Combined investment of $3.3 billion in Dorchester, Berkeley counties
Google announced plans to expand its South Carolina footprint by establishing two new data center campuses in Dorchester County and expanding its existing campus in Berkeley County. The company’s combined investment of $3.3 billion will create jobs across both counties.
“We welcome Google’s historic investment in Dorchester County and the transformative economic opportunities it will bring,” said Dorchester County Council Chair Todd Friddle. “This project will have a lasting positive impact on our county, providing new jobs, elevating our schools, and enhancing the quality of life for our residents. Google’s proven track record of empowering local workforces and strengthening communities, including right here in the Lowcountry, makes them an invaluable partner for our region, and we are excited to work with them to build a brighter future for Dorchester County together.”
Google’s data centers support its digital services, including Google Cloud, Search and Maps. It has 17 operational data center campuses in the U.S.
The new Dorchester County facilities in the Pine Hill Business Campus in Ridgeville and Winding Woods Commerce Park in St. George represent a $2 billion investment. They will create 200 new operational jobs and approximately 1,200 long-term construction jobs.
The facilities will support the growing demand for the company’s cloud services and artificial intelligence (AI).
“Google’s latest investment will strengthen South Carolina’s position as an emerging leader in technology and innovation,” said Gov. Henry McMaster. “We are proud to support Google’s operations in Dorchester and Berkeley counties and look forward to the many opportunities our continued partnership will create for our people.”
In Berkeley County, Google will invest $1.3 billion to expand its existing data center campus in the Mount Holly Commerce Park in Moncks Corner and support continued job growth. Established in 2007, the Berkeley County operation was the company’s first in South Carolina.
“Google’s growing footprint in the Lowcountry is indicative of the company’s successful partnership with the counties in our region,” said Johnny Cribb, Berkeley County supervisor. “Over the years, Google has brought critical capital investment and job opportunities to our communities, and we look forward to seeing how expansions, both in Berkeley and Dorchester counties, positively impact our area.”
In addition to the new local investment, the company announced new support for energy affordability programs and a local watershed health improvement project. Google will provide $1.6 million in new funding to expand the reach and impact of an initiative designed to help fund critical pre-weatherization and energy efficiency improvements for low—and moderate-income (LMI) households in South Carolina.
“Google has been a tremendous partner for Berkeley Electric Cooperative for years now – not only driving economic activity for our community, but also helping to lower costs for our members,” said Mike Fuller, CEO of Berkeley Electric. “Google’s data centers positively transform our local energy landscape, and we are excited to continue growing with them in the years to come.”
The projects have been the subject of some criticism. Frank Knapp Jr., president and CEO of the South Carolina Small Business Chamber of Commerce, responded to comments by Lilyn Hester, head of southeast external affairs and government relations for Google. Hesters said, “And when it comes to data centers, we can build anywhere in the world. So, when the state offers these incentives, we will take the state up on those opportunities like any other company.”
Knapp said the South Carolina Small Business Chamber of Commerce has worked to keep utility costs as low as possible for small businesses since 2002 by intervening 11 times in rate hearings at the SC Public Service Commission.
“There is something terribly obscene when the state of South Carolina and local governments give financial incentives to big tech to build data centers here that require new gas plants resulting in the electric bills of small business and residential ratepayers to go up by 10% or more,” Knapp said in an email. “Our tax dollars are being used to subsidize higher profits by companies like Google while increasing utility costs for the rest of us. We don’t need these data centers to be built here for South Carolinians and our businesses to benefit from artificial intelligence services. If data centers aren’t required to produce most of their energy needs with clean energy, let them build ‘anywhere in the world’ but here.”