Say NO to Data Centers in Kershaw County
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About Data Centers and the Rise in Electricity Usage
We the PEOPLE pay their Electricity Bill
Americans are paying for the electricity used by data centers because the costs of building and maintaining the infrastructure to support these energy-intensive facilities are often spread across all utility customers. As demand from data centers increases, utilities may raise rates to cover their expenses, leading to higher electricity bills for consumers.
Rising Electricity Costs Due to Data Centers
Impact of Data Centers on Electricity Demand
Data centers, especially those supporting artificial intelligence (AI), are rapidly increasing their electricity consumption. Currently, they account for about 4% of U.S. electricity demand, and this figure is projected to rise significantly, potentially reaching 9% by 2030. A single AI data center can consume as much electricity as 80,000 homes, straining the existing power grid.
Cost Distribution and Utility Models
The business model of many U.S. utilities involves spreading the costs of infrastructure and energy supply across all customers. This means that as utilities invest billions in new infrastructure to support data centers, these costs are passed on to everyday consumers. For instance, utilities are expected to spend $1.1 trillion on infrastructure by 2029 to meet the growing demand from data centers.
Regulatory Challenges
Utilities often negotiate special tariffs for large data center customers, but these measures may not fully shield residential consumers from rising costs. In many cases, tech companies negotiate lower rates, leaving local residents to cover the remaining expenses. This has led to concerns that ordinary Americans are subsidizing the energy needs of large corporations.
Conclusion
As data centers continue to expand, the resulting increase in electricity demand and infrastructure costs is likely to impact consumer bills. The current utility pricing models and regulatory frameworks may need to be reevaluated to ensure that the burden does not disproportionately fall on everyday Americans.
What To Do and What We Need
Environmentalist Needed
Environmentalist Needed
Environmentalist Needed
Want to Help Educate Our Community? We are looking for someone with experience in environmental science, conservation, or public policy who can help explain how data centers impact our county’s water, electricity, and environment. If you or someone you know has knowledge in this area and would like to share it with the people of Kershaw County, we’d love to connect. Change@KershawData.com
Contact County Council
Environmentalist Needed
Environmentalist Needed
Here are your council members. Contact them and ask these questions.
https://www.kershaw.sc.gov/our-county
Questions for County Council: Data Centers in
Kershaw County
1. Jobs & Taxes: What real benefits (jobs, tax revenue, lower bills) will the data center
bring compared to the costs?
2. Water: How much water will it use each day, and what happens to our water (low pressure, run the aquifer dry)?
3. Electricity: How will the data center’s power demand affect our utility bills?
4. Environment: What studies prove it won’t harm our air, land, or water—and will we
see them (will it light up the neighborhood)?
5. Future Risk: If it closes, what protections keep Kershaw County from being left with
the costs?
Help This Mission
Environmentalist Needed
Help This Mission
Join Our Mission
If you’d like to help us keep electricity bills affordable, protect our county’s water supply, and safeguard the environment, please contact us. Together, we can make a difference for Kershaw County’s future.