Group Voices Opposition to Power Plant

CHARLESTON, S.C. – An environmental group said Santee Cooper didn’t study alternatives to a coal-fired power plant the utility wants to build next decade in Florence County.

Santee Cooper said it needs to build the nearly $1 billion power plant near Kingsburg to keep up with demand for electricity along South Carolina’s rapidly growing coast. The utility plans to open the plant around 2014.

But the Coastal Conservation League announced its opposition to the plant Monday.

“We know now that what once was the cheapest way to produce energy carries real costs for everyone in our state,” executive director Dana Beach said. “With Santee Cooper’s original public mandate comes the responsibility to put the people of South Carolina’s best interest first and foremost.”

The league said the plant would put an estimated 8.7 million tons of carbon dioxide into the atmosphere, which could make global warming worse.

The group also said Santee Cooper is building a plant much larger than the power needs of the area and didn’t study alternatives to coal, such as increasing conservation or exploring alternative energy to run the plant.

Santee Cooper plans to use all the equipment available to release the least amount of pollution into the air, spokeswoman Laura Varn said.

“Coal is our nation’s most abundant and affordable fuel source,” Ms. Varn said. “The lights go out without coal.”

Santee Cooper is a state-owned electric and water utility that generates the power sold to the 20 electric cooperatives throughout South Carolina.

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