Statement by CWS 7/31/17 – Carolina Water Service, Inc.

Statement by CWS 7/31/17 : "

• Richard Durham, President of Carolina Water service (CWS), confirmed today that the company agreed on Friday, to a Consent Order and a $12,000 fine issued by the Department of Environmental Control (DHEC) related to an event on April 6th which resulted in a limited spill which was quickly contained entirely within the company’s Friarsgate facility. 
• Further, this spill was the direct result of a five-inch (5”) rain storm that led to considerable flooding throughout the Midlands that affected many of the area’s other utilities. 
• Most importantly, the spill did not impact the river in any way based on DHEC’s assessment, a very important fact that was erroneously reported and suggested by third parties. 
• Also counter to reports and statements made in the press in April, CWS did in fact immediately notify officials, who were called to the site. 
• As stated in the Order, the fine is primarily the result of a clerical error. The required paperwork on the matter was not submitted in a timely matter. Steps to improve that process have been already been addressed and implemented."

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South Carolina Electric & Gas Company To Cease Construction And - KUSI News - San Diego, CA

South Carolina Electric & Gas Company To Cease Construction And - KUSI News - San Diego, CA: "CAYCE, S.C., July 31, 2017 /PRNewswire/ -- South Carolina Electric & Gas Company (SCE&G), principal subsidiary of SCANA Corporation (SCANA) (NYSE: SCG), announced today that it will cease construction of the two new nuclear units (Units) at the V.C. Summer Nuclear Station in Jenkinsville, SC and will promptly file a petition with the Public Service Commission of South Carolina seeking approval of its abandonment plan.  This decision was reached by SCE&G after considering the additional costs to complete the Units, the uncertainty regarding the availability of production tax credits for the project, the amount of anticipated guaranty settlement payments from Toshiba Corporation (Toshiba), and other matters associated with continuing construction, including the decision of the co-owner of the project, the South Carolina Public Service Authority (Santee Cooper), the state owned electric utility, to suspend construction of the project.  Based on these factors, SCE&G concluded that it would not be in the best interest of its customers and other stakeholders to continue construction of the project.    

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Santee Cooper to halt construction on $14 billion nuclear project in Fairfield County | Business | postandcourier.com

Santee Cooper to halt construction on $14 billion nuclear project in Fairfield County | Business | postandcourier.com: "Utility executives said they would seek to preserve the work that has been completed so far and look for buyers to take over the project. Lonnie Carter, Santee Cooper's chief executive, says the power company now expects the project would cost 75 percent more than initially anticipated."



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Santee Cooper pledges to keep rates down if Toshiba money comes through | The State

Santee Cooper pledges to keep rates down if Toshiba money comes through | The State: "State-owned Santee Cooper announced Friday that its board will meet in special session at 10 a.m. Monday in Columbia to discuss the company’s joint effort with SCE&G to build two reactors at the companies’ V.C. Summer plant near Jenkinsville. A notice Friday afternoon said the board will take action on the nuclear project.

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Toshiba guarantee of $2.2B may not be enough to save troubled V.C. Summer nuclear project - Charlotte Business Journal

Toshiba guarantee of $2.2B may not be enough to save troubled V.C. Summer nuclear project - Charlotte Business Journal: "In order for the companies to decide to complete the project, they will need to determine that it would cost more to abandon the project now and build an alternative power plant (or plants) to replace the electricity that would have been produced by Summer.

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Santee Cooper board to meet to discuss possible Toshiba offer | The State

Santee Cooper board to meet to discuss possible Toshiba offer | The State: "Details of the proposed settlement were not disclosed Wednesday, but SCE&G said this past spring it could be as much as $1.7 billion for the two utilities. The Santee Cooper board is expected to vote after a private meeting by conference call, the company said.

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SCE&G postpones nuclear meeting as project deadline nears - Sammy Fretwell, The State

COLUMBIA, SC Two South Carolina utilities are awaiting a decision by Toshiba on whether the Japanese corporation will provide money to help them complete a $14 billion nuclear reactor project northwest of Columbia.

Read more here: http://www.thestate.com/news/local/article163493068.html#storylink=cpy

Utility changes meeting time as deadline for nuke plant decision looms | The State

Utility changes meeting time as deadline for nuke plant decision looms | The State: "COLUMBIA,

The company plants to brief the state Public Service Commission Tuesday Aug. 1 at 10 a.m., rather than this Friday as first scheduled.





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Pee Dee students explore the arts in Ignite summer program | News | kingstreenews.com

Pee Dee students explore the arts in Ignite summer program | News | kingstreenews.com: "Children in the Boys and Girls Clubs in Hemingway and Hannah-Pamplico spent a week exploring their artistic voices, interests and skills in Ignite, an outreach program hosted by the South Carolina Governor’s School for the Arts and Humanities and funded by Duke Energy.

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Santee Cooper's Proposed Rate Hike - The Nerve

Rates for its average customer would go from $127.60 to $133.80 a month in 2018, and then to $139.90 in 2019, it says.

That would bring the price to $0.1399 per kilowatt hour.

The average retail price for electricity in the state had been $0.1257 per kilowatt hour. Multiplied by average consumption of 1,380 kilowatt hours per month, it made South Carolina’s electric costs for consumers the highest on average in the country.

Read it here

Environmental report favors gas pipeline - Rocky Mount Telegram

Environmental report favors gas pipeline - Rocky Mount Telegram: "he Federal Environment Regulatory Commission released its final Environmental Impact Statement for the Atlantic Coast Pipeline on Friday. The proposed 600-mile transmission line would deliver new supplies of natural gas from West Virginia to public utilities in North Carolina. The project is under review by state and federal agencies and is expected to receive final approval this fall."



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Fourth Circuit rules in favor Orangeburg Challenge to Duke-Progress JDA

Orangeburg, South Carolina v. FERC, No. 15-1274 (D.C. Cir. 2017) :: Justia:



The Fourth Circuit held that the City of Orangeburg, SC, has standing to challenge FERC's approval of the Joint Dispatch Agreement between Duke Energy Carolinas and Progress Energy on the grounds that it unlawfully established a disparate treatment of native (North Carolina) wholesale customers and non-native wholesale load customers (such as Orangeburg).  The Fourth Circuit also held that FERC's ruling on this issue was inadequate, and therefore remanded for further explanation.



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Swimming Advisory Lifted for the Saluda River

Swimming Advisory Lifted for the Saluda River: "Based on DHEC observation at the CWS Friarsgate wastewater plant and recent samples taken at the wastewater plant the swimming advisory is lifted.  This was confirmed with sampling done by the Lower Saluda River Coalition on Wednesday, July 19th.  Go to the website, Howsmyscriver.org to see the latest weekly sample results taken by the Coalition.

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Why is electricity so expensive in South Carolina? | The Nerve

Why is electricity so expensive in South Carolina? | The Nerve: "Take SCE&G’s rates out of the equation, average the rates from Duke and Santee Cooper, and South Carolina would rank somewhere between 8th or 9th most expensive, between Maryland and Georgia.

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Santee Cooper and VC Summer

Santee Cooper will be awash in excess power if SC nuke project is completed | The State: "The company will have reserve capacity as high as 44 percent — about three times the amount the utility’s own records indicate is necessary to supply power in times of crisis, according to a 2016 Santee Cooper report filed with the state Energy Office. SCE&G, Santee Cooper’s senior partner on the nuclear project, also will have excess reserve margins for several years but the amount is less than the state utility and it levels off more quickly, records show.

"



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Clemson awarded $1.16M to research use of connected, automated vehicle technology to boost energy efficiency

Clemson awarded $1.16M to research use of connected, automated vehicle technology to boost energy efficiency: "The investments, a release said, are to assist 22 cost-shared projects to accelerate research of advanced battery, lightweight materials, engine technologies and energy efficient mobility systems. 

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Economist predicts spike in power bills if SCE&G nuke project moves ahead - The State

The 21-page report by Vermont Law School economist Mark Cooper blasted the project as unnecessary at a time when energy demand is down and renewable energy sources are an increasingly viable way to meet customer demands.

http://www.thestate.com/news/local/article162142583.html

National Study Names SCE&G Among the Most Trusted Utility Brands | Business News | moultrienews.com

 "Conducted by one of the world’s largest market research firms, Market Strategies International, the 2017 Utility Trusted Brand & Customer Engagement™ Study ranked SCE&G among the top 20 combined electric and natural gas providers in the nation and second in the South Combination benchmark segment for brand trust.

"  Read more



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Some swimmers, boaters brave Saluda River despite high bacteria levels - The State

http://www.thestate.com/news/local/article161811013.html

Swim advisory issued for Saluda River because of sewage discharge - The State

A wastewater discharge from the Friarsgate Wastewater Treatment facility late last week resulted in the increased bacteria level in the water, the riverkeeper said. State health officials had issued a caution to swimmers earlier in the weekend before a formal advisory was issued Sunday with results of water quality tests.

Read it here

Wastewater release prompts strong caution at popular Midlands swim area - The State

Read the story

The Yellow Pages, Which Apparently Still Exists, Has Been Acquired by Dex Media - TheStreet

The Yellow Pages, Which Apparently Still Exists, Has Been Acquired by Dex Media - TheStreet: "The combined company, known as DexYP, has projected 2017 net revenues of $2.3 billion, of which over $1 billion is from digital net revenue, and adjusted Ebitda of $537 million, the companies said in a statement. By 2021 combined net revenue is expected to fall to $1.8 billion, with adjusted Ebitda of $519 million. YP's 2016 revenue was about $1.6 billion.
"



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South Carolina’s bizarre government might be driving up your power rates - The State

"Now, maybe that didn’t matter. Maybe the PSC would have approved Santee Cooper’s investment in the nuclear project. And even if it didn’t, maybe SCE&G would have found another partner, or built the plants on its own. Or maybe it would have built just one. Or maybe it wouldn’t have built anything."

Better to target zero emissions than 100% renewable energy - The Economist

Better to target zero emissions than 100% renewable energy: "It would be better, as the Paris agreement urges, for countries to focus on reductions in emissions rather than to set goals for renewable energy. "



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DHEC director stepping down - wistv.com - Columbia, South Carolina

DHEC director stepping down - wistv.com - Columbia, South Carolina: "Catherine Heigel, who served as DHEC's director since June 2015, will rejoin Elliott Davis, a rapidly growing Southeast accounting and business advisory firm, as its chief operating officer in August 2017, according to DHEC spokesperson Jennifer Read. 

"



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Toshiba: Not true auditor told co it can't form opinion on annual report

Toshiba: Not true auditor told co it can't form opinion on annual report: "TOKYO (Reuters) - Toshiba Corp (6502.T) on Thursday denied a media report that the company was told by its auditor that it would not provide an opinion, or an endorsement, for its annual report.

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US utility to decide fate of Westinghouse reactors in August- Nikkei Asian Review

US utility to decide fate of Westinghouse reactors in August- Nikkei Asian Review: "WASHINGTON -- U.S. utility Southern will decide next month whether to continue to construct a pair of reactors ordered from Westinghouse Electric, the now-bankrupt nuclear unit of Japan's Toshiba.

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SCEBA hosts C-PACE Business Roundtable

REGISTRATION IS FREE AND OPEN TO THE PUBLIC

1624 Main Street, Columbia, SC 29201
Agape Conference Center
August 3, 2017 • 11:30 a.m. - 2:30 p.m.
 

SCCEBA will host a roundtable on Commercial-Property Assessed Clean Energy in partnership with Sustainable Real Estate Solutions, Inc. (SRS). Brian McCarter, CEO of SRS and an industry leader in administering C-PACE programs nationwide from California to Connecticut, will highlight the basics of C-PACE and how this innovative financing mechanism is helping commercial and industrial building owners across the US finance clean energy upgrades to improve their building stock and save on energy costs.

The Cost of Water Is Rising. Philadelphia Has an Unprecedented Plan to Make It More Affordable.

The Cost of Water Is Rising. Philadelphia Has an Unprecedented Plan to Make It More Affordable.: "Although the Philadelphia program is novel in that it ties water rates to income, many gas and electric utilities -- including Philadelphia's gas utility -- use the same approach, says Rob Ballenger, an attorney for the nonprofit Community Legal Services of Philadelphia.

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Mississippi regulators make it official: Kemper will run on natural gas | Utility Dive

Mississippi regulators make it official: Kemper will run on natural gas | Utility Dive: "The order gives Mississippi Power 45 days to present the PSC with a settlement agreement that provides for the ownership and operation of only a gas-fired fired generator, without the coal gasification and carbon capture technology originally envisioned when the plant was proposed in 2006.

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Columbia becomes First South Carolina City to Commit to 100 percent Clean Energy

Columbia becomes First South Carolina City to Commit to 100 percent Clean Energy: "The Columbia City Council on Tuesday unanimously approved a resolution establishing a community-wide goal of transitioning to 100 percent clean and renewable energy by 2036.

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Towns sell their public water systems — and come to regret it - The Washington Post

Towns sell their public water systems — and come to regret it - The Washington Post: "Elected officials and the public “should ask good questions, and they should understand the trade-offs” before agreeing to sell municipal water systems, said Janice Beecher, who studies public and private systems as director of Michigan State University’s Institute of Public Utilities. Selling a publicly owned water utility “shouldn’t be rushed,” she warned. “Once it’s gone, it’s gone.”

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Saluda, Congaree rivers get “green light” in weekly water quality tests - Cola Daily

"The app displays the results from water quality samples. The testing stops begin at Saluda Shoals Park on the Saluda and continue to the Rosewood Drive Landing on the Congaree."

Read more

After Kemper, new 'clean coal' plants face long odds | Utility Dive

After Kemper, new 'clean coal' plants face long odds | Utility Dive: "Talk about timing. Southern Co. last week pulled the plug on its Kemper integrated gasification combined cycle (IGCC) project in Mississippi just as President Donald Trump was wrapping up what the White House called Energy Week.

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Shell wades into the power sector with bid for Texas retail provider MP2 Energy | Utility Dive

Shell wades into the power sector with bid for Texas retail provider MP2 Energy | Utility Dive: "MP2's diverse resource mix make it an interesting investment, but the significance of Shell's acquisition may signal a trend of Big Oil and gas companies eyeing a foothold in the power sector. 

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2 solar projects planned for rural counties > Columbia Business Report

2 solar projects planned for rural counties > Columbia Business Report: "Charleston-based Southern Current, a developer of residential, commercial and utility-scale solar project, has announced plans to build a $2.5 million solar farm in Hampton County.

Meanwhile, Pine Gate Renewables, a renewable energy company, is launching a new solar farm in Dillon County under Freedom Solar LLC. The development is projected to bring $7.5 million of new capital investment."



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Snake causes power outage in Greenville County

Snake causes power outage in Greenville County:



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Volvo to end gas-only cars by 2019 - The Verge

Volvo to end gas-only cars by 2019 - The Verge: "Volvo just announced plans to phase out gas-only car production by 2019, at which time all new Volvos will either be fully electric or electric hybrids. The company also said that it would launch three new fully electric Volvos between 2019 and 2021, and two high performance electrics under the Polestar brand. All new hybrids will be a mix of petrol and diesel twin-engine plug-ins and 48 volt "mild hybrid" options

"



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The Washington Post: Federal court blocks Trump’s EPA on air pollution

The court says you can consider changing the rules but you have to do it the normal way, with a comment period,” said David Doniger, director of the climate and clean-air program at the Natural Resources Defense Council. “You can’t yank it out of existence on your say-so.”

Read more

President appoints pro-family advocate to FCC

President appoints pro-family advocate to FCC: "PTC applauds the re-nomination of Jessica Rosenworcel to the FCC and urges the Senate to confirm her immediately. Rosenworcel, originally an Obama appointee, served in the role from May 2012-January 2017. PTC program director Melissa Henson tells OneNewsNow her organization is pleased that President Trump nominated Rosenworcel to serve again.

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Washington Tells India Westinghouse Could Be Sold by Year End: Sources - The New York Times

Washington Tells India Westinghouse Could Be Sold by Year End: Sources - The New York Times: "NEW DELHI — The U.S. administration has told India that Westinghouse Electric Co will emerge from bankruptcy and be sold by the year end, industry and diplomatic sources have said, raising the prospect of a Washington-supported sale or bailout for the nuclear firm.

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Projected power needs fueled SCE&G nuke project. The projections were wrong

Today, their missed forecasts have left some people questioning whether the over-budget, $14-billion nuclear project was ever necessary. The partially built project has resulted in 14 separate rate increases for customers of the two utilities.

http://www.thestate.com/news/local/article159243409.html