Saluda County, South Carolina: Power, Data Centers and the Local Economy
Home to Saluda
Saluda County is not a build-out site today. It feels the boom through the grid it shares, the utilities that serve it and the work nearby. Saluda County is home to Saluda, Ridge Spring and part of Batesburg-Leesville (522 of its 5,346 residents). Next door, Aiken County has 3 data centers. Unemployment was 3.8% in August 2026, against 2.5% in 2019. 150 MW of that came online in 2019 or later, mostly solar. Employers here counted 4,537 jobs in 2025, down 5.2% from 2019.
Cities and towns in Saluda County
Saluda County is home to Saluda, Ridge Spring and part of Batesburg-Leesville (522 of its 5,346 residents).
- Batesburg-Leesville also extends into Lexington County.
- Monetta also extends into Aiken County.
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 Saluda County
1st = the most. Ranks cover counties with a value on record.
| Measure | Then | Now | Change | Rank in South Carolina |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Population (2020 → 2025) | 18,914 | 19,680 | ▲ 4.0% | 40th of 46 by size |
| Total jobs (2019 → 2025) | 4,787 | 4,537 | ▼ 5.2% | 37th of 46 by growth |
| Average annual pay (2019 → 2025) | $35,095 | $50,010 | ▲ 42.5% | — |
| Construction jobs (2019 → 2025) | 137 | 139 | ▲ 1.5% | 19th of 25 by growth |
| Unemployment rate (2019 → August 2026) | 2.5% | 3.8% | ▲ 1.3pts | — |
| Generating capacity added since 2019 | — | 150 MW | — | |
| Generating capacity retired since 2019 | — | 0 MW | — |
Construction employs 139, up 1.5% since 2019. Its power plants have 160 MW of capacity, 100% of it solar. Duke Energy Carolinas, LLC is the largest utility serving Saluda County, one of 3 with territory here. Its residential customers paid an average 13.99¢/kWh in 2024, below the 14.59¢ median for South Carolina utilities. 19,680 people live here, up 4.0% since 2020.
Who powers Saluda County
Net change in operating capacity since 2019: +150 MW. Colors follow the fuel legend above.
Utilities with service territory in Saluda 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% |
| Mid-Carolina Electric Coop Inc | Cooperative | Bundled | 56,463 | 14.88¢ | 22% |
| Aiken Electric Coop Inc | Cooperative | Bundled | 49,460 | 15.53¢ | 14% |
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 4
| Technology | Capacity | Share |
|---|---|---|
| Solar | 160 MW | 100% |
| Largest plants | Owner | Technology | MW | Since |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Catalina Solar (SC) | Catalina Solar, LLC | Solar | 75 MW | 2025 |
| Beulah Solar | SunStrong Management | Solar | 75 MW | 2022 |
| Saluda Solar, LLC | Cypress Creek Renewables | Solar | 7 MW | 2016 |
| Saluda Solar II | SunStrong Management | Solar | 3 MW | 2017 |
The Saluda County labor market
| Industry (2025) | Jobs | Average pay | Concentration vs U.S. |
|---|---|---|---|
| All industries | 4,537 | $50,010 | 1.00 |
| Construction | 139 | $46,933 | 0.58 |
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 Saluda County
No data center, local measure or delayed project is on record in Saluda County. South Carolina has 22 local measures on record statewide, and 2 neighboring counties have one: Greenwood County, Newberry County.
Saluda County and its neighbors
Of the 5 counties that border Saluda County, Aiken 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 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Saluda County | 19,680 | ▼ 5.2% | 160 MW | — | — | — |
| Aiken County | 181,515 | ▲ 8.7% | 855 MW | — | 3 | — |
| Edgefield County | 29,808 | ▲ 10.7% | — | — | — | — |
| Greenwood County | 70,379 | ▼ 3.2% | 8 MW | — | — | 1 |
| Lexington County | 317,588 | ▲ 9.9% | 708 MW | — | 1 | — |
| Newberry County | 39,561 | ▼ 1.1% | 3 MW | 71 MW | — | 2 |
More of South Carolina
Saluda County, answered from the record
Who provides electricity in Saluda County, South Carolina?
3 utilities have service territory in Saluda County in the EIA-861 2024 report: Duke Energy Carolinas, LLC, Mid-Carolina Electric Coop Inc, Aiken Electric Coop Inc. The largest, Duke Energy Carolinas, LLC, charged residential customers 13.99¢/kWh on average in 2024.
What power plants are in Saluda County?
4 operating plants with 160 MW of capacity. The largest is Catalina Solar (SC) (75 MW, solar).
Are there data centers in Saluda County?
The SAVRN Data Center Map has no data center in Saluda County. The nearest activity on record is next door in Aiken County.
Is Saluda County adding jobs?
Employers counted 4,537 jobs in 2025 against 4,787 in 2019 (-5.2%, BLS QCEW). Construction went from 137 to 139.
Does Saluda County have a data center moratorium?
No county-level measure is on record for Saluda County. South Carolina has 22 local measures statewide, listed on the state page.