Santee Cooper Board expands renewable program

Santee Cooper’s Board of Directors has endorsed a staff proposal and authorized the utility to contract for purchased biomass power.

The utility would contract with an independent power producer for about 50 megawatts of biomass power, which would significantly increase Santee Cooper’s renewable energy and open a new phase in its renewable development, according to a Santee Cooper press release. Santee Cooper generates electricity from solar and landfill gas generating units, and it has several wind research projects under way.

Although there is no timetable for the utility to sign a contract, executives said in the release they are in discussions with several potential producers.

Santee Cooper is South Carolina’s state-owned electric and water utility and the state’s largest power producer, supplying electricity to more than 162,000 retail customers in Berkeley, Georgetown and Horry counties, as well as to 29 large industrial facilities, the cities of Bamberg and Georgetown, and the Charleston Air Force Base. Santee Cooper also generates the power distributed by the state’s 20 electric cooperatives to more than 685,000 customers in all 46 counties. For more information, visit http://www.SanteeCooper.com.