Republican South Carolina Governor Henry McMaster attended a groundbreaking event in Aiken County where Facebook‘s parent company, Meta, is building an $800 million data center. McMaster welcomed Meta’s director of data center strategy, Kevin Janda, to the community and boasted of the “$800 million investment that will create 100 new jobs in Aiken!”
Note: The 715,00 sq. ft. data center, which will be Meta’s 22nd in the U.S. and 26th in the world, is expected to be operational in spring 2027.
This morning, we welcomed @Meta to South Carolina as they announced their plans for an $800 million investment that will create 100 new jobs in Aiken! pic.twitter.com/cEu1Shqp9v
— Gov. Henry McMaster (@henrymcmaster) August 29, 2024
Trump supporters are voicing their disappointment with the investment. As one replied: “The same Meta that just admitted to election interference and censoring speech? Not worth selling out for 100 jobs. Disappointing.”
[NOTE: Zuckerberg did not admit to election interference in his recent testimony. Trump claims that Meta CEO Mark Zuckerberg plotted against him during the 2020 election and said the Meta chief executive would “spend the rest of his life in prison” if he “did it again.”]
Another self-described “Trump defender” responded: “I hope that you didn’t sell out the state of South Carolina for a lousy 100 jobs and a soundbite. What types of tax concessions did you give them to come here as opposed to our RTP or ATL? My gut instinct is that this is a net negative for the people of South Carolina.”
Republican Senate Majority Leader Shane Massey, who lives 11 miles from the new Meta property, also voiced concern — but regarding resources.
While Massey said he understands the need for more data centers, he added: “I am concerned, however, looking at the amount of electricity and water these facilities use, and I think going forward we’re going to have to come up with a different way to manage that.”
According to the South Carolina Gazette, State Senators including Massey were told in August by the state’s major utility companies that “data centers make up 65% to 70% of the growth in power demand expected in the state within the next decade.”
Note: Governor McMaster said at the groundbreaking event, “We’ve got plenty of water.”