MONCKS CORNER, S.C. – The Santee Cooper Board of Directors today authorized management to submit an application to the S.C. Public Service Commission related to the potential expansion of the utility’s Rainey Generating Station, located in Iva, S.C.
Specifically, the Board authorized management to apply for a Certificate of Public Convenience and Necessity to add approximately 180 megawatts (MW) of capacity to Rainey Station, which is fueled by natural gas and has a capacity of approximately 1,000 MW. The project would increase station capacity by nearly 20 percent without requiring additional natural gas to generate the additional capacity – and without increasing the emissions rate.
The project involves installing a steam turbine generator and other equipment to capture the waste heat from two existing simple-cycle units and use that heat to generate additional electricity. Construction is expected to take 40 months once the project is approved.
“Repurposing the waste heat that is already being produced by these two combustion turbines will help ensure reliable power to a growing population across the Santee Cooper system,” said Jimmy Staton, president and CEO. “This ability to provide additional capacity at an existing site without increasing fuel costs or the emissions rate is a great opportunity that will benefit all of our customers and the entire state of South Carolina.”
Central Electric Power Cooperative CEO Rob Hochstetler, who leads the utility that provides power to the state’s electric cooperatives and is Santee Cooper’s largest customer, recognizes the need for South Carolina power providers to bring additional generation resources online.
“Our state is growing by leaps and bounds, and to keep up, we need a greater supply of always-available energy,” Hochstetler said. “This project would move us in the right direction.”