Utility executives are right: We’re not yet at a place where we can rely entirely on solar energy, battery storage and other alternative sources to power South Carolina, and it’ll be years before we are.

Legislative leaders are right when they say our state needs an all-of-the-above approach as we transition toward a future beyond fossil fuels: nuclear, solar, wind, battery storage, energy efficiency and, until alternatives become more dependable or until someone figures out how to build more of that nuclear without taking consumers to the cleaners, natural gas.

Where they’re not clearly right is in suggesting the state needs to dramatically speed up approval for Dominion South Carolina and Santee Cooper to build as much new generating capacity as the abandoned V.C. Summer nuclear project that they abandoned less than seven years ago because of legislatively blessed cost overruns and because they concluded that was just too much energy for South Carolina’s foreseeable future.

And where they’re flat wrong is in pushing legislation that strips out important consumer protections that were enacted after the V.C. Summer fiasco.

It’s true that H.5118 would not set us up for a repeat of precisely what happened at V.C. Summer; it does not, for instance, restore the roundly discredited Base Load Review Act, which required the S.C. Public Service Commission to rubber stamp multiple rate increases to pay for building two nuclear reactors that never produced a single watt of energy. It’s also true, though, that parts of the bill are reminiscent of other laws that enabled that whole mess. For instance:

• The state consumer advocate would no longer be allowed to represent ratepayers in utility cases.

Commentary

• The Office of Regulatory Staff would revert to the discredited pre-2018 rules, which required it to balance the interests of ratepayers with economic development and the “financial integrity” of regulated utilities. That balancing act, by the way, is already the job of the PSC.

• The PSC would be required to give testimony of utilities greater weight than the voices of the public or independent analysts in reviewing utilities' long-term plans. Of course we know this already happens; how much worse will it be when it’s a legal requirement?

• If a utility tries to build a “small modular nuclear reactor” but abandons the project mid-construction (a la V.C. Summer), it still could charge ratepayers if it provides a “fulsome accounting” of its decision. (We hope regulators would read “fulsome” to mean abundant, but it has several other definitions, including offensive and excessively flattering.) True, there’s nothing automatic here like there was in the Base Load Review Act, but it’s still heavily weighted toward raising our power bills once again to pay for an abandoned nuclear plant that never generates electricity.

On Tuesday, utility executives told critics not to worry, they will still have to get approval from the PSC for their long-term plans and rate increases, and that’s absolutely true. But the changes in the bill mean what the commissioners hear will be much more one-sided than what they've heard in recent years — and in some ways even more one-sided than it was during the V.C. Summer boondoggle era. There will no longer be a state official arguing for ratepayers’ interests, the utilities will have a statutorily mandated louder voice, and the voices of individual ratepayers, private consumer advocates and conservationists will be statutorily muffled.

MONCKS CORNER, S.C. – For just the second time in the 81-year history of Santee Cooper’s Jefferies Hydroelectric Station, the 80-ton emergency Tainter gate at the Pinopolis Lock is being replaced – with the help of a local company.

Santee Cooper has partnered with W International in Goose Creek, South Carolina, to fabricate and assemble a new emergency Tainter gate for the Pinopolis Lock, which connects Lake Moultrie to the Tailrace Canal and the Cooper River. W International, located in the Bushy Park Industrial area, is an advanced metal fabricator specializing in large, complex structural fabrications.

“Consistent with our mission, our goal is to work with businesses and industry in the state to help South Carolina thrive,” said Jimmy Staton, Santee Cooper President and CEO. “W International has a strong reputation as an industry leader in large fabrications. We’re proud to be able to say the gate was made right here in the Lowcountry and that we, as South Carolinians, are working together to energize South Carolina.”

“Working hand-in-hand with Santee Cooper on replacing the emergency Tainter gate upstream of the Pinopolis Lock system has been an extraordinary journey,” said Jim Logan, President of W International. “Our team feels honored to have contributed to such a pivotal project, particularly one located a mere 22 miles upriver from our facility – a testament to the local community.”

“Teaming up with Santee Cooper has been nothing short of inspiring,” continued Logan. “Collaborating on critical infrastructure aligns seamlessly with our shared vision of supporting Santee Cooper’s mission to enhance the quality of life for every South Carolinian. Together, we have strived to deliver not just a gate replacement, but a testament to resilience and progress for the region. We are immensely proud to have been part of this milestone achievement.”

The fully assembled Tainter gate was loaded on a barge at W International on Dec. 9 and arrived at the Pinopolis Lock after about a six-hour journey up the West Branch of the Cooper River. Crews with Superior Cranes Inc., which has a Charleston-area location in Moncks Corner, are placing the gate in its final location this week, pending any weather delays. The previous gate was damaged in September 2022 when Hurricane Ian blew through the state. The original Tainter gate, installed in 1942, reached its end-of-life stage in 2003. Those gates now reside next to each other at a permitted fish attractor location in Lake Moultrie.

The Tainter gate allows Santee Cooper to safely perform maintenance on the lock's upper miter gates. The gate also is designed to mitigate an unlikely “free flow” incident and, in the event of such an emergency, it will raise to choke off the flow of water through the lock system.

W International has delivered approximately 50 products weighing as much as 600,000 pounds via barge shipment. Their team is devoted to supporting the nation’s armed forces, and they are especially proud to contribute to U.S. Navy submarines and surface vessels.

W International SC, LLC manufactures large, close-tolerance, complex structures for critical Aerospace, Defense, and Energy projects. W International’s manufacturing facility is located in Goose Creek, South Carolina, on the Cooper River, 12 miles north of Charleston’s port, on 45 acres, with 480,000 square feet of indoor heavy manufacturing space. The facility utilizes large CNC machining centers and sophisticated welding equipment to produce highly technical, complex components.

Santee Cooper

Santee Cooper is South Carolina’s largest power provider, the ultimate source of electricity for 2 million people across the state, and one of America’s Best Midsize Employers as named by Forbes. Through its low-cost, reliable and environmentally responsible electricity and water services, and through innovative partnerships and initiatives that attract and retain industry and jobs, Santee Cooper helps power South Carolina. To learn more, visit www.santeecooper.com and follow #PoweringSC on social media.

A fire on Christmas leveled Lone Star Barbecue restaurant in Santee. Now, the owners are left picking up the pieces and hoping for a silver lining.

More Videos

SANTEE, S.C. — Days after a fire destroyed their business, the owners of Lone Star Barbecue and Mercantile in Santee say they're holding onto hope this won't be the final chapter of their business.

While most families in the Midlands gather together to celebrate, for Corey Henderson and his family, the two days after the holiday were spent cleaning up the remnants of Lone Star Barbeque.

Henderson recalls getting a call on Christmas that the building was on fire.

"It was just engulfed," Henderson said. "We just couldn't believe any of this was happening and what was happening. What was flashing across my mind as it was going, it sounds crazy, is our employees."

Henderson's family has owned Lone Star for three years, continuing centuries of tradition in the Santee community. The business has been in South Carolina for decades, starting in Lone Star, before it moved to Santee.

The property used to house historic buildings, which were over one hundred years old, dating back from 1896 to 1926.

According to Santee Fire Department Chief Edward Barnett, the fire began at some point around 7:30 p.m. on the 25th. He said those old buildings were a complete loss following the fire, which is still under investigation.

"We could see the flames, about tree high tall so we knew we had a working structure fire," Barnett said. "We had a total of 9 fire departments and approximately 50 firefighters, we had plenty of help, plenty of manpower."

Late Wednesday night, we saw firefighters back on the scene putting out some of the hotspots. Henderson says the past two days have been emotional, receiving support from the Santee community and around the country.

"Travelers from New York, Florida, and Texas have been calling. It's been incredible," Henderson said.

Henderson said the focus is getting back up on their feet and helping the employees.

"I don't want to let them down or the community and people who have helped me out throughout the years. I want to prove to them, too, I'm strong. If we can afford it or if we can get it worked out, we can rebuild stronger, and we can get the community and surrounding areas to help put other antiques out and get with, [previous owners] Mr. Williams and Chris, and see anything we have to try to bring this place back to life."

Henderson says Lone Star plans to hold a fundraiser here on January 20th to raise money for the employees who are now out of work.

MONCKS CORNER, S.C. – Santee Cooper received the 2023 Lower Region Group Leadership Award from the South Carolina Litter Control Association and Palmetto Pride/Keep SC Beautiful. The award recognizes Santee Cooper for its partnership with Keep Conway Beautiful and its commitment to helping with monthly cleanups for the organization.

“Our team strives to not only be a part of the communities where we live but to make them better,” said Energy Advisor Parker Diedrich, who accepted the award and helps lead the events for Santee Cooper. “We enjoy helping Keep Conway Beautiful and similar organizations around the area.”

Keep Conway Beautiful meets monthly to pick up litter within the city. In 2022, 71 Santee Cooper team members helped clean up 720 pounds of litter. So far this year, 85 team members have picked up 430 pounds of litter along more than four miles of roadway.

“Santee Cooper employees reached out to me with the initial idea of the cleanups and helped to establish our first ever ‘Utility Service Day’ that resulted in us cleaning up almost 600 pounds of litter in an hour with a little over 75 volunteers from several utilities for this one event,” said Nevada Mileur, Program Coordinator for Keep Conway Beautiful. “These cleanups would not exist without the hard work and dedication of the Santee Cooper employees. We are appreciative that they partnered with us to make a difference in our community.”

Santee Cooper received the award from the South Carolina Litter Control Association and PalmettoPride/Keep SC Beautiful at a Sept. 7 awards ceremony. The City of Conway recognized Santee Cooper’s award at its Sept. 18 council meeting.

“A reliable volunteer network is vital to the KSCB affiliates,” said PalmettoPride executive director Sarah Lyles. “With support from Santee Cooper, Keep Conway Beautiful continues to be a cornerstone of the community.”

Santee Cooper

Santee Cooper is South Carolina’s largest power provider, the ultimate source of electricity for 2 million people across the state, and one of America’s Best Midsize Employers as named by Forbes. Through its low-cost, reliable and environmentally responsible electricity and water services, and through innovative partnerships and initiatives that attract and retain industry and jobs, Santee Cooper helps power South Carolina. To learn more, visit www.santeecooper.com and follow #PoweringSC on social media.

The business had centuries of history packed into its walls and was a landmark for many traveling through Orangeburg.

SANTEE, S.C. — A month after a fire destroyed a Midlands landmark business, hundreds gathered to donate money and show support for the employees.

The last month has been anything but easy for Mike Henderson. He's one of the dozen employees at Lone Star who's been out of work since the Christmas fire.

"It's just been stressful with my bills, and my car, and even diapers," Henderson said. "It's just every financial, or just getting out of the house."

He said he remembers the years of work and, most importantly, the family built in that restaurant.

"I met people that brought me out of the depths that I was in and really turned my life around, just by the coworkers or even the people that would just come in and eat," he said.

A fire in December destroyed centuries of history inside the Santee landmark.

Racheal Henderson and her husband Cory are the current owners of Lone Star, taking it over just a few years ago. They described the last month as stressful.

"It's hard on everybody else, especially our workers, they relied on us to pay the bills," she said.

On Saturday, they hosted a public fundraiser at the Roadway Inn off I-95 to raise money for the employees who are out of work now. On Saturday afternoon, a line stretched from the cafeteria to the front door. Mark McLeod said he showed up to show his support for the Lone Star family.

"My family and I have been going to Lone Star for years to eat. It was one of the best restaurants around," he said.

Throughout the afternoon, hundreds filed in; just two hours after they opened, Racheal Henderson said they'd sold over 300 plates.

"The love that's been shown in the community, we couldn't ask for anything better than that. Today is a perfect example of that; everybody showed up," she said.

The family said they want to rebuild and put the Lone Star back on the map. However, there isn't a timeline for when that might be.

"We're gonna have to come back smaller than what we had, but we'll still have the same food, same great barbeque," Racheal said.