KERSHAW COUNTY, S.C. (WIS) – A proposed natural gas power plant in Kershaw County is drawing opposition from residents even as county leaders call it the largest economic development project in the county’s history.
Beaufort Rosemary, a Virginia-based company, wants to build a 500-megawatt natural gas power plant on 50 to 80 acres of land between Boise Cascade and Timrod Road. Officials say the project would bring more than $900 million in economic impact, hundreds of construction jobs, and 15 to 20 permanent jobs once fully operational.
Residents in Bethune have posted flyers downtown as part of a growing effort to push back against the project. Denise Rollings, a concerned resident, said neighbors have raised questions about the plant’s effects on the surrounding area.
“We’re very concerned about what this is going to do to our water, what the noise pollution is going to be,” Rollings said.
Some neighbors said they were unaware of the project until they received a “good neighbor contract” from the company. Neighbor Jim Curly said the agreement offered him incentives, including a one-time payment of $10,000, property tax reimbursements for 20 years, and a one-time $1,000 contribution to a Kershaw County charity of his choice, in exchange for his support.
“I mean it’s just a bad, very bad taste in my mouth,” Curly said.
Dylan Casy, Beaufort Rosemary’s vice president of development, said the letters were intended to demonstrate the company’s commitment to the community.
“We’re going to make sure that the noise limit property boundaries are adhered to. We’re going to make sure groundwater is protected, lighting controls are in place, and construction traffic is managed. That’s really the point of that agreement,” Casy said.
Casy also addressed concerns about air quality, saying the facilities are subject to federal oversight.
“These are heavily regulated facilities. All air emissions are controlled by EPA to protect the most at-risk populations. We do extensive air analysis and air dispersion modeling prior to anything being built to ensure that residents are protected,” Casy said.
Kershaw County leaders have already approved two readings of tax incentives for the project. A final vote on those incentives is scheduled for a July 14 meeting. The tax incentives include $1 per megawatt for tax payments.
If the incentives are approved, Beaufort Rosemary will pursue federal and state permits to move the project forward. Casy said the target completion date is 2031, with construction expected to begin in 2028 or 2029.
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