Duke Energy | Electrical Generation | Energy Services | Industrywide Issues | Regulation | South Carolina
SC PSC Approves Duke Energy 1.4-GW Gas-Fired Plant in Anderson Co.
South Carolina regulators have approved Duke Energy’s proposal to build a 1.4-gigawatt (GW) natural gas-fired power plant in Anderson County, marking the utility’s first new generation project in the state in a decade. Scheduled for construction in 2027 and operational by 2031, the facility aims to address surging energy demands driven by population growth and economic expansion, though critics (falsely) attribute the need primarily to AI-driven data centers. Supported by Governor Henry McMaster under the S.C. Energy Security Act, the project is expected to generate an annual $84 million economic impact while ensuring long-term power reliability for the region. Read More “SC PSC Approves Duke Energy 1.4-GW Gas-Fired Plant in Anderson Co.”
Last week, we told you that a supposed “group of rural Ohioans” in Adams and Brown counties was seeking a constitutional amendment to ban data centers exceeding 25 megawatts, citing concerns over resource consumption and a lack of local control (see 
Williams is addressing the surging energy needs of data centers by deploying modular natural gas-fired power units. In fact, the company has a 6-gigawatt (GW) project backlog by the early 2030s. Williams executive Jaclyn Presnal highlights that modularization provides essential “speed to power” and extreme reliability through built-in redundancy, outperforming traditional large-scale plants for phased projects. These initiatives incorporate batteries to manage AI-driven loads and leverage pipeline expansions, such as the Transco Power Express (see 
Hull Street Energy (HSE) has entered an agreement to acquire two peaking power plants from Rockland Capital, LP, significantly expanding its Milepost Power portfolio. The acquisition includes the 677-megawatt (MW) Lee County Generating Station in Illinois and the 586-MW Tait Electric Generating Station in Ohio. Both facilities operate within the PJM electricity market, providing essential fast-start resources and grid stability amidst tightening supply-demand dynamics. Upon closing later this year, HSE’s total generation capacity will reach nearly 5,000 MW, establishing it as one of the largest private power producers in the United States. 
Last April, Knighthead Capital Management, Homer City Redevelopment (HCR), and Kiewit Power Constructors Co. announced a plan to convert the former Homer City Generating Station, previously the largest coal-fired power plant in Pennsylvania (Indiana County, 50 miles east of Pittsburgh) into a more than 3,200-acre natural gas-powered data center campus, designed to meet the growing demand for artificial intelligence (AI) and high-performance computing (see 
Eastern Shore developer TeraWulf has reached a deal to acquire the retired Morgantown Generating Station in Charles County (on the Potomac River), proposing to transform the site into a massive natural gas-powered data center campus. The plan aims to generate one gigawatt (GW) of power and 500 megawatts of battery storage, bypassing the aging regional grid. While TeraWulf claims support from Governor Wes Moore’s administration, the project faces intense scrutiny from environmental groups and local residents concerned about fossil fuel emissions and transparency. Critics also question the financial stability of the cryptocurrency-focused firm, though company leadership maintains they have the expertise to remediate the site. 
Here’s a question: Do you want the government to be able to control your thermostat (turning it down in the winter, or up in the summer), controlling your water heater (making it cooler), or controlling your “smart” refrigerator (raising the ambient temp inside), or controlling other so-called smart appliances, bypassing *your* preferred settings? Would you like the government to be able to grab stored electricity from solar panels on your roof or from the battery in your charged-up EV during times of electric grid “stress”? That’s what Democrat members of the Pennsylvania state legislature want to do. It’s called a “virtual power plant,” and it’s being sold as a quick solution to power shortages without having to build new gas-fired power plants (or new windmills, solar farms, etc.). Creating a virtual power plant just takes a little software and a lot of apathy from citizens to make it work. 
The Energy Cooperative (TEC) has proposed a 24-mile-long, 24-inch natural gas pipeline across Licking County, Ohio, stretching from Bennington Township to the New Albany International Business Park. Estimated at $150 million, the project is designed to supply energy to a specific, unnamed data center, which will fully fund the construction. (We think we’ve identified the “unnamed” data center, which we’ll do below.) While TEC maintains the pipeline will enhance system reliability and stabilize pressure for its 58,000 members, the project faces scrutiny from local landowners. Concerns involve the potential use of eminent domain and the environmental impact on agricultural land. 
The West Virginia Senate approved House Bill (HB) 4983 on Wednesday, establishing the certification process for new data centers and the gas-fired microgrids intended to power them. This is a key piece of the “gas-to-data-center” story we’ve been following. The final version includes new language requiring developers to study water usage, addressing local concerns while still providing a regulatory pathway for the “behind-the-meter” generation projects that are currently the primary bridge solution for the AI industry.