From orbit
The site from above
1From orbit
The site
Satellite views of the same ground on May 9, 2010 and Oct. 31, 2025. Drag to compare. What we count on the Oct. 31, 2025 image:
- 1 substation yard
Permits
Permits checklist
1 denied · 2 withdrawn · 1 granted · 2 checked, nothing on file
Approvals a campus like this normally needs, and what the record shows. The Tarboro denial concerns a separate 52-acre site on Anaconda Road, not the Kingsboro land.
- ✕Special use permit 25-02 (separate Anaconda Road site, 52 acres) DeniedTown of Tarboro Town Council · Sept. 8, 2025: denied 7-1; written order adopted 6-1 on Nov. 10, 2025 Local government · Nov. 2025
- ↩Sale of county land at Kingsboro WithdrawnEdgecombe County Board of Commissioners · July 6, 2026: offer accepted Sept. 2, 2025, but never closed; deposit returned after the developer withdrew Local government · July 2026
- ↩Appeal of the Tarboro permit denial WithdrawnEdgecombe County Superior Court · July 2026: developer said a settlement was reached and the suit would be withdrawn News report · July 2026
- ✓Zoning text amendment allowing data centers in industrial zones GrantedEdgecombe County Board of Commissioners · Nov. 3, 2025: county-wide rule change, not a project approval; reported unanimous News report · Nov. 2025
- –Checked, nothing on file: County development application, Air permit for gas generation
Risks
Why it stopped, what could revive it
- HighDeveloper withdrewThe developer says investors moved to friendlier communities; nothing was built. News report · July 2026
- HighCounty moratoriumNew data-center approvals are blocked until about Aug. 2028. News report · Aug. 2026
- HighNo money or tenantNo financing, tenant or proof of funding was ever shown. News report · Oct. 2026
- MediumLocal oppositionA county online survey found 82.8% of 372 respondents opposed any data center development in Edgecombe County. Local government · June 2026
- MediumNo power pathNo air permit, utility agreement or turbine order exists for a gas-powered campus. News report · Oct. 2026
Lawsuits
1 case on record
- Filed; developer expects to withdraw (July 2026) Energy Storage Solutions appeal of the Tarboro permit denialEdgecombe County Superior Court News report · July 2026case number not located; developer said it would not build a data center in Tarboro
Power
Power and the grid
None energized or contracted yet
On-site natural gas generation (behind the meter)Proposed, withdrawn
campus figure from press; the split between IT capacity and generation was never stated; sponsor also cited overbuilding to 1,800 MW News report · Nov. 2025
Proposed
Other sources, size not disclosed
- Battery storage and claimed carbon capture Claimed (company)no size stated; company claims News report · Sept. 2025
Not used, not on record, or dropped
- Utility grid None contractedno service, interconnection or surplus-sale agreement with any utility was ever signed Local government · Oct. 2026
Getting on the grid
Who supplies what, what it costs, and what is still not public.
- Nov. 5, 2025Plan announcedA 900 MW, 300-acre campus is described in the press, powered by natural gas. News report · Nov. 2025
- As of Oct. 2026No air permit on fileNo state air-permit application for the planned gas plant was found. see Permits
- As of Oct. 2026No utility agreementNo electric service, interconnection or surplus-power sale agreement was ever executed; the buyer of surplus power was never named. News report · Oct. 2026
- Not setGas supply: not signedPiedmont Natural Gas is named in application materials, but no supply agreement is on record. News report · Sept. 2025
- A gas pipeline is mapped about 0.24 km from the site anchor; no 345 kV line or substation is mapped within 16 km. OpenStreetMap · Oct. 2026
Money
Money on record
$350,000
offered for 21.55 acres of county land
$17,500 deposit, later returned; closing was due by Nov. 20, 2025 Local government · Oct. 2025
$1.65M
option price for the adjoining 100 acres
$5,000 option fee; option lapsed Feb. 3, 2026 Local government · Oct. 2025
$2.64M
state water-system grant to the county for the business park
site readiness for the whole park, not for this developer State agency · Oct. 2026
Not on record: incentives granted to the developer: no local or state incentive agreement found State agency · Oct. 2026
Timeline
What happened, and what is due
SitePaper trailConstructionPowerPermitsMoneyLegalUpcoming
- Aug. 28, 2025Site Developer's affiliate offers $350,000 for county land at Kingsboro Business Park Local government · Oct. 2025
- Sept. 2, 2025Permits County commissioners accept the land offer Local government · Sept. 2025
- Sept. 8, 2025Permits Tarboro council denies the developer's permit for a separate Anaconda Road site Local government · Sept. 2025
- Nov. 3, 2025Permits County adds data centers as an allowed use in industrial zones News report · Nov. 2025
- Nov. 5, 2025Site Developer announces a 900 MW, $19.2B campus with groundbreaking planned for early 2026 (press) News report · Nov. 2025
- Dec. 1, 2025Site Dozens of residents ask commissioners to reject the land sale News report · Dec. 2025
- Feb. 3, 2026Site County demands proof of funding; the land option lapses the same day Local government · Feb. 2026
- June 22, 2026Site County survey shows 82.8% of 372 respondents oppose any data center; advisory group backs a ban on 100 MW+ sites Local government · June 2026
- July 6, 2026Site County announces the developer has withdrawn; board returns the deposit News report · July 2026
- Aug. 3, 2026Permits County adopts a two-year moratorium on data-center approvals News report · Aug. 2026
- Aug. 2028Permits Moratorium runs out unless extended News report · Aug. 2026
Construction activity
Satellite captures by quarter
Since May 2010: 75 satellite captures. The chart starts in the first quarter of 2023; 8 earlier records are not drawn.
Satellite
’23
’24
’25
’26
Dot size: records in the quarter, largest = 6. Two-digit years mark each first quarter.
The buildings
Specs
300 acres
campus size claimed (press); the county land at issue was 121.55 acres
- About a dozen buildings: of 40,000 sq ft each per campus, per the developer (press) News report · Nov. 2025
Who is involved
Owners, partners and builders
Owners and developers
- Energy Storage Solutions LLC: developer; president Daniel Shaffer
- Goforth Solar LLC: affiliate that held the land offer and option
- North Carolina Renewable Energy LLC: related entity
Decision-makers
- Edgecombe County Board of Commissioners: landowner and moratorium authority
- Town of Tarboro Town Council: denied the Anaconda Road permit
Power
- Piedmont Natural Gas: named gas supplier, no agreement
- Edgecombe-Martin County EMC: local electric cooperative, no agreement
Opponents
- NC Environmental Justice Network and Edgecombe County Neighbors
Still unknown
Open questions
- Who the investors or tenants were, if any.
- Exact parcels and any site plan (none published).
- Whether the Tarboro appeal was formally dismissed.
- Whether the developer revives the plan elsewhere in North Carolina.
Where this comes from
336 records from 29 documents
Drawn from news reports, public and commercial datasets, local government records, state agency records, our own analysis, securities filings, company statements and satellite captures, each kept with its date and source. The bar shows documents by type.
News report 12Dataset 7Local government 6State agency 4Analysis 2SEC filing 2Company 1Satellite 0
Evidence
Every quote behind this page
Grade key: A = the primary record itself (permit, filing, exhibit) · B = a dated official statement · C = news reporting. Map distances are our own measurements on OpenStreetMap and carry no grade. Allegations in lawsuits are marked as such in the quotes.
Power (24)
- Utility service: not stated“Though you plan to generate your own electricity, do you anticipate connecting to the grid for power back-up? If so, what will the electrical demand be at full build-out”Local government · Oct. 2026 · grade A
- Utility: none contracted“While we await documentation confirming proof of funding for your proposed project, the County's role remains focused on evaluating whether such a sale would serve the public interest”Local government · Oct. 2026 · grade A
- Site: Kingsboro Business Park (Kingsboro CSX Select Site megasite), end of QVC Blvd, behind the former QVC facility“an offer to purchase was received from Goforth Solar, LLC to purchase property the County owns at Kingsboro Business Park located behind the former QVC facility”Local government · Oct. 2025 · grade A
- Megasite acres: 1449 acres“The Kingsboro CSX Select Site is a 1,449 acre site”Local government · Oct. 2026 · grade B
- Utility: none contracted (no utility service agreement found)“none contracted (no utility service agreement found; the surplus-sale counterparty was never named)”grade B
- Nearest gas pipeline: 0.24 kmMeasured on OpenStreetMap map data.
- Natron Energy's $1.4B sodium-ion battery gigafactory was announced for the same Kingsboro megasite in Aug 2024 and was the first Megasite Readiness Program funds recipient - a different project and sponsor; megasite mone“Natron is the first recipient of Megasite Readiness Program funds, which are subject to final approval from the EDPNC's Board of Directors”State agency · Aug. 2024 · grade B
- ESS's earlier pitch at the same business park: a Tarboro Business Park & Local Utilities BESS proposal (50/100/200 MWac storage systems for Rocky Mount, Edgecombe-Martin Coop and Tarboro Electric; $1.29B estimated total“Tarboro Business Park & Local Utilities: An Estimated 1.29 Billion Dollar Battery Energy Storage (BESS) Project”Company · Dec. 2023 · grade B
- IT capacity: not stated“Reports on the total planned size and power capacity of the site vary, with some suggesting total capacity of 900MW”News report · Oct. 2026 · grade C
- On-site generation: not stated“An on-site natural gas power generation will allow the company to sell surplus power back to local utilities at a discount”News report · Oct. 2026 · grade C
- Nearest power line of 345 kV or more: none mapped within 16 kmMeasured on OpenStreetMap map data.
- Nearest substation of 345 kV or more: none verifiable within 16 kmMeasured on OpenStreetMap map data.
- State-level backdrop: NC House passed the Ratepayer Protection Act (data center developers to cover grid expansion costs), pending in the Senate - not a factor in the county record for this campus“The legislation includes provisions requiring data center developers to cover the upfront costs for grid expansion, transmission upgrades, and new power generation”News report · July 2026 · grade C
- Aliases: Kingsboro NetZero Data Center Campus; Kingsboro megasite project“Blueprint for Energy Storage Solution's proposed Kingsboro NetZero Data Center Campus”News report · Nov. 2025 · grade C
- Acres claimed campus: 300 acres“a massive 900 MW, 300-acre data center and energy storage campus in eastern North Carolina”News report · Nov. 2025 · grade C
- Stated campus size: 900 MW“A North Carolina data center developer's plan to build a massive 900 MW, 300-acre data center and energy storage campus”News report · Nov. 2025 · grade C
- Power plan: onsite (behind-the-meter)“The company will use natural gas to power the site”News report · Nov. 2025 · grade C
- Site acres: 300 acres“A North Carolina data center developer’s plan to build a massive 900 MW, 300-acre data center and energy storage campus in eastern North Carolina”News report · Nov. 2025 · grade C
- Stated campus size: 900 MW“plan to build a massive 900 MW, 300-acre data center and energy storage campus”News report · Nov. 2025 · grade C
- Interconnection status: None - project withdrawn July 6, 2026 before any utility position existed: no electric service agreement, interconnection study or NCUC docket naming the Kingsboro campus was ever located, and the“An on-site natural gas power generation will allow the company to sell surplus power back to local utilities at a discount.”News report · Nov. 2025 · grade C
- Jobs claimed: 500 jobs“Project principals clarified the proposal is for a data center that would include on-site power generation using natural gas and carbon-capture equipment and that the proposal could create up to 500 jobs”News report · Sept. 2025 · grade C
- Announced: Sept. 2, 2025“staff clarified the proposed development is a data center that would generate on-site power from natural gas and include carbon-capture equipment; it is not a solar project”News report · Sept. 2025 · grade C
- On-site power technology: natural gas generation; BESS; claimed CO2 capture (carbon sponge / green sequestration)“We will use a carbon sponge clean energy system to capture the CO2 and other emissions as a green sequestration system”News report · Sept. 2025 · grade C
- Sponsor spoke of overbuilding generation to 1,800 MW for redundancy (project sponsors file summary of sponsor statements); no OEM, turbine order or slot reservation was ever evidenced“Sponsor said it was principally looking at natural gas with on-site turbines plus battery storage and spoke of overbuilding to 1,800 MW for redundancy”grade C
Money and contracts (30)
- Land control: Edgecombe County owned the land throughout; Goforth Solar LLC held a purchase agreement (21.55 ac) and an option (100 ac) from Oct 2025; closing never evidenced, option lapsed Feb 3 2026, deposit voted retu“the County is the owner in fee simple of certain real property being 100 acres, more or less, identified as Tax Parcel No. 3789-64-7138-00”Local government · July 2026 · grade A
- land purchase and sale agreement: status Never closed on the record assembled: county manager's Feb 3 2026 letter states the Board had not made a decision regarding the potential sale and awaited proof of funding; option“the Board of Commissioners has not made a decision regarding the potential sale of County-owned property for this project”Local government · July 2026 · grade A
- Financing: none disclosed; investors/backers never named; proof of funding requested by the county and outstanding as of Feb 3 2026“While we await documentation confirming proof of funding for your proposed project”Local government · Feb. 2026 · grade A
- Acres option: 100 acres“The offer included $5,000 for an option to purchase the adjoining property consisting of 100 acres (3789-64-7138) at a price of $1,650,000”Local government · Oct. 2025 · grade A
- Announced: Aug. 28, 2025“Buyer made an offer on August 28, 2025 to purchase the Phase One Property from the County for the amount of $350,000.00”Local government · Oct. 2025 · grade A
- land purchase and sale agreement: scope Phase One Property, 21.55 acres, Tax Parcel 3789-47-5019-00, Kingsboro Business Park“Buyer agrees to purchase from the County and the County agrees to sell to Buyer the Phase One Property”Local government · Oct. 2025 · grade A
- land purchase and sale agreement: purchase price 350000 USD“The purchase price for the Phase One Property is Three Hundred Fifty Thousand Dollars and NO/100 ($350,000.00)”Local government · Oct. 2025 · grade A
- land purchase and sale agreement: deposit 17500 USD“Buyer made an offer on August 28, 2025 to purchase the Phase One Property from the County for the amount of $350,000.00 and paid to the County a deposit of $17,500.00”Local government · Oct. 2025 · grade A
- land purchase and sale agreement: condition Closing on or before November 20, 2025; deposit credited at closing; county to deliver special warranty deed“Closing shall occur on a date mutually selected by the Parties on or before November 20, 2025”Local government · Oct. 2025 · grade A
- land purchase and sale agreement (option): scope Option to purchase Phase Two Property, 100 acres, Tax Parcel 3789-64-7138-00“The County acknowledges receipt of Buyer's option fee of $5,000.00 and agrees to grant Buyer an option to purchase the Phase Two Property for $1,650,000.00”Local government · Oct. 2025 · grade A
- land purchase and sale agreement (option): option fee 5000 USD“The offer included $5,000 for an option to purchase the adjoining property consisting of 100 acres”Local government · Oct. 2025 · grade A
- land purchase and sale agreement (option): condition Option exercisable on or before February 3, 2026; exercise requires written notice plus a further 5% deposit of $82,500 and a new negotiated-offer (upset bid) round be“Buyer may exercise the Option by notifying the County in writing addressed to Eric Evans, County Manager and by depositing with the County five percent of the Phase Two Purchase Price, which amount is $82,500.00”Local government · Oct. 2025 · grade A
- land purchase and sale agreement: condition Buyer's closing obligations conditioned on satisfactory surveys/tests, county representations true at closing, and a preliminary title binder (Section 8)“The obligation of Buyer to consummate the transaction contemplated hereby is subject to the fulfillment of all the following conditions”Local government · Oct. 2025 · grade A
- land purchase and sale agreement: termination Buyer may terminate if title examination discloses defects that cannot be cured to the satisfaction of Buyer's attorney within a reasonable period (Section 10)“at Buyer's option, all rights and obligations created hereunder may be terminated”Local government · Oct. 2025 · grade A
- land purchase and sale agreement: termination Buyer may terminate if the Phase One Property becomes subject to condemnation before closing and Buyer deems the remainder unsuitable; all consideration paid is refunded (Sec“Buyer shall have the option to terminate this Agreement and all consideration paid for this Agreement by Buyer to the County will be refunded to Buyer”Local government · Oct. 2025 · grade A
- land purchase and sale agreement: missing clause finding Finding: the agreement as attached contains no development deadline, no jobs floor, no clawback, no proof-of-funding condition and no general termination-for-conve“This Agreement sets forth the entire agreement and understanding of the parties with respect to the option and the purchase and sale of the Property”Local government · Oct. 2025 · grade A
- Incentives: none granted to ESS or Goforth Solar; no incentive agreement found“Edgecombe County received assistance of $2,637,650 through the Megasite Readiness Program to provide significant public water system upgrades that will directly serve Kingsboro Business Park”State agency · Oct. 2026 · grade B
- incentive agreement: missing agreement finding Finding: no local or state incentive agreement (JDIG, abatement, grant) for the data center was ever adopted; public funds at Kingsboro went to site readiness only“Edgecombe County received assistance of $2,637,650 through the Megasite Readiness Program”State agency · Oct. 2026 · grade B
- Megasite readiness money is site-level and continues independent of ESS: $2,637,650 state award to Edgecombe County for the Kingsboro Hwy 64 booster pump station (grant project ordinance approved by the county Apr 6 2026“these improvements will include the replacement and increased capacity of the existing booster pump station located adjacent to the park”State agency · April 2026 · grade B
- Original target date: not stated“expects to break ground on the $19.2 billion project in the first quarter of 2026”News report · Oct. 2026 · grade C
- Tenant status: not stated“Financing and potential tenants for the project were never publicly disclosed”News report · Oct. 2026 · grade C
- electric service agreement: missing agreement finding Finding: no electric service agreement, interconnection agreement or surplus-power sale agreement with any utility was ever executed or filed; the surplus-sale counte“An on-site natural gas power generation will allow the company to sell surplus power back to local utilities at a discount”News report · Oct. 2026 · grade C
- Sponsor's stated reason for walking: investors insisted on moving to friendlier communities after delays and backlash; no financing had ever been disclosed and proof of funding demanded by the county in Feb 2026 was neve“investors insisted that we move forward with other projects that we have in friendlier communities”News report · July 2026 · grade C
- Tenants: none (never named)“The developers haven't released the prospective tenants' names for the data center. The number of permanent jobs will depend on those tenants”News report · Dec. 2025 · grade C
- Tax revenue claimed: 75000000 USD/year“Once we build out our $19.2 billion project, the campus as a whole, the number is going to be about $75 million annually”News report · Dec. 2025 · grade C
- Name: Kingsboro Campus“expect to break ground on the $19.2 billion project in the Kingsboro development in Tarboro, N.C.”News report · Nov. 2025 · grade C
- Stated capital cost: 19200000000 USD“expects to break ground on the $19.2 billion project in the Kingsboro development in Tarboro, N.C., in the first quarter of 2026”News report · Nov. 2025 · grade C
- Energy infrastructure claimed: 176000000 USD“Shaffer estimates the company could pay for $176 million in energy infrastructure upgrades in the area”News report · Nov. 2025 · grade C
- Groundbreaking claimed: Q1 2026 (claimed; never happened)“the company expects to break ground on the $19.2 billion project in the Kingsboro development in Tarboro, N.C., in the first quarter of 2026”News report · Nov. 2025 · grade C
- Twin-campus claim: a second, identically scaled campus in Fayetteville, NC; combined $38B claimed for the two campuses; investors and vendors never named (separate campus - do not merge)“A twin project is also planned for Fayetteville, N.C., Shaffer said”News report · Nov. 2025 · grade C
Permits and government (25)
- Edgecombe County Board of Commissioners (special meeting): Data Center Advisory Group report; board calls public hearing on a 24-month data center moratorium“Present a report from the Data Center Advisory Group”Local government · June 2026 · grade A
- county development application: none pending“He also informed everyone that there has been an ad-hoc committee formed and meeting regularly to package information to share at special called meeting on June 22, 2026”Local government · June 2026 · grade A
- Edgecombe County Board of Commissioners: Public petitions against data centers; county manager status report“Mr. Evans clarified that there have not been any applications pending to be considered”Local government · June 2026 · grade A
- special use permit (written order): order adopted“Council adopted an order denying the Special Use Permit for Energy Storage Solutions”Local government · Nov. 2025 · grade A
- Town of Tarboro Town Council: Adoption of written order denying Special Use Permit - Energy Storage Solutions“Sabrina Bynum made a motion, which was seconded by Cutchin Anderson and Passed motion. Ayes: Anderson Bynum Jordan Burnette Taylor and Pitt. Nayes: Brown”Local government · Nov. 2025 · grade A
- special use permit: denied“Councilman Taylor made a motion, which was seconded by Councilman Pitt and passed by a 7 to 1 vote, that Council deny the application for the reasons listed above”Local government · Sept. 2025 · grade A
- Town of Tarboro Town Council: Special Use Permit 25-02 evidentiary hearing (continued): ESS Data Center and Energy Storage System, 52.185 acres, Anaconda Road“Councilmember Jordan made a motion, which was seconded by Councilman Taylor and passed by a 7 to 1 vote, that Council consider the application not compliant with findings of fact”Local government · Sept. 2025 · grade A
- Edgecombe County Board of Commissioners: Acceptance of offer to purchase county-owned land (Attachment #5): Goforth Solar, LLC offer of $350,000 for 21.55 acres at Kingsboro Business Park plus option on 100 acres“D. Consideration of Acceptance of an Offer to Purchase County-owned Land (Attachment #5) A motion was made to accept offer as presented by Mr. Boswell and seconded by Dr. Powell; Motion: CARRIED”Local government · Sept. 2025 · grade A
- Air permit status: No NC DEQ Division of Air Quality permit application found for North Carolina Renewable Energy LLC or the Kingsboro campus; no construction ever occurred at the site“17 ICIS-Air facilities within 5 mi returned by ECHO, incl; Sara Lee Frozen Bakery and Triangle Tyre (inactive)”State agency · Oct. 2026 · grade B
- FAA airspace cases within 5 nautical miles: 18 cases“2026-ASO-1857-NRA Perimeter Fence - Phase 2 Fence 12 ft 35.93714722,-77.55385833 Determined - No Hazard”FAA · Oct. 2026 · grade B
- air quality permit: none found“web searches on Duke Roxboro CC and Marshall CTs and Kingsboro and Amazon Richmond County”grade C
- Moratoria: Edgecombe County two-year moratorium on data-center and crypto-mining development approvals, adopted and effective Aug 3 2026“the Board of Commissioners adopted an ordinance imposing a two-year moratorium on development approvals for data centers and crypto-mining operations effective Aug. 3, 2026”News report · Aug. 2026 · grade C
- Local moratorium: Edgecombe County adopted a two-year moratorium on data center and crypto-mining development approvals effective Aug. 3, 2026“the Board of Commissioners adopted an ordinance imposing a two-year moratorium on development approvals for data centers and crypto-mining operations effective Aug. 3, 2026”News report · Aug. 2026 · grade C
- moratorium ordinance: adopted“the Board of Commissioners adopted an ordinance imposing a two-year moratorium on development approvals for data centers and crypto-mining operations effective Aug. 3, 2026”News report · Aug. 2026 · grade C
- Edgecombe County Board of Commissioners: Adoption of two-year moratorium on data-center and crypto-mining development approvals“Edgecombe County adopts 2-year moratorium on data-center and crypto-mining approvals”News report · Aug. 2026 · grade C
- Stage: cancelled“That project is officially off the table for consideration from the board”News report · July 2026 · grade C
- Current target date: n/a - project withdrawn Jul 2026“Developer Energy Storage Solutions withdrew the project earlier this month, according to comments made by Edgecombe County manager Eric Evans at a county board of commissioners meeting on July 6”News report · July 2026 · grade C
- Project status: cancelled - ESS withdrew the Kingsboro proposal; the county manager announced the withdrawal at the Jul 6, 2026 commissioners meeting and the board voted to return ESS’s deposit on the Kingsboro Business“A company that was interested in having a data center in the Kingsboro area of Edgecombe County has backed out, County Manager Eric Evans told the Board of Commissioners during its monthly meeting on July 6.”News report · July 2026 · grade C
- ESS withdrew the Kingsboro proposal; the county manager announced the withdrawal at the July 6, 2026 commissioners meeting and the board voted to return ESS's deposit on the Kingsboro Business Park land. No utility filin“Developer Energy Storage Solutions withdrew the project earlier this month”News report · July 2026 · grade C
- Edgecombe County Board of Commissioners: County manager announces ESS withdrawal letter; board votes to return the land-purchase deposit; moratorium discussion“Evans told the commissioners that Energy Storage Solutions had put down a deposit on the offer to purchase. The commissioners, in response, voted to return the deposit”News report · July 2026 · grade C
- certiorari appeal of SUP denial: filed; settlement reported; withdrawal expected“We believe we have reached a settlement with the town of Tarboro, and we expect to withdraw our lawsuit shortly, but ESS will not be building a data center there”News report · July 2026 · grade C
- County Data Center Advisory Group ranked support for banning hyperscale (100 MW+) data centers; board then called the moratorium hearing - the political track that preceded the sponsor's July withdrawal“A county advisory group studying data centers recommended strong restrictions and, via ranked votes, showed top support for banning hyperscale (100 MW+) data centers”News report · June 2026 · grade C
- Edgecombe County Board of Commissioners: Public petitions opposing the proposed sale of roughly 122 acres in Kingsborough for the ESS data/energy project“Dozens of residents and regional advocates urged the Edgecombe County Board of Commissioners on Dec. 1 to reject or pause the sale of roughly 122 acres in Kingsborough”News report · Dec. 2025 · grade C
- zoning text amendment: adopted“The Edgecombe County Board of Commissioners voted Nov. 3 to amend the county's Unified Development Ordinance to add data centers and crypto-mining operations in M-2 zones”News report · Nov. 2025 · grade C
- Edgecombe County Board of Commissioners: UDO text amendment adding data centers and crypto-mining in M-2 with standards (60 dBA at property line, verification, utility-capacity demonstration)“voted Nov. 3, 2025 to adopt a text amendment to the Unified Development Ordinance that adds data centers and crypto-mining operations as permissible uses in the county's General Industrial (M-2) zoning district”News report · Nov. 2025 · grade C
Site and other (19)
- SEC filings: No SEC filing names the Kingsboro campus, sponsor Energy Storage Solutions LLC, or landowner North Carolina Renewable Energy, LLC; no filing records the project's status (the claimed Q1 2026 groundbreaking h“Form D search for "North Carolina Renewable Energy" returned 0 notices”SEC filing · Oct. 2026 · grade A
- Water use stated: 500000 gallons/day“For the proposed Energy Storage System (ESS) project, the company has indicated a potential water use of up to 500,000 gallons per day”Local government · June 2026 · grade A
- Land owner today: Edgecombe County“It should be noted that nearly all land in the County currently zoned M-2 is owned by the County, with approximately 300 acres in private ownership”Local government · June 2026 · grade A
- Opposition: Sustained resident opposition: 200+ signature petition (Dec 2025), county survey of 372 residents with 82.8% opposed to any data center development; NC Environmental Justice Network and Edgecombe County Neigh“this refers to 82.8% of the 372 respondents to the County's online data center survey who selected I am opposed to any data center development in Edgecombe County”Local government · June 2026 · grade A
- County online survey: 372 respondents, 82.8% opposed to any data center development in Edgecombe County (0.63% of county population) - documented in the county advisory-group Q&A“82.8% of the 372 respondents to the County's online data center survey who selected I am opposed to any data center development in Edgecombe County”Local government · June 2026 · grade A
- Developer address: 4462 Meadowbrook Rd, Rocky Mount, NC 27801“Mr. Daniel Shaffer, Energy Storage Solutions, LLC, 4462 Meadowbrook Rd, Rocky Mount NC 27801”Local government · Feb. 2026 · grade A
- Parcel IDs: 3789-47-5019-00 (Phase One); 3789-64-7138-00 (Phase Two)“being identified as Edgecombe County Tax Parcel No. 3789-47-5019-00 (the Phase One Property)”Local government · Oct. 2025 · grade A
- Acres: 21.55 acres“Acreage: 21.55 acres”Local government · Oct. 2025 · grade A
- County: Edgecombe County“Edgecombe County has the largest, shovel-ready mega-site in North Carolina”Local government · Oct. 2026 · grade B
- County code: 37065“The Kingsboro CSX Select Site is a 1,449 acre site strategically located just off US Highway 64”Local government · Oct. 2026 · grade B
- County code: 37065“reference anchor at the former QVC plant (35.921929,-77.676078): Edgecombe County NC (37065) per FCC point-in-county lookup; the business park parcels are in Edgecombe County”Dataset · Oct. 2026 · grade B
- Construction stage: not stated“the company expressed interest in purchasing a more than 20-acre parcel of land and in about a 100-acre parcel of land, that the company made an offer to buy”News report · Oct. 2026 · grade C
- Entitlement status: county commission approved land-use amendments unanimously at the end of 2025, but the land sale never closed; after the withdrawal the county enacted a two-year data-center moratorium (Aug 2026)“had secured unanimous approval at the end of last year from the county commission for land use amendments that would have allowed the project to go forward”News report · July 2026 · grade C
- City: Tarboro (nearest town)“The project was planned for the Kingsboro development area near Tarboro”News report · July 2026 · grade C
- Developer: Energy Storage Solutions LLC“Dan Shaffer, president of Energy Storage Solutions, based in Rocky Mount, N.C.”News report · Nov. 2025 · grade C
- Jobs claimed: 1000 jobs“each campus will support more than 1,000 employees”News report · Nov. 2025 · grade C
- Phases claimed: 24 phases over 3-5 years“The buildout at both the Kingsboro development and Fayetteville sites will come in 24 phases over 3-5 years”News report · Nov. 2025 · grade C
- Buildings claimed: about a dozen 40,000-square-foot structures“each campus will have about a dozen 40,000-square-foot structures”News report · Nov. 2025 · grade C
- Change.org petition against the Tarboro Anaconda Road facility passed 770 signatures during the SUP fight“A Change.org petition opposing the project has been launched and has garnered more than 770 signatures at the time of writing”News report · Sept. 2025 · grade C
Imagery and records: Satellite and aerial imagery: Maxar and local aerial photography via Esri World Imagery Wayback.