The V.C. Summer Nuclear Station
Swain Whitfield
The seven member commission voted unanimously in favor of the project.
The two new reactors would be built on the site of the company’s existing V.C. Summer Unit 1 nuclear plant in Jenkinsville. SCE&G has operated V.C. Summer Unit 1 since 1984.
SCE&G will build the proposed plants in a partnership with South Carolina’s Public Service Authority (“Santee Cooper”), which will be entitled to 45% of their generation. Under the agreement, SCE&G will operate the new reactors.
A consortium comprised of Westinghouse Electric Co., LLC and Stone &Webster, Inc., will be the principal contractor for the project.
The reactors are expected to generate a total of 2234 megawatts of electricity, of which SCE&G would be entitled to 1228 MW and Santee Cooper would have 1006 MW.
The project is estimated to cost $4,534,747,000 billion in 2007 dollars. The first reactor is expected to be on line in 2016 and the second in 2019.
The Commission found that SCE&G’s proposal to build the reactors is prudent, and will allow the company to recover certain financing costs while the plants are under construction as long as the company shows that the project is on schedule and that expenditures are within limits set in the Commission’s order.
This cost recovery method, enacted by the South Carolina General Assembly in 2007, will reduce the overall cost of financing the project.
A copy of the Commission’s decision, as well as pleadings and testimony filed in the case may be found on the Commission’s website at www. psc.sc.gov.
During the vote by the PSC, Commissioner Swain Whitfield stated the following: “A case of this magnitude has not been heard by this Commission in nearly 30 years and it may be 30 more years (if then) that another case of this size is heard by this Commission.
“The implications from this case are tremendous on the citizens, ratepayers, the economy and the environment of the state of South Carolina.
“As a native of Fairfield County, this case has been "up close and personal" for me and I am uniquely familiar with Fairfield County and the surrounding community. I grew up on the west side of Winnsboro about 13 miles from V.C. Summer Unit 1 and I watched as Unit 1 was built and came on line in the '80's.
“I have family and friends who live much closer than that to the plant site. My mother in law grew up on what is now the current plant site in a house (that is no longer standing) that was right behind the current SCE&G training facility.
“Her ancestors are buried in the cemetery (The Gen. John Pearson Cemetery) on the site that was discussed in the case. Mayo Creek, also discussed during the case, runs through the site and was named after her family.
“I realize the implications for Fairfield County and the state of South Carolina. I know that this case has the interest of local officials, state officials and federal officials as well as local and state citizens, ratepayers, the business community and the utility industry and environmental groups. The testimony in this case lasted nearly three weeks and went on into the evenings many nights. SCE&G, the South Carolina Energy Users Committee, and Friends of the Earth and all of the intervenors did a good job presenting their cases. We saw great legal work. Mr. Guild made his case particularly in the areas of demand side management and energy efficiency. I look forward to seing a new, more aggressive dsm proposal from SCE&G as it has committed to present later this year.
“I want to commend all of the other intervenors for their interest and all of their time and effort in this case and for the points that they raised. Mr. Elliott made his case in great detail as it pertains to costs and schedules.
“The company has made its case and as commissioners, we must rule on the evidence, testimony, witnesses and cross-examination presented by all of these groups in this case. I believe that the company has proved its case in this matter and i urge that we approve Commissioner Howard's motion.”
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