---
title: "Spartanburg County Data Center Seeks Equipment Increase, Says Expansion Was Always the Plan"
url: https://www.herespartanburg.com/spartanburg-county-data-center-seeks-equipment-increase-says-expansion-was-always-the-plan/
date: 2026-04-28T08:27:33-04:00
modified: 2026-04-28T08:28:23-04:00
author: "Reginald Orr"
categories: ["Uncategorized"]
site: "HERESpartanburg"
attribution: "HERESpartanburg"
---

# Spartanburg County Data Center Seeks Equipment Increase, Says Expansion Was Always the Plan

*Source: [HERESpartanburg](https://www.herespartanburg.com/spartanburg-county-data-center-seeks-equipment-increase-says-expansion-was-always-the-plan/) — April 28, 2026 by Reginald Orr*

A data center operating in Spartanburg County has filed paperwork seeking a significant increase in approved equipment — a move that has drawn scrutiny from county officials and area observers who say the request was not clearly disclosed during the original approval process.

The facility, connected to the roughly $3 billion Project Spero AI data center development approved by Spartanburg County Council earlier this year, has characterized the equipment expansion as consistent with its original plan. County officials and community advocates have pushed back on that framing, arguing the scope of the request was not apparent when incentive agreements and zoning approvals were granted.

The project is located at the Tyger River Industrial Park and previously drew large crowds to County Council meetings, with hundreds of attendees voicing concerns about energy consumption, water use, and infrastructure strain. Federal regulators earlier rejected a large transmission proposal tied to the project over concerns about potential cost-shifting onto regional ratepayers — a decision that added scrutiny to how the facility’s expansion plans were being presented publicly.

The facility’s operators have stated they plan to generate some power on-site using natural gas and employ a closed-loop cooling system to limit water draw. They maintain the data center will be effectively self-sufficient and will not strain local infrastructure. Critics have pointed out that the original framing of the project’s energy footprint does not square with the current expansion request in size or scope.

The county’s engagement with the data center came through a negotiated incentive package that included significant tax breaks in exchange for the promised economic impact. With the equipment request now pending, some county officials are questioning whether the deal’s original terms anticipated this level of infrastructure growth.

County officials have not yet responded publicly to the most recent equipment filing. No vote or public hearing date has been scheduled. The data center’s legal and permitting counsel did not immediately respond to requests for comment.