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Data centers in Vance County, North Carolina: 1 project mapped
A rezoning that Vance County approved in April without the word "data center" in it has turned into a 900-megawatt proposal, enough power for several hundred thousand homes. In April 2026 the county commissioners voted 6-1 to rezone a 40-acre parcel on U.S. 158 Business near Henderson, between Pine Meadow Trail and Horseshoe Bend Road, from Employment and Institutional to Light Industrial for Natelli Investments, a Maryland company that had just withdrawn a 250-megawatt data center plan in Apex after opposition, DCD and WRAL reported. Natelli did not confirm the land was for a data center. "You just sold out," one woman shouted at the board; the commission declined to say who had cast the lone vote against.
Residents pressed for a pause. Ahead of a listening session hosted by Gov. Josh Stein's office, they raised energy bills, water use and noise, noting the site's proximity to homes, a school and an animal shelter. "We're not anti-progress in Vance County," one resident told WRAL. "We want our voices to be heard, but we have felt that they have been completely ignored." Petitions against the project and for a one-year moratorium gathered hundreds of signatures.
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In September, as the county discussed a moratorium and new data center rules, Natelli Holdings filed a development plan. In a Sept. 9 letter signed by Tom Natelli, the company said the uncertainty was "very problematic for us at this stage of our efforts. We therefore reluctantly made the decision today to file a plan for development of the site," and attached a marked-up copy of the county's draft ordinance with its preferred changes on setbacks, buffers, cooling and decommissioning, WIZS reported. The Henderson Dispatch described the project as a four-million-square-foot, 900-megawatt campus off U.S. 158 and Poplar Creek Road, in what was once Triangle North Vance. Because Natelli filed first, it has secured "permit choice" under state law, allowing it to choose which rules to follow, the Dispatch reported.
On Sept. 14, 2026 the commissioners adopted a 60-day moratorium on new data center proposals, which many speakers said was too short; it runs through Nov. 13, 2026, when the board can extend it or let new rules take effect. Natelli has said it has been talking with Duke Energy about power and will hold community meetings at an appropriate time. Its end user, water use and schedule have not been disclosed.
Data center projects on record in Vance County
Grouped by the town each site sits in. The report above may name projects that have no record here yet.
Henderson1
| Project | Company | Status | Power | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Natelli Investments Data CenterHenderson | Natelli Investments | Proposed | 900 MW |
Where this comes from
The reporting above was written from these. Open one and check it yourself.
Moratoriums and bans in effect
Pauses on new data centers covering this area.
| Place | Type | Started | Ends | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Vance County | Moratorium | Sep 14, 2026 | Nov 13, 2026 | Record off site ↗ |
Every project above is drawn from public records, filings and local reporting. Each row links to what it is based on. Statuses change, so check the source date before you rely on one. Found something wrong? Write to [email protected] and it gets fixed.