WHY IS LIFE SO HARD?Data-center field guide
North Carolina facility dossier · sources checked 2026-11-08

Energy Storage Solutions data center — Edgecombe County, North Carolina

A $19 billion, 900 MW data center proposed near Rocky Mount benefited from zoning changes in November 2025. A land sale still needed county approval, and residents organized against the project.

At a glance

Developer
Energy Storage Solutions
Jurisdiction
Edgecombe County, Rocky Mount area, North Carolina
Land
300-acre site in Rocky Mount (WFAE)
Capacity
900 MW; $19 billion investment
Power comparison
Energy equal to the total output of the Shearon Harris nuclear reactor, per WFAE
Status
Zoning amended November 2025; land sale pending county approval as of late November 2025

What the sources establish

  • Energy Storage Solutions plans a $19 billion, 900-megawatt data center in eastern North Carolina, which WFAE says would be one of the largest in the Southeast if approved. [1]
  • The company plans to break ground on a 300-acre site in Rocky Mount early in 2026 if county commissioners approve selling the land. [1]
  • The project would need energy equal to the total output of the Shearon Harris nuclear reactor in Wake County. [1]
  • County commissioners voted earlier in November 2025 to amend zoning rules to allow more flexibility for data center construction. [1]
  • Bisnow reports that Edgecombe County approved zoning changes allowing the $19 billion development the previous November. [2]
  • Residents formed Edgecombe Neighbors for Data Center Accountability to oppose the land sale until they get more information on economic benefits, energy costs and environmental and health risks. [1]

Conflicts. Site size: WFAE says 300 acres. A Baxtel summary, not opened here, gives 155 acres at Kingsboro Business Park, and the name Kingsboro comes from that summary. The WFAE article predates the February 2026 Bisnow report, and these sources do not show whether the land sale was approved.

Timeline

  1. Nov. 2025 — County commissioners amend zoning rules (WFAE).
  2. Nov. 25, 2025 — WFAE reports the land sale is pending and that opposition is growing.
  3. Dec. 1, 2025 — Commissioners schedule their next meeting on the project (WFAE; outcome not checked).
  4. Feb. 25, 2026 — Bisnow reports the zoning approval from the previous November.

What this page does not establish

  • Whether the commissioners approved the land sale on Dec. 1, 2025 or later.
  • The final site size.
  • Whether the power plan includes gas generation; other coverage mentions turbines, which was not checked here.
  • Water use and wastewater plans.
  • Whether construction has started.

What to check next

  1. Edgecombe County commission minutes for Dec. 1, 2025 and any land-sale vote.
  2. The zoning amendment adopted in November 2025.
  3. Duke Energy or NC Utilities Commission filings for the load request, if any.