Data Center Census

Walterboro, Colleton County, SC

Project Boulder

Also known as Eagle Rock Partners Colleton County data center, Cooks Hill Road data center

ProposedNeeds a special exception from the Board of Zoning Appeals; enabling ordinance challenged in court
  1. Rumored
  2. Proposed
  3. Approved
  4. Under construction
  5. Operating

Charlotte-based Eagle Rock Partners, with Thomas & Hutton, proposes a 1,000 MW, nine-building data center campus on about 859 acres of rural timberland along Cooks Hill Road south of Walterboro, in the ACE Basin watershed. The project requires a special exception from the county Board of Zoning Appeals, and landowners have sued over the ordinance that allows data centers in rural zones. Seven of nine Colleton County state legislators signed a resolution opposing it.

Key facts

Size & schedule

Planned capacity1 GW [2]
Site size859 acres [1]
includes about 234.5 acres of wetlands; potential expansion to 2,600 acres [4]
Buildings9 [4]
Stated investment$6 billion [3]
Permanent jobs (promised)450 [1]
developer-stated job opportunities

Power

Power supplyWould use roughly half the capacity of the proposed Canadys Station gas plant [5]

Water

Water sourceAbout 500,000 gallons to fill closed-loop system [5]
Coolingclosed-loop non-evaporative [5]

Figures are as stated by the cited source. Where sources disagree, each figure is shown.

Lawsuits

Crosby and Singleton v. Colleton Countypending [2]
Two county residents represented by the Southern Environmental Law Center challenge the zoning ordinance allowing data centers in rural areas by special exception, arguing it violates state law, the comprehensive plan and the zoning code.
South Carolina state court, Colleton County · filed Jan 9, 2026
Source excerpt
“Today, on behalf of Colleton County residents Miles Crosby and Jennifer Singleton, the Southern Environmental Law Center filed a complaint in state court in Colleton County to challenge the recently passed zoning ordinance that allows data centers to be built in rural areas of the county with a "special exception."”

Timeline

  1. County Council approves text amendment allowing data centers in Rural Development zone by special exception (fall 2025) [6]

  2. Board of Zoning Appeals holds hearing on special exception; residents voice opposition, no vote taken [1]

  3. Two landowners, represented by SELC, sue Colleton County over the data center ordinance [2]

  4. Seven of nine Colleton County legislators sign resolution opposing the project [3]

  5. County adopts six-month moratorium on data center development [7]

  6. County Council unanimously adopts Digital Infrastructure Overlay District, partially repealing the moratorium [7]

Issues raised

  • Opponents say the site in the ACE Basin headwaters, about 6 miles from the Ashepoo River, threatens a protected estuary [1][3]
  • Residents cited insufficient public notice and secrecy around the proposal [1][5]
  • Residents raised concerns about energy demand, property values and wetlands [6]

Sources

  1. Colleton County data center proposal draws opposition at zoning hearing
    Live 5 News (WCSC) · Dec 18, 2025 · news
  2. Landowners sue Colleton County over data center ordinance
    Southern Environmental Law Center · Jan 9, 2026 · other
  3. SC legislators denounce Lowcountry data center while mulling regulations for the industry
    SC Daily Gazette · Feb 5, 2026 · news
  4. Proposed Data Center Campus in Colleton County
    South Carolina Environmental Law Project · Mar 6, 2026 · other
  5. New data center developments in South Carolina are shrouded in secrecy, residents say
    The Post and Courier · Mar 15, 2026 · news
  6. Residents sue Colleton County over proposed data center
    WCBD News 2 · 2026 · news
  7. Colleton County approves controversial data center rules despite pushback
    Live 5 News (WCSC) · Sep 14, 2026 · news