Data Center Campus
QTS is developing a data center campus in York County. We are committed to serving as a responsible and engaged neighbor, supporting economic growth, advancing environmental stewardship and contributing to the ongoing prosperity of Rock Hill, South Carolina.
February 10 | 5:00-7:00 p.m.
Location:
Oakridge Middle School
5650 Hwy 557 Clover, SC 29710
Join us at Oakridge Middle School on February 10 from 5:00–7:00 p.m. We’ll kick things off with a brief presentation outlining our plans, followed by refreshments and conversation. You’ll also have the chance to meet QTS associates who will be available to answer any questions you may have. We look forward to meeting members of the York community!
WHY QTS
Data centers are essential for businesses, governments and organizations that rely on technology to operate and communicate. We are committed to providing job opportunities, fostering economic growth, working with local suppliers and operating as trusted neighbors and good stewards of community resources and the environment.
We anticipate bringing high-tech full-time jobs and hundreds of construction and trade jobs. We offer internship programs for undergrads, transitioning military members and programs to learn more about data centers.
We’ve established clear goals for reducing our carbon footprint, using a water-free cooling system, promoting clean energy and improving stakeholder well-being.
We are dedicated to enhancing the future prosperity of the community, the environment and business landscape by supporting local organizations to meet the needs of the community.
As a conscientious, purpose-driven organization, we listen and engage the community with our best-in-class standards for site development, construction and operations.
View the QTS material shared at the York County Community Event held on February 10th.
A data center is a purpose-built building that stores a large amount of digital data. This data – and the applications used to create, process and share it – is housed in servers that reside within the data center. Data centers are vital hubs for businesses, governments and organizations that rely on technology.
There are many factors that QTS considers when looking at locations for data center development. Data centers require access to power, connectivity and a skilled workforce that not everywhere can provide.
Another important factor is existing infrastructure and appropriate zoning that can support data center development, both of which this area already has established. Having zoning and infrastructure already in place minimizes environmental impacts and community disruption which is why QTS pursued and acquired this site.
QTS Data Centers is investing in the future of York County with a data center campus with 9 buildings total that will be constructed across three phases.
During the first phase we expect to build four data center buildings across approximately 109 acres with plans to commence the second phase of building construction in early 2027. The second and third phase will introduce five additional buildings to the project but the schedule for these phases is still being determined.
The site plan for phases one through three is pictured below.
We take pride in constructing buildings with aesthetic appeal in the communities where we operate. We have a track record of working with local communities to ensure our buildings meet local design standards.
Our campus design takes into account visual impacts by increasing buffers and setbacks in certain areas above code requirements. We incorporate architectural screening to conceal equipment from view and utilize landscaping techniques such as berms to enhance aesthetics.
We’re excited to grow our presence in York County by expanding our property to allow for future growth. While immediate plans for this new property are not set, we plan to listen and engage with the citizens of York County to ensure this growth is beneficial to the community. We look forward to continuing our partnership with York County and will keep the community updated as our plans progress.
The project represents a transformative investment in York County’s future, infusing more than $8 billion into local growth and development.
It is expected to create thousands of construction jobs and hundreds of full-time positions, supporting local families and businesses and partnering with local building trades unions.
We estimate the project will generate millions in economic output once the project is fully built out and operational, creating an opportunity to reduce tax burden for residents and support services and community programs throughout York County.
This investment reflects our belief that responsible growth means shared prosperity for the communities where we live, operate and raise our families.
We estimate around 1,000 construction jobs and around 200 permanent jobs will be created during the development and operation of this data center campus.
The permanent, onsite jobs reflect a combination of positions directly employed by QTS, jobs employed by our tenants, and jobs tied to campus operations such as maintenance. These numbers are projections based on similar projects.
Beyond construction, data centers employ a wide range of onsite jobs across operations, project management, procurement, logistics, security and maintenance/technology.
Skillsets range from technical (electrical, mechanical, IT certifications) to administrative and security. Importantly, our Data Center Academy program provides paid training for individuals with no prior experience, creating a pathway to become a Critical Operations Technician.
We typically pay an average of $80,000 for an annual salary for a Data Center Technician.
QTS is committed to supporting the local economy by hiring as many local businesses and contractors as possible throughout the construction and development of our campus.
Through partnerships with local schools, technical colleges, and workforce programs, we aim for a significant portion of roles to be filled by community residents.
We have established a power agreement with York Electric Cooperative for the development of nine buildings, which will be executed over three phases.
We understand why people are interested in the power needs of this project. What we can share is that the facilities are designed to operate within the existing planning, regulatory and utility requirements for the area. We are working directly with local utilities to ensure that our power needs do not impact the reliability of service for homes or businesses in York County and the surrounding areas.
While we don’t disclose specific power capacity for security and confidentiality reasons, we can reassure the community that the project has gone through the appropriate reviews, and the local grid has confirmed it can reliably support the site. As the project develops, we remain committed to ongoing dialogue with the community and local leaders.
QTS will pay for all the needed energy infrastructure for the project, and there will be no cost impact on existing YEC members as a result.
QTS aspires to source the maximum amount of carbon-free energy. In 2024, QTS achieved full utilization of carbon-free operational electricity across our facilities. We work closely with utility companies to identify innovative and sustainable ways to best serve the communities in which we operate in and the environment.
This project offers many impactful benefits to the country’s residents. The QTS project is expected to attract further economic investments to our community and indirectly support job creation both in the short- and long-term. Furthermore, this project will offer substantial funding for local school districts through property taxes and help offset other county-wide spending. The local investment this project will provide our area will help lower the tax burden on local citizens.
QTS data centers are built with a closed-loop cooling system that does not consume water for cooling, once operational. Because our cooling technology uses a closed-loop system, there will be no impact to water supply in York County, City of Rock Hill, Lake Wylie or the Catawba River Basin.
Once the cooling system is up and running, York County water will only be used for everyday building needs – like bathrooms, kitchens, cleaning and landscaping – just like any other commercial building. An average facility uses less than 20,000 gallons/month, which is equivalent to two American households.
The closed-loop system that cools the data hall uses only water. We will need to initially charge the system with a one-time fill. The total initial charging volume can vary widely based on a variety of factors including power capacity and facility design. It is hard to predict the exact amount of water needed. As an example, a data center building at our Cedar Rapids data center campus will use 2.5 million gallons of municipal water supply to initially charge the system.
We’ve discussed the best solutions to support the initial fill with York County Water & Sewer and have received a will-serve letter from York County Water & Sewer. The initial fill will not utilize Lake Wylie water in any capacity.
The analysis completed by QTS and York County engineering indicates that there is adequate capacity in the existing system to support the development.
Because our cooling technology uses a closed-loop, there will be no impact to water supply in York County or Lake Wylie.
Ground Water will not be utilized for this development. Previously, stormwater management controls were non-existent as the area was undeveloped. QTS’s storm system design meets and/or exceeds the storm water code requirements for the State and York County and has received approval from both the state and county. The final storm system will include permanent basins throughout the campus that hold, filter, and slowly release water to control flow, volume, and quality.
We have confirmed there will be no impacts to endangered species and their habitats based on an environmental study from a third-party.
We are committed to utilizing Best Management Practices for land and water protection and conservation. Efforts are in place to prevent sedimentation of undisturbed waters and avoid and minimize disturbance to wetlands and streams. Our proposed mitigation plan would restore and preserve a greater number of streams within the York County service area than would be impacted by this project. As plans progress, we will share more details and invite community input. Our commitment is to make this land a resource that benefits both the environment and the local community.
Diesel generators are used for emergency backup purposes only and are not the main source of power for our data centers. Generators are tested once a month for a short period of time for routine maintenance. Our diesel storage tanks are double-walled and equipped with interstitial leak monitoring and containment systems to minimize noise and ensure environmental protection. Additionally, our generators come equipped with high-efficiency filters to protect air quality and reduce emissions. These filters help minimize air pollutants and noise levels to keep the community safe in the limited cases that backup generators are needed.
QTS has applied for an air permit to the South Carolina Department of Environmental Services (SCDES) and has received Air Permit approval. The SCDES is the delegated permitting and enforcement arm, from the US EPA under the Clean Air Act, to ensure that air pollution is within acceptable levels.
Any equipment that QTS or our customers use, we recycle. In most cases, old electronics are typically used to build new component parts.
A common misconception is that living near a data center poses increased health risks due to radiation. All buildings regardless of usage and occupancy emit electromagnetic radiation. In fact, data centers emit levels of electromagnetic radiation comparable to those of standard commercial or residential buildings. Extensive research has been conducted, and no evidence has been found to conclude that exposure to low-level electromagnetic fields is harmful to health.
QTS has performed acoustical analysis to ensure we comply with municipal acoustical code regulations.
Our data centers are designed not to exceed permissible noise levels, and we implement a variety of sound mitigation strategies, including equipment enclosures, sound barriers and strategic grading and site layouts fit for each development.
QTS data center buildings are constructed to meet or exceed green building standards, which includes responsible lighting design. The lighting strategy will mitigate impact to wildlife and natural areas by implementing special lighting techniques. These include using directional lighting pointed downward and covered to reduce light pollution, lower wattage and brightness levels, motion sensors and automatic systems to avoid unnecessary lighting and landscaping to minimize light impact. All lighting plans will meet local and state code requirements.
Clearing for Phase I is already complete, and earth work is currently underway. We expect earth work for this phase to be finished in Q2 2026, with building construction beginning in Q1 2026.
Noise is anticipated during construction. QTS will comply with all required noise and zoning ordinances. In York County, standard construction activity is allowed between 7:00 AM and 7:00 PM Monday through Saturday, excluding Holidays. QTS will work closely with our partners to ensure we’re working during standard and approved work hours. Work outside these hours typically requires prior approval from the local municipality or county zoning authority. If work is required outside of these hours, we will coordinate with the county and ensure the community is notified in advance.
During construction, we will work with our partners to implement a variety of practices to minimize dust, including applying temporary paving to construction roads, logistic areas and workforce parking areas; routinely watering down active work areas and haul roads; covering or stabilizing soil and material piles when they are not in use; limiting vehicle speeds on unpaved surfaces and using designated haul routes to reduce dust generation. These steps help ensure compliance with local regulations and we will monitor the conditions daily based on weather conditions and activity levels.
Yes, blasting is required, it will be done under strict safety and environmental guidelines, with advance notice to the community. Our goal is to minimize disruption and ensure the process is safe for residents and workers. QTS will work with our construction partners to monitor the size and scale of every blast and share notifications related to timing. In many cases, these notifications are shared to all residents that have subscribed to these notifications via text message and automated calls. The sign-ups for notifications will be added to our QTS York site page, and we will provide contact information for our General Contractor for any questions or concerns as it relates to rock blasting.
QTS is committed to minimizing impacts on local infrastructure and ensuring safe travel for residents throughout the development of the project. In an effort to minimize impact, we plan to do the following:
QTS will take responsibility for restoring roads impacted by our construction activities to meet or exceed pre-construction conditions.
While data centers are critical infrastructure, they are among the most secure and reliable facilities in technology.
QTS data centers are designed with multiple layers of physical, technical and environmental security controls including biometric access controls, 24/7 surveillance and advanced cybersecurity protocols.
QTS data centers use high-security fencing, often 8 to 12 feet tall. This fencing is made of steel and sometimes topped with barbed wire for added protection.
Yes. Entry points are limited and secured with gates controlled by badge access, biometric systems and security personnel.
The York County Sheriff’s Office and York County Fire will be the primary responder for emergencies at the proposed facility. If the project moves forward, we will partner with the department to ensure they have the training, equipment and resources needed to respond effectively to an emergency and protect the community.
Data centers are built for long-term use and are designed to evolve with technology. While the physical structure remains durable and well-maintained, the internal systems (servers, cooling, electrical) are upgraded to keep pace with innovation and efficiency standards.
The QTS approach is modular and scalable, meaning we can integrate new technologies without major reconstruction. This ensures the facility stays operational for decades.
QTS is connecting with York residents through a series of community meetings and events in early 2026. These efforts are designed to keep everyone informed, answer questions, and encourage local involvement in the project.
Highlights include upcoming public events, chances to meet with QTS representatives, and ongoing open communication with city and school leaders. QTS is committed to transparency and ensuring the community has the information needed as the project moves forward.
We will continue to work closely with York County and state agencies as the project moves through the development process.
We will share updates and maintain open communication with local leaders, residents and community partners as the project advances.
For additional updates, resources and information about the of the proposed QTS Data Centers project, please visit qtsdatacenters.com/data-centers/york/.
We understand that projects of this scale raise important questions and concerns, and we take them seriously. We’re committed to providing clear, timely updates through our FAQ page and ongoing communications.
Residents can reach us anytime via [email protected], our website comment form, or at upcoming community events.
2143 Hands Mill Hwy
Rock Hill, South Carolina 29745
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Stay tuned for updates on development.
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