Times and Democrat February 7, 2021 By FRANK KNAPP JR. A recent Times and Democrat editorial expressed several concerns about the South Carolina General Assembly’s upcoming decision on the future of Santee Cooper. Let me address those concerns by answering these questions. Would the sale of Santee Cooper to an…
Opinion: We’re one step closer to selling Santee Cooper
The Berkeley Independent January 29, 2021 By Frank Knapp Jr. South Carolina Small Business Chamber of Commerce The South Carolina House of Representatives has passed House Bill 3194, re-establishing a process for a potential sale of Santee Cooper while also outlining significant reforms to the state-owned utility. The South Carolina…
One Step Closer to Selling Santee Cooper
Blog by Frank Knapp Jr., President & CEO of the South Carolina Small Business Chamber of Commerce January 28, 2021 The South Carolina House of Representatives has passed House Bill 3194, re-establishing a process for a potential sale of Santee Cooper while also outlining significant reforms to the state-owned utility.…
“Respond in writing”: Committee Chair calls for response from Santee Cooper
Representative Kirkman Finlay, Chairman of the SC House Santee Cooper Ad Hoc Committee, called on the utility to refute any of the information contained in the two documents released by the South Carolina Small Business Chamber of Commerce and the Gullah Geechee Chamber of Commerce. The Committee met this morning…
15 Falsehoods: Separating Facts from Fiction in Selling Santee Cooper
January 5, 2021 Just three months ago, the South Carolina Small Business Chamber and the Gullah Geechee Chamber of Commerce published “No Longer An Asset: How Santee Cooper is Failing South Carolina,” a paper that lays out the state-owned utility’s many failures in recent years. This…
Santee Cooper: “We should run like a business”. Committee Co-Chair on trust: “You burned it””
Blog by Frank Knapp Jr., President and CEO of the South Carolina Small Business Chamber of Commerce. December 19, 2020 This past week Santee Cooper rolled out a new defense for its actions that have been roundly criticized by members of the SC legislature—they are a business enterprise. “We should…
Opinion: Santee Cooper shifts strategy to avoid sale
Lexington County Chronicle, December 17, 2020 The Lancaster News, December 26, 2020 By Frank Knapp Jr. Special to the Chronicle Should Santee Cooper be sold or not is expected to be hotly debated when state lawmakers return next month. The 2 sides are gearing up for a battle. Last week…
SANTEE COOPER’S GOLDEN PARACHUTES
Lexington County Chronicle December 6, 2020 Execs get bonuses By Jerry Bellune Santee Cooper and SC taxpayers are paying millions to former executives. Former Santee Cooper CEO Lonnie Carter received a golden parachute with his retirement in 2017. In addition to $344,572 for life from the state retirement system he…
What NextEra’s Acquisition of Gulf Power Means for South Carolina
Energy Consumers of the Carolinas November 18, 2020 From Scott Carlberg “You can’t appreciate what you haven’t seen.” I used to say that with my corporate employees as we discussed new ideas and our customers. Santee Cooper customers are in this situation. Santee Cooper says, “trust us…we got this.” That…
Guest Column: Santee Cooper again reveals it has no intention to reform
The Lancaster News November 18, 2020 By Frank Knapp Earlier this year the state legislature gave Santee Cooper a chance to live up to its promise to reform, and lawmakers put off a decision on selling the utility to an investor-owned utility. Legislators have now seen what Santee Cooper’s board…