Always On: The Skilled Hands Behind Our Power

Santee Cooper celebrates Power Plant Worker Appreciation Week

This week marks Power Plant Worker Appreciation Week, a time to honor the dedicated team keeping South Carolina’s lights on. We are also celebrating National Hydropower Day on Aug. 24, making this the perfect opportunity to recognize the immense dedication of these team members.  The concrete and steel of our plants are impressive, but it is the people inside them who are the true driving force of Santee Cooper.

A Legacy of Hard Work

Our tradition of stepping up for the state began with the team members at the Jefferies Hydroelectric Station. When the plant first generated electricity on Feb. 17, 1942, it was the workers who ensured power flowed to our first customer. They supplied the Pittsburgh Metallurgical Company with the energy needed to manufacture ferrochromium for WWII defense efforts. Today, the team members at Jefferies carry forward that exact same dedication. Operating and maintaining our oldest facility requires a deep understanding of the equipment and a relentless commitment to our core value to Always Deliver.

The People Behind the Power

Across our entire system, power plant jobs demand long hours, intense focus and physical endurance. Whether it is pulling a 12-plus-hour shift, working through extreme heat or troubleshooting complex machinery in the middle of the night, our plant personnel are always ready.

“At Santee Cooper, we strive to provide constant and reliable power to our customers,” said Santee Cooper Generation Stations Manager, Darla Barnette.  “Our crews maintain an unwavering, presence at all hours of the day and night, ensuring that South Carolinians can go about their daily lives with total peace of mind. That reliability is a direct reflection of the dedication, , pride and care our plant personnel bring to work every single day.”

These roles are not for the faint of heart. On any given day, our team members might be conducting detailed safety walk-downs in sweltering conditions, monitoring complex control room data to balance loads or performing critical maintenance on massive equipment. They work holidays, weekends and through severe weather events so the rest of our state never has to worry about their power.

We see this relentless work ethic at our large baseload operations like Cross Generating Station and Winyah Generating Station. We see it at Rainey Generating Station and across our various landfill gas, solar and combustion turbine facilities. We are also excited to see that same drive in the newest team members who joined our generation family at the Cherokee Cogeneration plant. No matter the facility, these crews prioritize safety above all else, look out for one another and ensure our grid remains rock solid.

Taking the Lead

Our power plant team members do more than just maintain the status quo. They will be essential as Santee Cooper plans to expand operations at Rainey and prepare for future resources like the Canadys natural gas generating facility.

“We are entering a new era of generation at Santee Cooper, but our success has always depended on the people behind our operations,” noted Barnette. “

 As our energy mix evolves, it is their hands-on knowledge and adaptability that will ensure Santee Cooper remains a reliable energy provider for decades to come. They are the experts on the ground helping us power what’s next.

Celebrate and Recognize

This week, please take a moment to thank a power plant team member. Their tireless efforts behind the scenes mean our homes stay comfortable, our businesses stay open and our state continues to thrive.

Happy Power Plant Worker Appreciation Week and a Happy National Hydropower Day to the men and women who power Santee Cooper!