Settlement FAQs

what is the santee cooper settlement

by Alfred Trantow Published 2 years ago Updated 1 year ago
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The settlement provides a $520 million refund to ratepayers who were customers between Jan. 1, 2007 and Jan. 31, 2020, with the project's majority partner Dominion Energy funding $320 million of that and Santee Cooper, $200 million. The settlement also provides a nearly 4 ½-year rate freeze, through 2024.

What is the history of Santee Cooper?

Santee Cooper, also known officially from the 1930s as the South Carolina Public Service Authority, is South Carolina's state-owned electric and water utility that came into being during the New Deal as both a rural electrification and public works project that created two lakes and cleared large tracts...

What is the proposed settlement at the Santee Cooper power plant?

Santee Cooper is a quasi-public South Carolina utility that operates four coal-fired power plants, a hydro plant, a nuclear plant, and several natural gas plants. The proposed settlement encompasses ten units at four coal-fired power plants and two proposed new coal-fired units. The ten units emitted over 130,000 tons of SO2 and NOx in 2002.

What is going on with Santee Cooper?

The sale of the utility is favored by Governor McMaster. He called Santee Cooper a "rogue agency" due to its independence and financial problems. NextEra Energy, a Florida-based electric utility, bid to purchase Santee Cooper but withdrew in April 2021.

What is the Santee Cooper NSR permit settlement?

An NSR permit would have required Santee Cooper to take steps to reduce emissions at the time of the activities. This settlement requires Santee Cooper to install state-of-the-art air pollution controls on certain units and upgrade other existing air pollution controls.

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Will I get a check from Santee Cooper settlement?

Class Members who are current customers of Santee Cooper or an electric cooperative and whose payment is at least $25.00 will receive payment in the form of a check to the address on file with Santee Cooper or an electric cooperative (or to any better address that can be found or you may provide).

Who gets Santee Cooper settlement?

The terms: Under the agreement, Santee Cooper will compensate its ratepayers to the tune of $200 million and freeze electricity rates for four years, while Dominion will pay $320 million.

What did the Santee Cooper do?

Constructed from 1939 to 1942, the Santee Cooper Power and Navigation Project provided hydroelectric power from the Santee and Cooper rivers and improved navigation from the coast to the midlands through the creation of Lake Marion and Lake Moultrie.

How did the Santee Cooper project affect SC?

The Santee Cooper Power and Navigation Project, begun in 1939, did much to stimulate South Carolina's economy after the Great Depression. The project improved navigation on and provided hydroelectric power from the Santee and Cooper rivers to Berkeley, Georgetown and Horry counties.

Can my lawyer cash my settlement check?

While your lawyer cannot release your settlement check until they resolve liens and bills associated with your case, it's usually best to be patient so you don't end up paying more than necessary.

Does Dominion own Santee Cooper?

Answer: Santee Cooper, The South Carolina Public Service Authority, is owned by the State of South Carolina and is the only state-owned electric utility in the state. The board is able to approve rate changes without the consent of the South Carolina Public Service Commission.

Is Santee Cooper a man made lake?

0:051:37Santee Cooper Presents: Creating The Lakes - YouTubeYouTubeStart of suggested clipEnd of suggested clipThe areas where the lakes were to be formed were heavily forested and nearly 9,000 workers from allMoreThe areas where the lakes were to be formed were heavily forested and nearly 9,000 workers from all around the state were employed to log clear and mill the timber.

Where does Santee Cooper get its electricity?

Santee Cooper Green Power is electricity we generate from renewable resources like wind, solar and landfill gas. Santee Cooper Green Power helps preserve the environment, reduces demand on our non-renewable natural resources and increases our energy independence.

When was Santee built?

Established in 1779 under the direction of Father Junipero Serra, and built by the Kumeyaay Indians, the dam provided water to the land of Mission de Alcala. The Spanish parceled this region into land grants and divided the grants among Spanish soldiers in payment for services rendered.

Is Santee Cooper a public utility?

Welcome to Investor Relations. Santee Cooper is South Carolina's state-owned electric and water utility, the state's largest power provider, and one of the nation's largest public power utilities. Santee Cooper supplies electricity to more than 190,000 retail customers in Berkeley, Georgetown and Horry counties.

How many power plants does Santee Cooper have?

six Green Power Generating StationsSantee Cooper is the only energy provider in South Carolina converting landfill methane gas into clean, homegrown electricity at six Green Power Generating Stations with a combined capacity of 28 MW. As the name implies, woody biomass uses woody material from trees or shrubs to produce electricity.

How do you fish Santee Cooper?

0:464:17Lay of the Lake - Breaking down Santee Cooper - YouTubeYouTubeStart of suggested clipEnd of suggested clipSomething you definitely need to take into consideration. Getting ready anytime you want to go onMoreSomething you definitely need to take into consideration. Getting ready anytime you want to go on santee cooper to fish lake marion like i said is a huge lake you go down some of the guys from tahoe.

How many power plants does Santee Cooper have?

six Green Power Generating StationsSantee Cooper is the only energy provider in South Carolina converting landfill methane gas into clean, homegrown electricity at six Green Power Generating Stations with a combined capacity of 28 MW. As the name implies, woody biomass uses woody material from trees or shrubs to produce electricity.

How do you fish Santee Cooper?

0:464:17Lay of the Lake - Breaking down Santee Cooper - YouTubeYouTubeStart of suggested clipEnd of suggested clipSomething you definitely need to take into consideration. Getting ready anytime you want to go onMoreSomething you definitely need to take into consideration. Getting ready anytime you want to go on santee cooper to fish lake marion like i said is a huge lake you go down some of the guys from tahoe.

Is Santee Cooper a state agency?

Santee Cooper is a state agency that provides wholesale power supply and direct retail electric service to approximately 180,000 retail customer accounts and 27 large industrial customers.

Where is Santee Cooper Lake located?

Charleston South CarolinaBoth lakes are located in the lower part of the state near Charleston South Carolina. The Santee-Cooper Lakes cover land in 5 different counties including: Berkeley, Calhoun, Clarendon, Orangeburg, and Sumter.

What is the Santee Cooper settlement?

The Santee Cooper settlement represents the seventh judicial settlement under the power plants enforcement effort. To date, EPA has reached similar settlement with: Alcoa (Rockdale, TX Facility) (industrial boiler); PSEG Fossil; Southern Indiana Gas and Electric Company (SIGECO), Culley Station; Tampa Electric Company (TECO); Virginia Electric Power Company (VEPCO); and Wisconsin Electric Power Company (WEPCO). The six previous settlements, along with this agreement, reduce annual pollution emissions by approximately 660,000 tons and require the installation of over $3.9 billion worth of state-of-the-art air pollution controls.

How much does Santee Cooper spend on environmental projects?

Santee Cooper will spend at least $4.5 million to finance environmental mitigation projects, including: $1.25 million for a South Carolina Land Conservation Project, $1 million for an Energy-Efficient Technologies Project, $1 million for a Demand-Side Management Project, $1 million for a Clean Diesel School Bus Project, and $250,000 to implement an Environmental Management System.

How did Santee Cooper violate the Clean Air Act?

Based on information received from the company, EPA alleges Santee Cooper violated the Clean Air Act by undertaking construction activities that increased pollution at some units without first applying for an NSR Clean Air Act permit. An NSR permit would have required Santee Cooper to take steps to reduce emissions at the time of the activities.

How many coal plants does Santee Cooper have?

Santee Cooper is a quasi-public South Carolina utility that operates four coal-fired power plants, a hydro plant, a nuclear plant, and several natural gas plants. The proposed settlement encompasses ten units at four coal-fired power plants and two proposed new coal-fired units. The ten units emitted over 130,000 tons of SO2 and NOx in 2002.

What is the penalty for Santee Cooper?

Santee Cooper will also pay a $2 million civil penalty, $700,000 of which will go to South Carolina, and will spend at least $4.5 million to finance projects that are environmentally beneficial.

How much did Santee Cooper spend on air pollution?

Under the settlement, Santee Cooper will spend $400 million between now and 2012 to install state-of-the-art pollution controls to substantially decrease emissions. This agreement requires Santee Cooper to install or upgrade existing state-of-the-art air pollution controls on more than 83 percent of its existing coal-fired megawatt generating capacity. All of the units, and two proposed new coal-fired units, must comply with a systemwide emissions rate and tonnage cap for sulfur dioxide (SO2) and nitrogen oxides (NOX) emissions that decline over time.

What is the Clean Air Act of South Carolina?

Environmental Protection Agency and the Department of Justice, along with the State of South Carolina, announced a major Clean Air Act (CAA) New Source Review Program (NSR) settlement with the South Carolina Public Service Authority (S antee Cooper) to resolve CAA violations at several of the company's coal-fired ...

What was the settlement for Santee Cooper?

COLUMBIA, S.C. -- A South Carolina state judge on Monday approved a $520 million settlement in a customer class action lawsuit against state-owned utility Santee Cooper over increased rates for a failed nuclear construction project.

How long will Santee Cooper freeze electric rates?

Monday's finalized deal also requires Santee Cooper to freeze electric rates for four years, which lawyers said could be worth up to $510 million, according to the Post and Courier.

How much is the Santee Cooper settlement?

Also, this settlement – which amounts to only around $300 million once the attorney fees and postage costs have been taken out – is being paid in large measure by Santee Cooper itself (meaning the utility is going to have to recoup this money at some point down the road).

Is Santee Cooper ripping off citizens?

No. Especially not when one considers all of this is taking place against a backdrop of Santee Cooper ripping off citizens , bilking taxpayers and killings jobs as it wages a government-funded war of misinformation within the S.C. General Assembly.

Did Santee Cooper lie about the reactors?

And, of course, there is the mountain of money they have already shelled out for a pair of reactors that will never produce so much as a watt of energy … reactors which Santee Cooper leaders expressly lied to investors (and the rest of us) about during their aborted construction.

How much is the settlement for Santee Cooper?

As we noted in July, $200 million of this settlement (which is intended to benefit the ratepayers of Santee Cooper) is being paid for by Santee Cooper.

Who was Santee Cooper's partner in the original Nukegate?

It should … this is exactly what happened a year ago with the settlement “ awarded ” to ratepayers of now-defunct SCANA, which was Santee Cooper’s partner in the original NukeGate fleecing.

Is Santee Cooper dishonest?

Santee Cooper has continued in its dishonesty and tone deafness ever since … all while offering nothing resembling a plan to address its multi-billion dollar debt.

Who approved the $520 million deal?

As we reported in late July, former S.C. chief justice Jean Toal approved a $520 million agreement to ostensibly help ratepayers victimized by Santee Cooper’s ongoing negligence and deception related to the notorious NukeGate debacle of 2017.

Does Santee Cooper pay for their own refunds?

In other words, Santee Cooper ratepayers are ultimately paying a huge chunk of the cost of their own refunds.

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State Participation

Company

  • Santee Cooper is a quasi-public South Carolina utility that operates four coal-fired power plants, a hydro plant, a nuclear plant, and several natural gas plants. The proposed settlement encompasses ten units at four coal-fired power plants and two proposed new coal-fired units. The ten units emitted over 130,000 tons of SO2 and NOx in 2002.
See more on epa.gov

Power Plants Enforcement Effort

  • The Department of Justice at EPA's request has filed lawsuits against several coal-fired electric utilities, most recently in January against East Kentucky Power Cooperative. This series of cases seeks to bring the coal-fired power plant industry into full compliance with the New Source Review requirements of the Clean Air Act. The Santee Cooper settlement represents the seventh judicia…
See more on epa.gov

Clean Air Act Violations

  • Based on information received from the company, EPA alleges Santee Cooper violated the Clean Air Act by undertaking construction activities that increased pollution at some units without first applying for an NSR Clean Air Act permit. An NSR permit would have required Santee Cooper to take steps to reduce emissions at the time of the activities.
See more on epa.gov

Environmental Benefits

  • This settlement requires Santee Cooper to install state-of-the-art air pollution controls on certain units and upgrade other existing air pollution controls. The controls will result in the removal of approximately 37,500 tons per year of SO2 and 29,500 tons per year of NOx from Santee Cooper's existing coal-fired units. The settlement also requires Santee Cooper to retire excess SO2 emissi…
See more on epa.gov

Environmentally Beneficial Projects

  • Santee Cooper will spend at least $4.5 million to finance environmental mitigation projects, including: $1.25 million for a South Carolina Land Conservation Project, $1 million for an Energy-Efficient Technologies Project, $1 million for a Demand-Side Management Project, $1 million for a Clean Diesel School Bus Project, and $250,000 to implement an Environmental Management Sy…
See more on epa.gov

Location of Santee Cooper Coal-Burning Power Plants Covered Under Consent Decree

  1. Cross Plant - Pineville, Berkeley County, S.C., consisting of coal-fired units 1 (620 MW), 2 (540 MW), 3 (660 MW- to be constructed), and 4 (660 MW - to be constructed).
  2. Grainger Plant - Conway, Horry County, S.C., consisting of coal-fired units 1 (85 MW) and 2 (85 MW). ! Jefferies Plant - Moncks Corner, Berkeley County, S.C. and consisting of coal-fired unit 3 (15...
  1. Cross Plant - Pineville, Berkeley County, S.C., consisting of coal-fired units 1 (620 MW), 2 (540 MW), 3 (660 MW- to be constructed), and 4 (660 MW - to be constructed).
  2. Grainger Plant - Conway, Horry County, S.C., consisting of coal-fired units 1 (85 MW) and 2 (85 MW). ! Jefferies Plant - Moncks Corner, Berkeley County, S.C. and consisting of coal-fired unit 3 (15...
  3. Winyah Plant - Georgetown, Georgetown County, S.C., consisting of coal-fired units 1 (295 MW), 2 (295 MW), 3 (295 MW), and 4 (270 MW).

For Additional Information, Contact

  • Edward Messina U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (2242A) 1200 Pennsylvania Ave., N.W. Washington, DC 20460-0001 (202) 564-1191 [email protected]
See more on epa.gov

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