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Santee Cooper's Future Back for Debate at the State House

File photo of Santee Cooper headquarters sign.

For the past several years the issue that’s dominated the state legislature has been the future of Santee Cooper, the state-owned public power utility.  Santee Cooper in effect produces electricity for over two million customers in the state. State lawmakers have been pondering what to do with the utility since the failure of the giant VC Summer nuclear project in the summer of 2017.  Many have concerns about Santee Cooper’s Management, and the almost $7 Billion debt it's now carrying following VC Summer. The question is so large that last year the legislature passed a special joint resolution that laid-out just how it would go about making its' decision.  It charged the state’s Department of Administration with securing bids from potential buyers or operators.   After spending $15 Million on banking, legal and utility industry experts, DOA this week passed along the best three offers to be considered.

Russ McKinney has 30 years of experience in radio news and public affairs. He is a former broadcast news reporter in Spartanburg, Columbia and Atlanta. He served as Press Secretary to former S.C. Governor Dick Riley for two terms, and for 20 years was the chief public affairs officer for the University of South Carolina.