCEW).
Does Darlington County have a data center moratorium?
No county-level measure is on record for Darlington County. South Carolina has 22 local measures statewide, listed on the state page.