The board directed Santee Cooper to continue its current efforts, validating a recommendation by staff based on two public hearings in August examining the new PURPA standards and Santee Cooper’s current practices. The four standards relate to integrated resource planning, rate design modification to promote energy efficiency investments, consideration of smart grid investments, and smart grid information.

The PURPA standards are designed to encourage energy conservation, electric utility efficiency and fair rates. Title I of PURPA requires Santee Cooper and other municipal utilities and state regulatory authorities to consider each standard and determine whether each standard should be implemented. In its vote, the Santee Cooper board affirmed that current Santee Cooper activities and policies already meet or exceed provisions of these standards:

?    Integrated resource planning – establishment of cost-effective energy efficiency as a priority resource in utility plans

?    Rate design modification to promote energy efficiency investments – align utility incentives in rates with the delivery of cost-effective energy efficiency

?    Smart grid investment – demonstrate that the utility first considers an investment in a qualified smart grid system prior to undertaking investments in non-advanced grid technologies

?    Smart grid information – provide customers with direct access to information considering time-based electricity prices, energy usage and sources of power used by the utility

“Santee Cooper has established its commitment to energy efficiency many times and for many years, most recently through the board’s adoption this summer of a rate structure that encourages energy efficiency especially in the high-use summer months. Santee Cooper has just launched Reduce the Use, an energy efficiency campaign including 42 initiatives that ultimately will save 209 million kilowatt-hours of electricity a year,” said Lonnie Carter, Santee Cooper president and chief executive officer. “Regarding smart grid issues, we routinely implement grid improvements, and we have a management team looking at smart-grid investments and how we can maximize our opportunities going forward.”

Santee Cooper is South Carolina’s state-owned electric and water utility, and the state’s largest power producer, supplying electricity to more than 163,000 retail customers in Berkeley, Georgetown, and Horry counties, as well as to 30 large industrial facilities, the cities of Bamberg and Georgetown, and the Charleston Air Force Base. Santee Cooper also generates the power distributed by the state’s 20 electric cooperatives to more than 700,000 customers in all 46 counties. Approximately 2 million South Carolinians receive their power directly or indirectly from Santee Cooper. The utility also provides water to 137,000 consumers in Berkeley and Dorchester counties, and the town of Santee. For more information, visit www.santeecooper.com.