According to MarketSearch, 97.6 percent of Santee Cooper residential customers were satisfied with the state-owned utility in 2010. By comparison, the average for South Carolina utilities was 87.3 percent, and the national average was 83.9 percent. Santee Cooper has consistently outscored state and national averages in the annual survey.

“Since its inception, Santee Cooper’s mission has been to improve the quality of life for the people of South Carolina,” said Santee Cooper President & CEO Lonnie Carter. “Santee Cooper employees work tirelessly to achieve our mission, and we are humbled and encouraged by our customers’ confidence in what we do.”

Other highlights show near perfect scores that reflect customers’ positive attitudes toward reliability of service and quality of power, minimizing and restoring outages, and Santee Cooper’s reputation.

In terms of Santee Cooper’s environmental record, nearly all – or 98 percent – of residential customers say they are satisfied with Santee Cooper’s conservation programs, which help customers use energy more efficiently. In addition, 97 percent said Santee Cooper is concerned about the environment, while 95 percent agree Santee Cooper is doing a good job protecting the environment.

Relating directly to customers themselves, 98 percent indicated they are satisfied with Santee Cooper’s concern for customers, and 97 percent of residential customers are satisfied with Santee Cooper’s quick response to customer questions and problems.

Regarding value, 88 percent said Santee Cooper’s power is worth the price they pay and are satisfied with Santee Cooper’s rates compared to the cost of other products and services.

“MarketSearch has tracked customer satisfaction among Santee Cooper’s residential customers for a number of years. Our most recent survey shows these customers continue to be highly satisfied with all facets of their service from the utility,” said Frank Brown, president of MarketSearch. “This is true not only in an absolute sense but also when compared with residential customers statewide and nationally.”

Zack Dusenbury, vice president of retail operations for Santee Cooper, said, “The results of this survey are a direct reflection on the dedication, hard work and commitment our employees have to the customers in their communities, as well as a testament to the caliber of employees we have working here.”

Santee Cooper is South Carolina’s state-owned electric and water utility, and the state’s largest power producer. The ultimate source of electricity for 2 million South Carolinians, Santee Cooper is dedicated to being the state’s leading resource for improving the quality of life for the people of South Carolina. For more information, visit www.santeecooper.com.