AI data center sites in North Carolina
95 North Carolina counties scored on transmission, the interconnection queue, power price and tax. Updated October 18, 2026.
Open a county for its queue requests, substations, plants and data centers.
| County | Score | Pipeline | Power price |
|---|---|---|---|
| 72 | 2 MW | 7.9¢/kWh | |
| 70 | 80 MW | 7.9¢/kWh | |
| 68 | 56 MW | 7.9¢/kWh | |
| 66 | - | 7.9¢/kWh | |
| 61 | - | 7.9¢/kWh | |
| 59 | 240 MW | 7.9¢/kWh | |
| 58 | - | 7.9¢/kWh | |
| 58 | 80 MW | 7.9¢/kWh | |
| 57 | 453 MW | 7.9¢/kWh | |
| 57 | - | 7.9¢/kWh | |
| 56 | - | 7.9¢/kWh | |
| 55 | 964 MW | 7.9¢/kWh | |
| 55 | 50 MW | 7.9¢/kWh | |
| 55 | - | 7.9¢/kWh | |
| 53 | 560 MW | 7.9¢/kWh | |
| 53 | 40 MW | 7.9¢/kWh | |
| 52 | - | 7.9¢/kWh | |
| 51 | 57 MW | 7.9¢/kWh | |
| 51 | 54 MW | 7.9¢/kWh | |
| 50 | 919 MW | 7.9¢/kWh | |
| 50 | - | 7.9¢/kWh | |
| 49 | - | 7.9¢/kWh | |
| 49 | 108 MW | 7.9¢/kWh | |
| 49 | 34 MW | 7.9¢/kWh | |
| 48 | 674 MW | 7.9¢/kWh | |
| 48 | 460 MW | 7.9¢/kWh | |
| 48 | 442 MW | 7.9¢/kWh | |
| 48 | 80 MW | 7.9¢/kWh | |
| 47 | 319 MW | 7.9¢/kWh | |
| 47 | 25 MW | 7.9¢/kWh | |
| 47 | - | 7.9¢/kWh | |
| 46 | 230 MW | 7.9¢/kWh | |
| 46 | - | 7.9¢/kWh | |
| 46 | 73 MW | 7.9¢/kWh | |
| 45 | 74 MW | 7.9¢/kWh | |
| 45 | 51 MW | 7.9¢/kWh | |
| 45 | - | 7.9¢/kWh | |
| 45 | - | 7.9¢/kWh | |
| 45 | 160 MW | 7.9¢/kWh | |
| 44 | 123 MW | 7.9¢/kWh | |
| 44 | 224 MW | 7.9¢/kWh | |
| 44 | - | 7.9¢/kWh | |
| 43 | - | 7.9¢/kWh | |
| 43 | - | 7.9¢/kWh | |
| 42 | - | 7.9¢/kWh | |
| 42 | - | 7.9¢/kWh | |
| 42 | - | 7.9¢/kWh | |
| 42 | - | 7.9¢/kWh | |
| 42 | 40 MW | 7.9¢/kWh | |
| 42 | - | 7.9¢/kWh |
Pipeline: active generation and storage requests in the ISO queue, or EIA planned plants where larger (outside the ISOs). Top kV: highest substation voltage. Power price: the state's industrial average. DCs: GPU colocation, mining sites and AI campuses.
What the data shows
The strongest North Carolina counties for a large AI load are Mecklenburg County (72), Person County (70) and Wake County (68) on the site score. North Carolina sits in utility territory and PJM; its ISO queues hold 5.6 GW of active generation and storage requests, 1.3 GW of them with a signed interconnection agreement, and it has 14 substations at 345 kV and up.
Industrial power averaged 7.9¢/kWh (EIA, July 2026 YTD), against 7.8¢/kWh a year earlier, the 14th lowest of the 50 states and DC. North Carolina has a data center sales and use tax exemption in force. We track 3 AI campuses and 20 GPU-ready colocation facilities here.
Top 6 counties in detail
1. Mecklenburg CountyUtility: Duke Energy Carolinas
Site score 72 of 100
- Transmission
- 25/25
- Generation pipeline
- 1/20
- Industrial power price
- 18/20
- Existing and retiring plants
- 9/15
- Sales tax exemption
- 10/10
- Data center activity
- 9/10
- Market
- Utility: Duke Energy Carolinas
- Queue (active)
- 0 MW
- Agreement signed
- 0 MW
- Planned plants (EIA)
- 2 MW
- Top substation
- 500 kV
- Substations 230 kV+
- 8
- Operating plants
- 2.5 GW
- Retired or retiring
- 2 MW
- Industrial power, NC
- 7.9¢/kWh
- Sales tax exemption
- Yes
Substations, 115 kV and up
- MCGUIRE · 22 lines500 kV
- MCGUIRE · 4 lines500 kV
- ALLEN · 14 lines230 kV
- WOODLAWN · 14 lines230 kV
- LAKEWOOD · 12 lines230 kV
- HARRISBURG · 10 lines230 kV
- Unnamed · 10 lines230 kV
- Unnamed · 3 lines230 kV
Data centers, AI campuses and mining sites
- Cogent Charlotte · GPU colocation, Charlotte
- Cogent Charlotte 2 · GPU colocation, Charlotte
- Digital Realty CLT10 · GPU colocation, Charlotte
- Flexential Charlotte - North · GPU colocation, Charlotte, 3.3 MW
- Flexential Charlotte - South · GPU colocation, Charlotte, 2.36 MW
- Segra Charlotte 1 · GPU colocation, Charlotte, 0.5 MW
- Segra Charlotte 2 · GPU colocation, Charlotte, 2.5 MW
- TierPoint Charlotte (Center Park) · GPU colocation, Charlotte
- TierPoint Charlotte (North Myers St.) · GPU colocation, Charlotte
Colocation from our GPU colocation list; mining sites from the miner AI conversion tracker.
2. Person CountyUtility: Duke Energy Progress East
Site score 70 of 100
- Transmission
- 25/25
- Generation pipeline
- 2/20
- Industrial power price
- 18/20
- Existing and retiring plants
- 15/15
- Sales tax exemption
- 10/10
- Data center activity
- 0/10
- Market
- Utility: Duke Energy Progress East
- Queue (active)
- 0 MW
- Agreement signed
- 0 MW
- Planned plants (EIA)
- 80 MW
- Top substation
- 500 kV
- Substations 230 kV+
- 6
- Operating plants
- 3.3 GW
- Retired or retiring
- 831 MW
- Industrial power, NC
- 7.9¢/kWh
- Sales tax exemption
- Yes
Substations, 115 kV and up
- PERSON · 9 lines500 kV
- MAYO · 2 lines500 kV
- ROXBORO PLANT STATION · 12 lines230 kV
- ROXBORO PLANT STATION · 5 lines230 kV
- Unnamed · 3 lines230 kV
- Unnamed · 3 lines230 kV
- Unnamed · 3 lines115 kV
Planned, retiring and retired plants
- Mayo · Coal, retiring 2031763 MW
- Hyco Solar LLC · Solar, planned 202780 MW
- CPI USA NC Roxboro · Other or not stated, retired 202168 MW
3. Wake CountyUtility: Duke Energy Progress East
Site score 68 of 100
- Transmission
- 25/25
- Generation pipeline
- 3/20
- Industrial power price
- 18/20
- Existing and retiring plants
- 7/15
- Sales tax exemption
- 10/10
- Data center activity
- 4/10
- Market
- Utility: Duke Energy Progress East
- Queue (active)
- 0 MW
- Agreement signed
- 0 MW
- Planned plants (EIA)
- 56 MW
- Top substation
- 500 kV
- Substations 230 kV+
- 13
- Operating plants
- 1.1 GW
- Retired or retiring
- 11 MW
- Industrial power, NC
- 7.9¢/kWh
- Sales tax exemption
- Yes
Substations, 115 kV and up
- WAKE · 8 lines500 kV
- Unnamed · 12 lines230 kV
- Unnamed · 9 lines230 kV
- Unnamed · 8 lines230 kV
- Unnamed · 8 lines230 kV
- Unnamed · 3 lines230 kV
- Unnamed · 3 lines230 kV
- Unnamed · 3 lines230 kV
Planned, retiring and retired plants
- New Hill 1 Battery · Storage, planned 202756 MW
Data centers, AI campuses and mining sites
- Cogent Raleigh · GPU colocation, Raleigh
- Flexential Raleigh · GPU colocation, Morrisville, 4.31 MW
- Segra Raleigh · GPU colocation, Raleigh, 2.5 MW
- TierPoint Raleigh · GPU colocation, Raleigh
Colocation from our GPU colocation list; mining sites from the miner AI conversion tracker.
4. Richmond CountyUtility: Duke Energy Progress East
Site score 66 of 100
- Transmission
- 25/25
- Generation pipeline
- 0/20
- Industrial power price
- 18/20
- Existing and retiring plants
- 9/15
- Sales tax exemption
- 10/10
- Data center activity
- 4/10
- Market
- Utility: Duke Energy Progress East
- Queue (active)
- 0 MW
- Agreement signed
- 0 MW
- Planned plants (EIA)
- 0 MW
- Top substation
- 500 kV
- Substations 230 kV+
- 6
- Operating plants
- 2.7 GW
- Retired or retiring
- 0 MW
- Industrial power, NC
- 7.9¢/kWh
- Sales tax exemption
- Yes
Substations, 115 kV and up
- RICHMOND · 12 lines500 kV
- ROCKINGHAM · 12 lines230 kV
- RICHMOND · 4 lines230 kV
- Unnamed · 3 lines230 kV
- Unnamed · 3 lines230 kV
- Unnamed · 3 lines230 kV
Data centers, AI campuses and mining sites
- AWS Richmond County campus · AI campus, under construction · Connect CRE
Colocation from our GPU colocation list; mining sites from the miner AI conversion tracker.
5. Cleveland CountyUtility: Duke Energy Carolinas
Site score 61 of 100
- Transmission
- 23/25
- Generation pipeline
- 0/20
- Industrial power price
- 18/20
- Existing and retiring plants
- 9/15
- Sales tax exemption
- 10/10
- Data center activity
- 1/10
- Market
- Utility: Duke Energy Carolinas
- Queue (active)
- 0 MW
- Agreement signed
- 0 MW
- Planned plants (EIA)
- 0 MW
- Top substation
- 500 kV
- Substations 230 kV+
- 4
- Operating plants
- 3 GW
- Retired or retiring
- 0 MW
- Industrial power, NC
- 7.9¢/kWh
- Sales tax exemption
- Yes
Substations, 115 kV and up
- CLIFFSIDE · 17 lines500 kV
- Unnamed · 3 lines500 kV
- SHELBY TIE · 15 lines230 kV
- CLEVELAND CNTY GENERATING FACILITY · 1 lines230 kV
Data centers, AI campuses and mining sites
- T5 Data Centers T5@Kings Mountain (T5@Charlotte) · GPU colocation, Kings Mountain
Colocation from our GPU colocation list; mining sites from the miner AI conversion tracker.
6. Gaston CountyUtility: Duke Energy Carolinas
Site score 59 of 100
- Transmission
- 18/25
- Generation pipeline
- 3/20
- Industrial power price
- 18/20
- Existing and retiring plants
- 9/15
- Sales tax exemption
- 10/10
- Data center activity
- 0/10
- Market
- Utility: Duke Energy Carolinas
- Queue (active)
- 0 MW
- Agreement signed
- 0 MW
- Planned plants (EIA)
- 240 MW
- Top substation
- 230 kV
- Substations 230 kV+
- 5
- Operating plants
- 195 MW
- Retired or retiring
- 1.1 GW
- Industrial power, NC
- 7.9¢/kWh
- Sales tax exemption
- Yes
Substations, 115 kV and up
- RIVERBEND · 27 lines230 kV
- G G ALLEN · 20 lines230 kV
- PEACOCK · 10 lines230 kV
- RIVERBEND · 9 lines230 kV
- MOUNTAIN ISLAND · 3 lines230 kV
Planned, retiring and retired plants
- G G Allen · Coal, retired 20241.1 GW
- Allen 2 BESS · Storage, planned 2027167 MW
- Hornet Solar · Solar, planned 202673 MW
Data center tax exemption in North Carolina
North Carolina qualifying datacenter exemption (G.S. 105-164.13(55a); definition G.S. 105-164.3(201))
Datacenter support equipment (power infrastructure, HVAC and mechanical systems, servers, storage, network hardware and software) at a qualifying datacenter is exempt where the Secretary of Commerce determines at least $75 million in private investment within five years and the area wage standard is met (none in tier one areas); the electricity exemption was repealed for billing periods beginning on or after August 6, 2026.
Recent change: S.L. 2026-41 (budget act, signed July 7, 2026) repealed the sales tax exemptions for electricity used at certified datacenters, effective for billing periods beginning on or after August 6, 2026; equipment exemptions remain.
Source: North Carolina Department of Revenue, 2026-07-23. General information, not tax advice; ask your tax advisor.
AI data centers being built in North Carolina
| Campus | Developer | County | MW | Status | Source |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| WhiteFiber NC-1Users: Nscale | WhiteFiber | Rockingham County | 99 | operating | DCDDec 2025 |
| Core Scientific MarbleUsers: CoreWeave | Core Scientific | Cherokee County | 65 | operating | Core ScientificJul 28, 2026 |
| AWS Richmond County campus | Amazon Web Services | Richmond County | - | under construction | Connect CREJun 2025 |
How the score works
Six parts out of 100: transmission (25), generation in the queue (20), the state's industrial power price (20), existing and retiring plants (15), sales tax exemption (10) and data center activity (10). The site finder's methodology prints each formula and every source with its date. Markets: Utility territory (no ISO/RTO), PJM (Mid-Atlantic and Midwest).
All states
- US site finder
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- District of Columbia
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- New Hampshire
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- Oregon
- Pennsylvania
- Rhode Island
- South Carolina
- South Dakota
- Tennessee
- Texas
- Utah
- Vermont
- Virginia
- Washington
- West Virginia
- Wisconsin
- Wyoming
Discuss a transaction
Funding a data center or the GPUs going into one in North Carolina? Tell us about the site and the capital you need, and we will come back with the lenders and the structure that fit. Operators raising debt for a cluster can start at gpulenders.com.
Prefer email? hello@amcompute.com