Company aims big after selling first site in Virginia
US operator Cielo Digital Infrastructure is looking to develop a data center campus in South Carolina.
The company this week announced plans to develop a $2.1 billion data center campus in Cherokee County, on the state border with North Carolina, east of Spartanburg and west of Charlotte.
Located at 000 Ford Road in Gaffney, Cielo plans to develop a data center campus consisting of four facilities, each approximately 400,000 square feet (37,161 sqm), along with an associated electrical substation. The site could total up to 300MW at full build-out.
Initial operations are expected to be online by year-end 2028.
“Cielo is excited to bring our newest project to Gaffney. We look forward to advancing on a site that we think offers connectivity and critical energy access to support data center development. Cherokee County and the State of South Carolina have been superb to work with while creating an environment welcoming to growth in key areas, such as technology infrastructure,” said Cielo Digital Infrastructure SVP, C.J. Maier.
Founded in 2023, Cielo is owned by Texas-based investment manager Arroyo Investors.
South Carolina Gov. Henry McMaster added: “Cielo Digital Infrastructure’s decision to invest $2.1 billion and create 30 new jobs in Cherokee County reinforces South Carolina’s reputation as a place where top technology companies can thrive. We are proud that high-tech companies like Cielo continue to see the value in our talented workforce and pro-business climate.”
The company was previously developing a large campus in Virginia's Culpeper County, though this has since been sold and taken over by Edgecore.
As well as South Carolina, Cielo has a number of projects planned across the US, potentially totaling gigawatts of capacity.
According to its website, the company has active projects in Florida, Tennessee, Illinois, Colorado, Missouri, Texas, Minnesota, and Iowa.
The Florida development, in Haines City, will offer 300MW across 74 acres, while the Tennessee development, in Clarksville, will offer 350MW across 107 acres. In Illinois, the company aims to develop a 141-acre project in New Lenox that will offer 300MW and a 159-acre development in Minooka set to offer 500MW.
In Hudson, Colorado, Cielo aims to develop a 500-acre site offering 750MW. On the Missouri side of Kansas City, the company aims to develop up to 500MW of capacity on 146 acres. In Texas, Cielo is targeting a 500MW development on 472 acres at Mustang Ridge. In Chisago, Minnesota, the company aims to develop 157 acres into a 300MW campus. And in Des Moines, Iowa, the company aims to develop 166 acres into a 150MW campus.
