Santee Cooper’s board of directors approved the planned expansion of the utility’s Rainey Generating Station as a shared resource with Central Electric Power Cooperative. The additional 180 MW of generation capacity will come from a combined cycle conversion project.
Officials on Dec. 20 said the new installation will include two heat recovery steam generators, a steam turbine generator, and other components to capture the waste heat from two existing simple-cycle units at the site. The heat will be used to generate additional electricity. The project requires approval from the South Carolina Public Service Commission. Construction is expected to take about three years.
The Rainey facility, located in Iva, S.C., is a 1,000-MW natural gas-fired power plant. Officials said the expansion by utilizing waste heat will not require additional natural gas resources and will not increase the plant’s emissions rate.
“This combined cycle conversion project will play a vital role in ensuring reliable power for our growing population,” said Jimmy Staton, president and CEO of Santee Cooper. “By utilizing an existing site, it adds much-needed capacity without increasing fuel costs or emissions rates, aligning with our commitment to affordability, sustainability and efficiency.”
Rob Hochstetler, president and CEO of Central Electric Power Cooperative, said, “This project illustrates how Santee Cooper and South Carolina’s electric cooperatives are working collaboratively to meet our state’s growing energy needs. Our staff and board studied this project at length, and we agree with Santee Cooper’s conclusion that expanding the Rainey Generating Station is a smart, cost-effective and environmentally responsible way to expand a key source of reliable energy.”
Central Electric Power Cooperative is the utility supplying power to South Carolina’s electric cooperatives. It is Santee Cooper’s largest customer.
—Darrell Proctor is a senior editor for POWER.
