Ask anyone in the utility sector and chances are they’ll agree – the companies that provide electricity and water in the United States are at an inflection point. Our country is facing perhaps unprecedented change as we address the transition away from fossil fuels at a time when the need for increased investment in energy infrastructure is at an all-time high. According to the Energy Information Administration (EIA), major utilities spent $320 billion in 2023 to produce and deliver electricity, with capital investment in electric infrastructure driving that increase. Public power is no exception, managing the fuel transition and infrastructure investment while ensuring customers receive safe, reliable, cost-effective power. Did I mention the increase in generation capacity needed to meet growing demand?
If energy utilities moved like slow-going ocean liners fifty years ago, they move like high-speed cigar boats today. The opportunities presented by changes in things like fuel source, infrastructure, and rapidly growing demand must be successfully navigated if a utility is to thrive.
Opportunities abound for water utilities as well, notably in addressing the presence of per- and polyfluoroalkyl substances (PFAS) found in water supplies. A 2023 report commissioned by the American Water Works Association and prepared by Black & Veatch estimates an investment of more than $50 billion by drinking water utilities will be needed to comply with new PFAS drinking water standards.
Santee Cooper is both an electric utility and a wholesale water provider to drinking water utilities, so all this seems like a lot – because it is. But the good news is, as an organization we have great assets available to us. We have, among other things, a talented and dedicated workforce, a clear mission, and a history of operational excellence that will continue. These attributes, while vital, do not by themselves lead to success.
Some of you may be familiar with the GOST (goals, objectives, strategies, and tactics) Model or Framework set out by bestselling author and strategic thinking guru Rich Horworth. This model is at the heart of the hard questions we’re being asked by others – and that we’re asking ourselves – about our vision for the future. What are our goals and objectives? What are our strategies and tactics for achieving them? What obstacles stand in our way?
In this new role, I’m excited for the opportunity to help our team answer these questions and develop a plan that allows us to live into our mission to be the state’s leading resource for improving the quality of life for all South Carolinians.
Shawan Gillians is Santee Cooper’s Chief Strategy and Communications Officer, a new position at the utility.