Statehouse Report May 24, 2019 By Frank Knapp, special to Statehouse Report Three months ago, the South Carolina Small Business Chamber of Commerce (SCSBCC) began advocating for the sale of the state utility, Santee Cooper, if our organization’s goals to save consumers money and protect the environment could be achieved.…
State legislature approves plan to resolve Santee Cooper crisis
May 22, 2019 Yesterday the S.C. General Assembly passed a Joint Resolution that sets in motion a process to determine if the heavily in-debt state utility, Santee Cooper, will be sold or managed by a private utility or kept as a reformed state agency. The SC Department of Administration will…
Santee Cooper buyers face tougher decisions. Lawmakers want many guarantees on a sale.
Lexington County Chronicle May 9, 2019 By Jerry Bellune Lawmakers hope Santee Cooper’s value – not it’s $8 billion debt – will attract a generous buyer. Whether the state sells or seeks other ways to dispose of the debt may depend on tough decisions by a buyer willing to liquidate…
Opinion: Emotional attachment leads to fear tactics
Lexington County Chronicle May 2, 2019 By Frank Knapp, Jr., Special to the Chronicle Last week the SC Small Business Chamber of Commerce conducted our 4th town hall on the possible sale of Santee Cooper. The taxpayer-owned utility is $7.2 billion to $8 billion in debt, with $4 billion due…
Listen to WRHI interview on Santee Cooper
Listen to my 4-23-19 WRHI interview on Santee Cooper with hosts Patti Mercer and Lucas McFadden.
Santee Cooper backers at Orangeburg meeting challenge sale of utility
Orangeburg Times and Democrat April 21, 2019 By GENE ZALESKI T&D Staff Writer About 15 individuals opposed to selling the state-owned Santee Cooper utility questioned the wisdom of advocating sale to a for-profit, investor-owned provider when there are more questions than answers. Nine of the 15 came from Berkeley County, where…
Town Hall in Rock Hill Tuesday April 23rd
Come join me at our town hall on the possible sale of Santee Cooper tomorrow (April 23rd) in Rock Hill from 5-6PM. Santee Cooper rates are going up to pay for about $8 billion of debt. This town hall will explain how the sale of Santee Cooper can keep rates…
ACTION ALERT: Senate to debate sale of Santee Cooper. Contact Senators before Tuesday, April 23rd, 2PM
April 22, 2019 The South Carolina Senate has placed S.678 on special order for Tuesday, April 23rd. This bill calls for the SC Department of Administration to conduct a competitive bidding process for the sale of Santee Cooper. It establishes criteria for the evaluation of proposals and calls for a…
ACTION ALERT: Senate to debate sale of Santee Cooper. Contact Senators before Tuesday, April 23rd, 2PM
April 19, 2019 The South Carolina Senate has placed S.678 on special order for Tuesday, April 23rd. This bill calls for the SC Department of Administration to conduct a competitive bidding process for the sale of Santee Cooper. It establishes criteria for the evaluation of proposals and calls for a…
Report: Santee Cooper failing to promote, expand solar power
The State April 13, 2019 BY SAMMY FRETWELL Santee Cooper, the embattled, state-owned power company, is being criticized for what a clean energy group says is a failure to promote and expand solar power, a nonpolluting energy source touted as a way to help customers keep their monthly electric bills…