Lee County, South Carolina: Power, Data Centers and the Local Economy
Home to Bishopville
Lee County is a generation frontier for South Carolina. Lee County is home to Bishopville. 60 MW of new generation is planned here across 1 unit, led by Shorthorn Solar (solar). Unemployment was 6.3% in August 2026, against 4.4% in 2019. 6 MW has retired here since 2019, including Lee County Landfill (other technologies, 6 MW, 2025). 40 MW of that came online in 2019 or later, mostly solar.
Cities and towns in Lee County
Lee County is home to Bishopville.
Unincorporated communities (governed by the county): Ashwood, Browntown, Elliott, Manville, St. Charles, Wisacky.
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 Lee County
1st = the most. Ranks cover counties with a value on record.
| Measure | Then | Now | Change | Rank in South Carolina |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Population (2020 → 2025) | 16,551 | 15,730 | ▼ 5.0% | 42nd of 46 by size |
| Total jobs (2019 → 2025) | 3,692 | 3,600 | ▼ 2.5% | 30th of 46 by growth |
| Average annual pay (2019 → 2025) | $37,327 | $49,427 | ▲ 32.4% | — |
| Unemployment rate (2019 → August 2026) | 4.4% | 6.3% | ▲ 1.9pts | — |
| Generating capacity added since 2019 | — | 40 MW | — | |
| Generating capacity retired since 2019 | — | 6 MW | — | |
| Planned generation (Aug 2026) | — | 60 MW | 121% of today's fleet | 12th of 16 by size |
Its power plants have 50 MW of capacity, 89% of it solar. Employers here counted 3,600 jobs in 2025, down 2.5% from 2019. Duke Energy Progress - (NC) is the largest utility serving Lee County, one of 4 with territory here. Its residential customers paid an average 14.88¢/kWh in 2024. 15,730 people live here, down 5.0% since 2020.
Who powers Lee County
Net change in operating capacity since 2019: +34 MW. Colors follow the fuel legend above.
Utilities with service territory in Lee 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% |
| Black River Electric Coop, Inc - (SC) | Cooperative | Bundled | 30,610 | 13.47¢ | 18% |
| City of Camden | — | — | — | — | — |
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 10
| Technology | Capacity | Share |
|---|---|---|
| Solar | 44 MW | 89% |
| Other technologies | 6 MW | 11% |
| Largest plants | Owner | Technology | MW | Since |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Bishopville Solar, LLC | Headwater Energy, LLC | Solar | 20 MW | 2025 |
| Bishopville Solar II, LLC | Bishopville Solar II, LLC | Solar | 10 MW | 2022 |
| Lee County Landfill | South Carolina Public Service Authority | Other technologies | 6 MW | 2005 |
| Gaines Solar | Gaines Solar | Solar | 2 MW | 2020 |
| Gary Solar | Altus Power America Management, LLC | Solar | 2 MW | 2018 |
| Magdaline Solar, LLC | Magdaline Solar, LLC | Solar | 2 MW | 2023 |
Planned generation 1
| Plant | Technology | MW | Status | Year | Owner |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Shorthorn Solar | Solar Photovoltaic | 60 MW | Approvals received | 2027 | Shorthorn Solar |
Retired since 2019
| Plant | Technology | MW | Year |
|---|---|---|---|
| Lee County Landfill | Other technologies | 6 MW | 2025 |
The Lee County labor market
| Industry (2025) | Jobs | Average pay | Concentration vs U.S. |
|---|---|---|---|
| All industries | 3,600 | $49,427 | 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 Lee County
No data center, local measure or delayed project is on record in Lee County. South Carolina has 22 local measures on record statewide, and 1 neighboring county has one: Kershaw County.
Lee County and its neighbors
Of the 4 counties that border Lee County, Darlington 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 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Lee County | 15,730 | ▼ 2.5% | 50 MW | 60 MW | — | — |
| Darlington County | 62,888 | ▼ 3.9% | 1,162 MW | 425 MW | — | — |
| Florence County | 138,504 | ▲ 5.5% | 116 MW | — | — | — |
| Kershaw County | 73,166 | ▲ 5.0% | 110 MW | — | — | 1 |
| Sumter County | 105,067 | ▼ 5.1% | — | — | — | — |
More of South Carolina
Lee County, answered from the record
Who provides electricity in Lee County, South Carolina?
4 utilities have service territory in Lee County in the EIA-861 2024 report: Duke Energy Progress - (NC), MPD Electric Cooperative, Black River Electric Coop, Inc - (SC), City of Camden. The largest, Duke Energy Progress - (NC), charged residential customers 14.88¢/kWh on average in 2024.
What power plants are in Lee County?
10 operating plants with 50 MW of capacity. The largest is Bishopville Solar, LLC (20 MW, solar).
How much new power is planned in Lee County?
60 MW across 1 units in the August 2026 EIA-860M inventory, 0 MW of it under construction or built. The largest owner is Shorthorn Solar.
Are there data centers in Lee County?
The SAVRN Data Center Map has no data center in Lee County. The nearest activity on record is next door in Darlington County.
Is Lee County adding jobs?
Employers counted 3,600 jobs in 2025 against 3,692 in 2019 (-2.5%, BLS QCEW).
Does Lee County have a data center moratorium?
No county-level measure is on record for Lee County. South Carolina has 22 local measures statewide, listed on the state page.