S.C. needs additional base load energy

I read with great interest the article in the Morning News on April 12 about the new independent study done by Moore Data in response to the impact study by FMU of the proposed Santee Cooper power plant.

There were a few comments made in the article that seemed to be based just on opinion. Everybody has their own opinion, I know, but when it comes to an issue as important as additional needed electricity for our state, I think any opinions need to be based on facts and not just emotions.

I am going to try to rebut a few of the points in the article and offer a different view based on facts and let the readers decide where the truth lies.

Point 1) The Rev. Leo Woodberry’s concern was that coal plants are located in areas that are primarily black or impoverished. I believe the criteria for the selection of where a coal plant might be located is: access to water, access to rail, transmission line access and a parcel of land large enough to support the operation. I really don’t believe race or social status has anything to do where the plants are located. For example, the Granger Plant in Conway doesn’t appear to be in a very impoverished area.

Point 2) The number of jobs created in the Moore Data study and the report by FMU are drastically different. The Moore study says the new plant will bring in around 228 jobs; the FMU study has the number of jobs during the construction phase coming in around 6,000 jobs. I haven’t seen the Moore Data study, but I have seen the report done by FMU. It was a very comprehensive and well put together study using credible estimates in my opinion. Whatever number of jobs comes as a result of this plant locating here, I know one thing for sure, it’s more than we have now.

Point 3) The conservation groups keep saying there are safer alternatives to coal. Santee Cooper, along with many other utilities in the U.S., are looking into these alternatives as well, but it seems none of them feel comfortable using these methods at the present time for base load generation. Energy has to be reliable, affordable and there when you flip the switch on. Whether you are a conservationist or not, you know we all freak out when the power goes out.

Point 4) Dr. George stated that the No. 1, 2 and 3 causes of death (among Blacks) are associated with emissions from coal fired plants. What she didn’t tell you is that the No. 1, 2 and 3 causes of death for all races is the same. According to the Center for Disease Control No.1 cause of death is heart disease, No. 2 cause of death is cancer, and the No. 3 cause of death is strokes. Again, this is the same for all races. I’m no doctor, but I’ll go out on a limb and say I think diet and lack of exercise might also be contributing factors.

The good news is that life expectancy has increased to a record high of 77.8 years. There are many reasons for the increased life expectancy, but two that shouldn’t be forgotten are the contributions that DHEC and electricity have made in our lives during the past 50 years.

In closing, let me say this: All Santee Cooper is doing is what they were chartered to do — provide energy for the state. They are building within federal and state guidelines and even exceeding those guidelines. Yet, the environmentalist still don’t want it, even admitting an energy shortfall by 2012.
The communities that will surround this power plant are educated, hard working, intelligent people. We don’t need everybody trying to save us from the “boogeyman.” We’ll be OK.

What the state needs is additional base load energy. What our communities need are more jobs in our area and economic development. What if as a result of this plant coming here some other industries decided to locate here? What if those jobs came with health insurance, retirement plans and chances for advancement? What if our industry tax base grew so we wouldn’t have to worry so much about keeping our two school districts up to the standards they have been in the past?

Would this be such a terrible thing?

— Ricky Hardee of Pamplico, is co-chairman of Pee Dee Supporters for Progress, a group of area residents that support the plant.