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by WILL FOLKS
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South Carolina congresswoman Nancy Mace wants data centers in the Palmetto State to pay their own freight – and is urging lawmakers to approve legislation similar to what recently passed in Florida.
Florida’s bill – SB 484 – would require data centers to pay for their own utility costs. It would also give local governments expanded authority over the regulation of land development deals tied to these facilities.
Sunshine State governor Ron DeSantis – who must decide whether to sign the bill – previously pushed for even more stringent data center regulation, including transparency requirements which were not included in the bill that cleared the legislature.
DeSantis previously proposed an artificial intelligence (AI) bill of rights for Floridians that would “prohibit utilities from charging Florida residents more to support hyperscale data center development, including electric, gas, and water utilities.”
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Mace wants to take a page out of DeSantis’ book, arguing that “without commonsense guardrails like those Governor DeSantis championed in Florida, utility companies could pass staggering costs directly onto families already struggling with the rising cost of living.”
“South Carolina families are already stretched thin,” Mace said. “Groceries cost more. Energy bills cost more. And now Big Tech wants to plant massive data centers across our state and let South Carolina ratepayers foot the bill for their power.”
“Not on my watch,” Mace stated.
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We will make data centers pay their own way. pic.twitter.com/mAxAlNUjsQ
— Nancy Mace (@NancyMace) April 8, 2026
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According to Mace, her gubernatorial administration would “push for legislation modeled after Florida’s approach, requiring data centers to bear the full financial cost of their energy consumption and any grid infrastructure upgrades needed to support it – with zero cost-shifting to residential customers or small businesses.”
Mace’s position is likely to be a political winner, as a February 2026 poll conducted by the S.C. Policy Council found 40% of respondents believed data centers “should be required to generate their own power and not rely on energy facilities funded by utility ratepayers.” Another 39% stated data centers “should be required to pay the costs of upgrading facilities to increase energy generation capacity.”
Only 8% of respondents believed data centers “should be allowed to use ratepayer-funded energy generation, like other large customers,” per the poll.
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RELATED | NANCY MACE PROPOSES GAMBLING REFERENDUM
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Meanwhile, the poll found 76% of respondents believed data center operators should be “required to enter into long-term power purchase agreements to help cover the cost of new power generation and grid upgrades needed to serve them.” Only 11% opposed this requirement.
Three main data center bills have been filed in South Carolina during the current legislative session – which ends in less than a month. S. 867, sponsored by Senate commerce chairman Tom Davis, is viewed as the most comprehensive reform bill. S. 784, sponsored by Senate majority leader Shane Massey, specifically addresses incentives for these facilities and their contracts with utilities. The third bill, S. 902 (sponsored by Senate judiciary chairman Luke Rankin) is similar to Davis’ bill but includes controversial language some say erodes ratepayer protections.
All three bills are “moving targets” at the moment, though, industry sources told FITSNews.
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ABOUT THE AUTHOR…
Will Folks is the founding editor of the news outlet you are currently reading. Prior to founding FITSNews, he served as press secretary to the governor of South Carolina. He lives in the Midlands region of the state with his wife and eight children.
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1 comment
Modular nuclear plants – purchased and operated on-site by the data center- can bridge this gap [and note to self: figure out which startup nuclear companies are the best producers and buy their stock]. The problem is still going to be the water cooling requirement. Even if they drill their own onsite wells, it’s going to deplete the groundwater.