Union County Development Corp.

🏗️ BUILDING THE FUTURE OF MANUFACTURING IN UNION COUNTY

UCDC Executive Director Dolton Williams and Board Member Jeff Humphries recently had the opportunity to visit the future Eaton manufacturing campus and see firsthand the incredible transformation underway.

The approximately 860,000-square-foot facility is being converted from a former warehouse into a state-of-the-art manufacturing campus—a massive undertaking that will soon support advanced manufacturing operations and hundreds of new jobs in Union County.

Projects of this magnitude don’t happen overnight. Seeing the work underway is a reminder of just how significant Eaton’s investment is for our community and the opportunities it will create for Union County residents for years to come.

We’re proud to welcome Eaton to Union County and excited to watch this facility come to life.

The future is being built right here in Union County.

☕ Mark your calendars! Join us September 25 from 8:30-9:30 AM for Coffee with the Superintendent! Stop by Elle Bell Cafe at 111 W Main St in Union to enjoy coffee, conversation, and community with Dr. Woods. Everyone is welcome!

SC Works Greater Upstate, SC@Work Rural Connections, USC Union, and the City of Union are teaming up to host the Union County Career and Resource Fair on Tuesday, September 22, 2026, from 10am to 1pm at the Main Street Junction, located at 107 East Main Street in Union.

Congratulations to one of our newest Board Members! We know Mr. Davis will continue doing a phenomenal job for the City of Union!

Effective September 3, 2026, S. Lance Davis has been appointed as the City Administrator for the City of Union.

Lance has served the City in his role as Utilities Director and brings valuable experience, knowledge, and dedication to his new position.

We look forward to Lance's leadership as he takes on this new role and continues working with employees, departments, Mayor, and City Council in serving the citizens of Union.

Project Alpaca: Let’s Talk About It

Following Tuesday night’s County Council meeting, we’ve heard a wide range of feedback regarding the proposed Project Alpaca data center.

Some of you are supportive. Some of you have real concerns.
Both matter—and we take that seriously.

Our responsibility is simple: make sure the community has clear, factual information to make informed decisions.

⸻

What is Project Alpaca?

Project Alpaca is a proposed 49-megawatt data center campus in Midway Green Industrial Park, developed by an experienced U.S.-based company with a strong track record.

If approved, the project would bring:

* $400+ million in private investment
* Zero taxpayer funding
* Tens of millions in new tax revenue over time
* 50+ high-wage jobs (avg. $42/hour + benefits)
* 500+ construction jobs during buildout

⸻

Let’s Address the Concerns We’re Hearing

We’re not going to ignore the tough questions—here are direct answers:

⸻

⚡ Power Usage

Concern: This will strain the grid and raise costs.

Reality:
This site was specifically chosen because it already has existing, underutilized power capacity. That infrastructure is in place today and not being fully used.

This project does not require building new generation and, compared to many manufacturing users, operates at a lower overall grid impact per acre.

⸻

💧 Water Usage

Concern: Data centers consume large amounts of water.

Reality:
This facility uses a closed-loop cooling system with specialized coolant, meaning no ongoing draw from the local water system for operations.

Water use is limited to standard office and landscaping needs.

⸻

🔊 Noise

Concern: Constant industrial noise.

Reality:
Yes—there are fans and cooling systems. But they are:

* Contained within the building
* Buffered with sound mitigation measures

Noise levels are comparable to typical industrial park activity and are not expected to impact nearby areas.

⸻

🌎 Environmental Impact

Concern: Negative environmental effects.

Reality:
This project must meet all state and federal environmental regulations—no exceptions.

It is also located within an existing industrial park, intentionally designed to handle this type of development—keeping it away from neighborhoods, schools, and residential growth areas.

⸻

🚗 Traffic & Daily Life

Concern: Increased congestion and disruption.

Reality:
After construction, data centers generate very minimal daily traffic—far less than most industrial or manufacturing operations.

⸻

🏗️ Infrastructure

Concern: Strain on local systems.

Reality:
The site uses existing infrastructure already built for industrial use, meaning no added burden on public systems.

⸻

💼 Incentives & Accountability

Concern: Who benefits from the deal?

Reality:
Any incentives must comply with South Carolina law and require:

* Verified job creation
* Significant private investment
* Measurable long-term tax revenue

If those benchmarks are not met, the benefits are not realized.
This is performance-based—not a blank check.

⸻

Final Thought

We understand that projects like this raise important questions. They should.

Our commitment is not to push something through—it’s to ensure that every decision is based on facts, transparency, and what’s best for Union County long-term.

We invite you to continue asking questions.
We’ll keep answering them—openly and honestly—so everyone has access to the same information. Please post your questions.