Santee Cooper submits analysis on proposed plant to DHEC

PAMPLICO — Santee Cooper, having long been on the defense regarding the proposed Pee Dee Energy Campus in Kingsburg, is taking measures to fight back against what it calls misinformation regarding mercury to be produced by the facility.

Santee Cooper President and CEO Lonnie Carter announced Tuesday plans to submit the final Maximum Achievable Control Technology analysis to the S.C. Department of Health and Environmental Control during a press conference at Dozier M. Munn Pamplico Public Library.

Carter also outlined an updated generation plan, which included a mercury education initiative, as well as the hiring of a new member to the power plant’s team, Dr. Gail Charnley, a toxicology specialist from the Massachusetts Institute of Technology. The mercury education initiative, entitled “The Real Story on Mercury,” is a comprhensive effort to provide the public with accurate information on an often misinterpreted subject.

Charnley said her job will be to make people in the area aware of the misinformation being distributed about mercury in the Pee Dee.

“As a scientist, I’m not an expert in power plants and I have no idea on whether this power plant is a good idea or not,” she said. “But I am an expert on methyl mercury, and I think that when people come together in a community like they are here, that they should be provided with full accurate scientific information. That’s why I’m here.”

Carter said the company has a number of plans in store to provide people in South Carolina with energy in the coming years despite a forecasted shortage of available energy.

“Without additional baseload generation, Santee Cooper will be 490 megawatts short of capacity in 2013, 675 megawatts short in 2016 and 1,570 megawatts short in 2020,” he said.

Carter said this information will remain true, despite continued efforts at utilizing conservation and renewable energy programs in place.

The updated plan requires the company to purchase or generate 250 megawatts of additional renewable energy by 2020; complete the Pee Dee Energy Campus by 2013; continue the permitting process for a second Pee Dee Energy Campus; continue working to pursue new nuclear power; purchase 160 megawatts in 2011 to meet energy needs until the Pee Dee Energy Campus is completed in 2013; and continue monitoring legislation regarding potential carbon emissions.

“We are firmly committed to building the Pee Dee Energy Campus,” Carter said. “We know it has the highest and best environmental control technology. We know it will be a good economic boost to this region.”

The Pee Dee Energy Campus, a 600-megawatt coal-fired generation facility, is proposed to be located on a 2,709-acre tract along the Great Pee Dee River at a cost of about $1.25 billion to build. Although Santee Cooper officials say the plant will be one of the cleanest coal plants in the state, many citizens and conservation groups disagree.

The U.S. Army Corps of Engineers has yet to issue its environmental impact statement regarding the plant.

Florence County Councilman Ken Ard who lives and works in the Pamplico area, said he still thinks the Pee Dee Energy Campus is a boon for the region.

“I really think Pamplico has a lot to gain by Santee Cooper calling the Pee Dee home,” he said.

Heinz and Monster.com made the decision to come to the region, both considered the available power in the area, Ard said.

“That’s about 1,250 jobs committed to come to this area,” he said. “I’m not saying that was the single issue they had for calling Florence County home, but it was a factor.”

On the Web

Santee Cooper’s Mercury Education Initiative, http://www.therealstoryonmercury.com