All issues

Energy

New industry, a rising population and data centers are arriving. The question is whether reliable, affordable power arrives with them.

Why this still matters

South Carolina is adding people, plants and now data centers at a pace that puts real pressure on generation, transmission and price. Demand of that kind does not wait politely for a plan.

Energy costs are cost-of-living costs. They show up in a household utility bill, and again in the price of nearly everything that has to be manufactured, refrigerated or moved.

Global markets and distant conflicts reach us here. Energy is one of the clearest places where the wider world arrives at home.

What I'm watching

  • Whether the state has a coherent, published plan for reliable and affordable power
  • How the cost of new generation and transmission is allocated between industry and households
  • Data center demand and what it means for ratepayers
  • Grid resilience before, during and after coastal storms