Georgetown County, South Carolina: Power, Data Centers and the Local Economy
Home to Georgetown and Andrews
New generation is lining up in Georgetown County. Georgetown County is home to Georgetown and Andrews. Owners plan to retire 1,276 MW more by 2035, led by Winyah in 2030. 413 MW of new generation is planned here across 4 units, led by Kingstree East 230 LLC (solar), the 2nd largest pipeline among South Carolina's counties. 50 MW of it is already under construction or built. Construction employs 1,402, up 18.8% since 2019. Unemployment was 5.0% in August 2026, against 3.6% in 2019.
Cities and towns in Georgetown County
Georgetown County is home to Georgetown and Andrews.
Unincorporated communities (governed by the county): DeBordieu Colony, Dunbar, Litchfield Beach, Murrells Inlet.
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 Georgetown County
1st = the most. Ranks cover counties with a value on record.
| Measure | Then | Now | Change | Rank in South Carolina |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Population (2020 → 2025) | 63,508 | 65,912 | ▲ 3.8% | 22nd of 46 by size |
| Total jobs (2019 → 2025) | 24,258 | 24,861 | ▲ 2.5% | 24th of 46 by growth |
| Average annual pay (2019 → 2025) | $41,736 | $52,879 | ▲ 26.7% | — |
| Construction jobs (2019 → 2025) | 1,180 | 1,402 | ▲ 18.8% | 11th of 25 by growth |
| Unemployment rate (2019 → August 2026) | 3.6% | 5.0% | ▲ 1.4pts | — |
| Generating capacity added since 2019 | — | 200 MW | — | |
| Generating capacity retired since 2019 | — | 0 MW | — | |
| Planned generation (Aug 2026) | — | 413 MW | 26% of today's fleet | 2nd of 16 by size |
Its power plants have 1,573 MW of capacity, 81% of it coal, the 7th largest fleet in South Carolina. 200 MW of that came online in 2019 or later, mostly solar. Electrical contractors employ 47, at an average $46,253 a year. Employers here counted 24,861 jobs in 2025, up 2.5% from 2019. South Carolina Public Service Authority is the largest utility serving Georgetown County, one of 4 with territory here. Its residential customers paid an average 11.38¢/kWh in 2024, below the 14.59¢ median for South Carolina utilities. 65,912 people live here, up 3.8% since 2020.
Who powers Georgetown County
Net change in operating capacity since 2019: +200 MW. Colors follow the fuel legend above.
Utilities with service territory in Georgetown County
| Utility | Ownership | Service | Residential customers (systemwide) | Residential price, 2024 | Commercial share of sales |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| South Carolina Public Service Authority | State | Bundled | 185,529 | 11.38¢ | 20% |
| Duke Energy Progress - (NC) | Investor Owned | Bundled | 143,713 | 14.88¢ | 28% |
| Santee Electric Coop, Inc | Cooperative | Bundled | 35,235 | 14.74¢ | 12% |
| City of Georgetown - (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 5
| Technology | Capacity | Share |
|---|---|---|
| Coal | 1,276 MW | 81% |
| Solar | 200 MW | 13% |
| Other technologies | 97 MW | 6% |
| Largest plants | Owner | Technology | MW | Since |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Winyah | South Carolina Public Service Authority | Coal | 1,276 MW | 1975 |
| SR Lambert I, LLC | SR Lambert I, LLC | Solar | 100 MW | 2025 |
| SR Lambert II | SR Lambert II, LLC | Solar | 100 MW | 2025 |
| International Paper Georgetown Mill | International Paper Co-GT Mill | Other technologies | 96 MW | 1966 |
| Georgetown LFGTE | South Carolina Public Service Authority | Other technologies | 1 MW | 2010 |
Planned generation 4
| Plant | Technology | MW | Status | Year | Owner |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Kingstree East 230 Solar Project | Solar Photovoltaic | 249 MW | Approvals received | 2029 | Kingstree East 230 LLC |
| Winyah | Petroleum Liquids | 57 MW | Planned, approvals not started | 2027 | South Carolina Public Service Authority |
| Winyah | Petroleum Liquids | 57 MW | Planned, approvals not started | 2027 | South Carolina Public Service Authority |
| SR Georgetown | Solar Photovoltaic | 50 MW | Under construction (>50%) | 2026 | SR Georgetown. LLC |
Scheduled to retire
| Plant | Technology | MW | Year |
|---|---|---|---|
| Winyah | Coal | 1,276 MW | 2030 |
The Georgetown County labor market
| Industry (2025) | Jobs | Average pay | Concentration vs U.S. |
|---|---|---|---|
| All industries | 24,861 | $52,879 | 1.00 |
| Construction | 1,402 | $64,677 | 1.06 |
| Electrical contractors | 47 | $46,253 | 0.26 |
| Data processing and hosting | 52 | $102,804 | 0.67 |
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 Georgetown County
No data center, local measure or delayed project is on record in Georgetown County. South Carolina has 22 local measures on record statewide.
Georgetown County and its neighbors
Of the 5 counties that border Georgetown 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 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Georgetown County | 65,912 | ▲ 2.5% | 1,573 MW | 413 MW | — | — |
| Berkeley County | 274,666 | ▲ 27.0% | 3,417 MW | 300 MW | 5 | — |
| Charleston County | 436,200 | ▲ 9.3% | 177 MW | — | 1 | — |
| Horry County | 427,551 | ▲ 9.2% | 174 MW | 74 MW | 3 | — |
| Marion County | 28,242 | ▼ 1.7% | 25 MW | 10 MW | — | — |
| Williamsburg County | 29,662 | ▼ 28.5% | 20 MW | 75 MW | — | — |
More of South Carolina
Georgetown County, answered from the record
Who provides electricity in Georgetown County, South Carolina?
4 utilities have service territory in Georgetown County in the EIA-861 2024 report: South Carolina Public Service Authority, Duke Energy Progress - (NC), Santee Electric Coop, Inc, City of Georgetown - (SC). The largest, South Carolina Public Service Authority, charged residential customers 11.38¢/kWh on average in 2024.
What power plants are in Georgetown County?
5 operating plants with 1,573 MW of capacity. The largest is Winyah (1,276 MW, coal).
How much new power is planned in Georgetown County?
413 MW across 4 units in the August 2026 EIA-860M inventory, 50 MW of it under construction or built. The largest owner is Kingstree East 230 LLC.
Are there data centers in Georgetown County?
The SAVRN Data Center Map has no data center in Georgetown County. The nearest activity on record is next door in Berkeley County.
Is Georgetown County adding jobs?
Employers counted 24,861 jobs in 2025 against 24,258 in 2019 (+2.5%, BLS QCEW). Construction went from 1,180 to 1,402.
Does Georgetown County have a data center moratorium?
No county-level measure is on record for Georgetown County. South Carolina has 22 local measures statewide, listed on the state page.