S0012 authorizes the South Carolina Public Service Authority, commonly known as Santee Cooper, to jointly own electrical generation and transmission facilities with Dominion Energy South Carolina, either as tenants-in-common or through a limited liability company. The bill specifically contemplates one or more natural gas-fired generation facilities and related transmission facilities to be built at or near Dominion’s former Canadys coal-fired station in Colleton County. It gives the Public Service Authority authority to plan, finance, acquire, own, operate, and maintain its interest in those facilities, and to enter into the contracts needed to do so.
The bill also ties Santee Cooper’s ownership and control of the project to the amount of money or property it contributes, requiring its ownership share to match its financial contribution and giving it a corresponding share of the electrical output. It further limits Santee Cooper’s liability so that it is only severally liable in proportion to its ownership interest for acts or obligations arising from the project, while shielding its other assets from debts, liens, or obligations of the other owners or the operator. The act would take effect upon gubernatorial approval.
Impact
This bill would amend Title 58 of the South Carolina Code by adding a new section expressly granting the Public Service Authority authority to participate in joint ownership of generation and transmission assets with an investor-owned utility. In practical terms, it creates a statutory basis for a public-private power project involving natural gas generation in Colleton County and clarifies how ownership, output, and liability are allocated among the parties. It would affect Santee Cooper, Dominion Energy South Carolina, and any project entities formed to develop or operate the facilities.
Sentiment
The available voting history suggests the bill had meaningful but not unanimous support in the Senate, passing second reading by a 25-18 vote on April 3, 2025. That margin indicates the proposal was viewed favorably by a majority, likely because it advances new generation capacity and allows Santee Cooper to participate in a major energy project, but it also drew substantial opposition. No committee transcript is available, so the broader discussion record is limited, but the vote count shows the measure was contested rather than broadly consensus-driven.
Contention
The main points of contention appear to be the policy choice to authorize a state public utility to partner with a private investor-owned utility on a new natural gas project, and the associated financial and liability exposure. Supporters likely view the bill as a way to add generation capacity, replace retired coal infrastructure, and leverage shared financing and ownership. Opponents may be concerned about Santee Cooper’s involvement in fossil-fuel generation, the prudence of public investment in a joint project, and the extent to which the statute insulates the Public Service Authority from liabilities while still committing it to the venture.
Oklahoma Turnpike Authority; prohibiting revenues from projects from being used for other projects; removing certain authorizations from the Authority. Effective date.