Santee Cooper to shutter two coal-fired plants - Business - TheState.com

By SAMMY FRETWELL - sfretwell@thestate.com

South Carolina’s state-owned power company will shut down coal-fired power plants permanently in Georgetown and Moncks Corner, rather than pay the cost of upgrading the facilities to meet tougher environmental rules.
Santee Cooper’s decision was expected, but formally commits the agency to shutter aging generating units at the Grainger station in Conway and the Jefferies station at Moncks Corner. The agency’s board voted Friday to authorize “retirement” of the plants, the company said in a news release.

Columbia Regional Business Report | Columbia, SC

Progress Energy Carolinas asked North Carolina regulators on Friday to increase electric rates there by an average 12% and said it also will seek a rate increase in South Carolina next year.

LONG CREEK - Solar frees Upstate family from power grid - Local / Metro - TheState.com

By SAMMY FRETWELL - sfretwell@thestate.com

Solar panels in their backyard feed into a bank of 16 batteries that store the energy day and night. Electricity travels through an underground wire to the batteries, which send power into their Oconee County home.

Read more here: http://www.thestate.com/2012/10/16/2482508/solar-frees-mountain-family-from.html#storylink=cpy

On The Campaign Trail, Regulations Dominate The Environmental Debate : It's All Politics : NPR

 by Elizabeth Shogren

In previous elections, candidates from both parties have campaigned on pledges to be environmental presidents. This time, neither candidate is talking much about cleaning up the air or protecting scenic lands.
Instead, the debate has focused on whether and how much environmental regulations hurt businesses, especially the energy industry.

Feds place Lake Wylie nuke plant under closer watch - Business - Gaston Gazette

  By Ragan Robinson
A special 40-hour inspection will result from an incident in April in which the plant lost power. Having off-site power is important to keep water circulating and nuclear reactors cool.

SC power companies defend solar practices - Business - TheState.com

 

By SAMMY FRETWELL - sfretwell@thestate.com

Customers on solar
Estimated number of customers who use solar energy through South Carolina’s major power companies:
SCE&G: 149
Duke Energy: 93
SanteeCooper: 10
 SOURCE: The utilities

Read more here: http://www.thestate.com/2012/10/15/2481500/sc-power-companies-defend-solar.html#storylink=cpy

BEAUFORT - Study: Offshore wind farms could generate cash for SC - Business - TheState.com

By PATRICK DONOHUE - pdonohue@beaufortgazette.com

A big reason why wind farms haven’t caught on is their exorbitant cost: Building one would cost $2.1 million per megawatt, or a total of $21 billion over 10 years, according to the Clemson report.

Read more here: http://www.thestate.com/2012/10/15/2481564/study-offshore-wind-farms-could.html#storylink=cpy

Retired Columbia minister crusades for solar power - Business - TheState.com

By SAMMY FRETWELL - sfretwell@thestate.com

At issue is a state law that grants power companies exclusive rights to sell energy in their territories. Power companies say any firm wanting to sell solar energy, no matter how small, must be licensed as a utility – an expensive and involved process.

Read more here: http://www.thestate.com/2012/10/15/2481492/retired-columbia-minister-crusades.html#storylink=cpy

Columbia facing EPA fine on sewer system; utility customers upset by rate hikes - Local / Metro - TheState.com

 By CLIF LeBLANC - cleblanc@thestate.com

 Still, despite ongoing improvements to the sewer system – costing hundreds of millions of dollars – negotiations with the EPA have led the federal agency to proposed civil fines of between $1 million and $1.5 million, three sources told The State. They said they could not speak publicly because of a confidentiality agreement with the EPA.

Read more here: http://www.thestate.com/2012/10/13/2478998/columbia-facing-epa-fine-on-sewer.html#storylink=cpy

Why solar power rarely shines in SC - Local / Metro - TheState.com

 By SAMMY FRETWELL - sfretwell@thestate.com

South Carolina’s interest in solar energy is so faint that national studies rank the state at, or near, the bottom in the use and promotion of sun power.

Read more here: http://www.thestate.com/2012/10/14/2480345/why-solar-power-rarely-shines.html#storylink=cpy