One of our service areas, Fairfield County, continues to suffer from the decisions of SCANA and Santee Cooper to terminate the construction of two nuclear reactors within the county. In my opinion, at least one of the facilities is necessary to accommodate South Carolina’s rapidly increasing electrical needs. But of more immediate concern is impact of the failed project on Fairfield County’s struggling economy.

Fairfield County and the two electrical companies had negotiated a deal where the county would receive a fee from the companies in lieu of property taxes on the nuclear sites. The deal was expected to bring substantial income to the Fairfield County government, which it planned to use in part to expand water and sewer access to rural areas of the county where, currently, the utilities are virtually non-existent. The build-out and development of the county would have created jobs and brought wealth to the community; instead, hundreds of residents are left looking for work due to the massive lay-offs following project’s halt. Meanwhile, rate-payers (myself included) have taken a bath in increased utility costs stemming from the expensive, albeit failed, construction. It would be an understatement to say that the mishandling of the project by SCANA and Santee Cooper is a shame—it was, and continues to be, a catastrophe for the citizens and leadership of Fairfield County.

Here’s hoping that Fairfield County and its citizens can find relief from this economic nightmare. My heart goes out to you, my friends!