Santee Cooper Receives National Community Service Award

MONCKS CORNER, S.C. – The American Public Power Association (APPA) recognized Santee Cooper with the Sue Kelly Community Service Award, a national honor recognizing public power utilities that demonstrate an outstanding commitment to serving their communities.

The APPA presented the award earlier today during its national conference in Boston.

“This recognition reflects the heart of who we are as a public power utility,” said Jimmy Staton, president and CEO of Santee Cooper. “Our employees are committed not only to providing reliable electricity and water, but also to strengthening the communities we serve. Whether volunteering their time, promoting safety, supporting local organizations or helping create new opportunities for future generations, they demonstrate every day what it means to serve South Carolina.”

Santee Cooper participates in a broad range of community-based initiatives that create opportunities and improve quality of life throughout South Carolina. Santee Cooper employees contributed 36,000 volunteer hours in their communities in 2025, including over 4,000 hours for education programs and events. APPA also recognized Santee Cooper for hosting events that improve community health and safety, supporting community prosperity through economic development initiatives, and sponsoring and staffing numerous outreach efforts. Examples of recognized activity include:

• The utility hosts a popular forum in Myrtle Beach each year bringing together emergency responders, local governments, utility leaders and other critical business representatives to discuss safety challenges and resources related to hurricane activity.
• Santee Cooper has created lasting impact with its annual Celebrate the Season holiday lights festival, which has generated more than $1.4 million in charitable contributions over the past 15 years.
• Additionally, Santee Cooper’s redevelopment and donation of a former coal station and cooling pond to the City of Conway created what local leaders described as a “once-in-a-generation” opportunity to restore wetlands and improve ecotourism through new recreational amenities along the adjacent Waccamaw River.

The Sue Kelly Community Service Award is named in honor of Sue Kelly, former president and CEO of the American Public Power Association and recognizes utilities whose community service efforts exemplify the public power commitment to local service.