Laurens County, South Carolina: Power, Data Centers and the Local Economy
Home to Laurens, Clinton and Fountain Inn
Local rules on data centers are on the record in Laurens County. Laurens County is home to Laurens, Clinton, part of Fountain Inn (3,717 of its 14,722 residents) and Gray Court. The Moratorium Tracker holds 1 local measure here (1 in force); the latest is “Proposed county moratorium on data centers”. 45 MW of new generation is planned here across 1 unit, led by Duke Energy Carolinas, LLC (solar). Unemployment was 4.2% in August 2026, against 2.9% in 2019. 41 MW of that came online in 2019 or later, mostly solar.
Cities and towns in Laurens County
Laurens County is home to Laurens, Clinton, part of Fountain Inn (3,717 of its 14,722 residents) and Gray Court.
- Fountain Inn also extends into Greenville County.
Unincorporated communities (governed by the county): Joanna, Mountville, Princeton, Watts Mills.
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 Laurens County
1st = the most. Ranks cover counties with a value on record.
| Measure | Then | Now | Change | Rank in South Carolina |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Population (2020 → 2025) | 67,626 | 71,848 | ▲ 6.2% | 20th of 46 by size |
| Total jobs (2019 → 2025) | 21,382 | 20,405 | ▼ 4.6% | 35th of 46 by growth |
| Average annual pay (2019 → 2025) | $40,704 | $54,688 | ▲ 34.4% | — |
| Construction jobs (2019 → 2025) | 641 | 633 | ▼ 1.2% | 21st of 25 by growth |
| Unemployment rate (2019 → August 2026) | 2.9% | 4.2% | ▲ 1.3pts | — |
| Generating capacity added since 2019 | — | 41 MW | — | |
| Generating capacity retired since 2019 | — | 0 MW | — | |
| Planned generation (Aug 2026) | — | 45 MW | 96% of today's fleet | 14th of 16 by size |
Construction employs 633, down 1.2% since 2019. Employers here counted 20,405 jobs in 2025, down 4.6% from 2019. Its power plants have 47 MW of capacity, 87% of it solar. Duke Energy Carolinas, LLC is the largest utility serving Laurens County, one of 5 with territory here. Its residential customers paid an average 13.99¢/kWh in 2024, below the 14.59¢ median for South Carolina utilities. 71,848 people live here, up 6.2% since 2020.
Who powers Laurens County
Net change in operating capacity since 2019: +41 MW. Colors follow the fuel legend above.
Utilities with service territory in Laurens County
| Utility | Ownership | Service | Residential customers (systemwide) | Residential price, 2024 | Commercial share of sales |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Duke Energy Carolinas, LLC | Investor Owned | Bundled | 568,586 | 13.99¢ | 28% |
| Laurens Electric Coop, Inc | Cooperative | Bundled | 58,438 | 14.66¢ | 20% |
| Newberry Electric Coop, Inc | Cooperative | Bundled | 12,970 | 16.32¢ | 30% |
| Clinton Combined Utility Sys | — | — | — | — | — |
| City of Laurens - (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 2
| Technology | Capacity | Share |
|---|---|---|
| Solar | 41 MW | 87% |
| Hydro | 6 MW | 13% |
| Largest plants | Owner | Technology | MW | Since |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Beaverdam Renewable Energy Center | Duke Energy Carolinas, LLC | Solar | 41 MW | 2026 |
| Ware Shoals Hydro Project | Central Rivers Power US, LLC | Hydro | 6 MW | 1939 |
Planned generation 1
| Plant | Technology | MW | Status | Year | Owner |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Bush River Solar Plant | Solar Photovoltaic | 45 MW | Approvals pending | 2028 | Duke Energy Carolinas, LLC |
The Laurens County labor market
| Industry (2025) | Jobs | Average pay | Concentration vs U.S. |
|---|---|---|---|
| All industries | 20,405 | $54,688 | 1.00 |
| Construction | 633 | $64,041 | 0.59 |
| Data processing and hosting | 5 | $158,408 | 0.08 |
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 Laurens County
Local measures 1
| Measure | Status | Date | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Proposed county moratorium on data centers | In force | 2026-09 |
Laurens County and its neighbors
Of the 7 counties that border Laurens County, Anderson 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 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Laurens County | 71,848 | ▼ 4.6% | 47 MW | 45 MW | — | 1 |
| Abbeville County | 24,836 | ▲ 0.8% | 3 MW | — | — | — |
| Anderson County | 219,930 | ▲ 9.3% | 2,133 MW | — | 1 | 1 |
| Greenville County | 583,125 | ▲ 8.2% | 13 MW | — | 4 | — |
| Greenwood County | 70,379 | ▼ 3.2% | 8 MW | — | — | 1 |
| Newberry County | 39,561 | ▼ 1.1% | 3 MW | 71 MW | — | 2 |
| Spartanburg County | 380,857 | ▲ 6.7% | 63 MW | — | 3 | 3 |
| Union County | 26,799 | ▼ 12.4% | 51 MW | — | — | — |
More of South Carolina
Laurens County, answered from the record
Who provides electricity in Laurens County, South Carolina?
5 utilities have service territory in Laurens County in the EIA-861 2024 report: Duke Energy Carolinas, LLC, Laurens Electric Coop, Inc, Newberry Electric Coop, Inc, Clinton Combined Utility Sys. The largest, Duke Energy Carolinas, LLC, charged residential customers 13.99¢/kWh on average in 2024.
What power plants are in Laurens County?
2 operating plants with 47 MW of capacity. The largest is Beaverdam Renewable Energy Center (41 MW, solar).
How much new power is planned in Laurens County?
45 MW across 1 units in the August 2026 EIA-860M inventory, 0 MW of it under construction or built. The largest owner is Duke Energy Carolinas, LLC.
Are there data centers in Laurens County?
The SAVRN Data Center Map has no data center in Laurens County. The nearest activity on record is next door in Greenville County.
Is Laurens County adding jobs?
Employers counted 20,405 jobs in 2025 against 21,382 in 2019 (-4.6%, BLS QCEW). Construction went from 641 to 633.
Does Laurens County have a data center moratorium?
The SAVRN Moratorium Tracker holds 1 local measure for Laurens County, 1 in force.