COLLETON COUNTY, S.C. (WCIV) — Environmental groups across the Lowcountry are speaking out against a proposed natural gas power plant in Colleton County, arguing the project could increase pollution, threaten protected land near the Edisto River, and pose long-term risks to public health.

Protesters gathered outside Dominion Energy headquarters in North Charleston, urging the company to reconsider plans for the facility — known as the Canadys Station — which would be built on the site of a retired coal-fired power plant using existing infrastructure.

Dominion Energy also plans to construct a pipeline to supply the plant with natural gas. Protesters say the pipeline would run near the ACE Basin, one of the most environmentally protected regions in the Southeast.

Pollution, health, and long-term impacts

While the facility would replace an older coal plant, opponents argue that natural gas still produces pollution and could affect air quality and health across the Lowcountry. Activists say once built, the plant could operate for 30 to 40 years — further locking South Carolina into fossil fuels and slowing the transition to cleaner energy sources.

“That community already dealt with increased rates of asthma and cancer,” said Belvin Olasov, director of the Charleston Climate Coalition. “Now we have more fossil fuel polluting industry trying to move into the exact same spot to further deepen those health wounds.”

Opponents also say the plant’s proximity to the Edisto River raises concerns beyond Colleton County, including potential impacts to downstream drinking water supplies used by the Charleston region.

Questions about data centers and energy demand

Some protesters are questioning whether the proposed plant is being built in part to support growing electricity demand from data centers.

“The reason we’re being told we need this energy isn’t just organic growth from people moving here,” Olasov said. “The reason is primarily data centers.”

Dominion Energy disputes that claim, saying it has not attributed the need for the new power plant to data centers and that a proposed data center in Colleton County is not located within its service area.

Dominion Energy response

In a statement, Dominion Energy said the Canadys Station is critical in meeting increased customer demand for electricity and supporting economic prosperity in South Carolina, which it notes is one of the fastest-growing states in the nation. The company said the facility would use proven technology and state-of-the-art environmental protections, calling the natural gas plant a reliable and highly efficient source of energy that will help secure South Carolina’s energy future.

Dominion Energy said the Canadys site was selected because of its established footprint, which would eliminate the need to acquire and clear large areas of new land. The site is located approximately 40 miles northwest of Charleston in Colleton County and is positioned at what the company described as the energy intersection of the Lowcountry, with strong electric transmission connectivity to major load centers and proximity to existing and planned Santee Cooper transmission lines.

The company also emphasized that the facility would incorporate advanced air-cooling technology, resulting in exceptionally efficient use of water resources and minimal impacts to the Edisto River or groundwater. According to Dominion Energy, the Canadys Station would use about 90 percent less water than the retired coal-fired generating plant that previously operated at the site.

What happens next

Environmental groups say Tuesday’s protest is only the beginning and are calling on regulators to reject the proposal and explore alternative energy solutions.

“Our ask to Dominion is to go back to the drawing board,” Olasov said. “We think Dominion needs to commission a real study into the feasibility of investing in other fuels instead of pushing a massive gas plant through too fast.”

The final decision now rests with the South Carolina Public Service Commission, which is expected to determine whether the project will move forward on April 14.