By Molly Parker
Staff Writer

We’re an energy-hungry society in a quickly growing area of the country.  According to the U.S. Census Bureau, South Carolina’s population is expected to grow 25% by the year 2025.

But there’s no easy solution for feeding power to South Carolina homes and businesses. SCE&G is seeking a 6.75% rate increase to recoup the costs the company said were driven by new environmental controls and increasing hookups.  

That’s just the beginning. It’s almost certain that utilities in the coming years will be looking to pass costs on to ratepayers, which will force under the microscope the fine economic balance between cheap and consistent power.

Santee Cooper is looking to build a coal plant in rural Florence County, but faces opposition from environmental groups and residents. There’s a bulls-eye on coal, which supplies about half the nation’s power, and utilities looking to build plants have seen unprecedented pushback. The escalating price of natural gas, and its foreign roots, makes that source equally unpopular.

So what’s the alternative? All the utilities boast efforts to go green through programs encouraging conservation, and renewable resources such as wind and solar power, aren’t going to make up the vast energy shortfall on the horizon.

It’s been nearly 30 years since the Nuclear Regulatory Commission has approved a permit to build a new nuclear plant. The United States is poised to try again and a flood of applications are expected into early 2008. Duke, SCE&G and Santee Cooper are all hoping to be in the mix. 

Whatever the future of the nation’s power portfolio, South Carolina is likely to play a major role in the debate.

Molly Parker is a staff writer for the Business Journal. E-mail her directly at mparker@setcommedia.com.

SUBSCRIBE | REPRINTS | CONTACT US

Phone: 843-849-3100    Fax: 843-849-3122