Dear Friends:
Imagine flipping on light switches in your home; nothing happens—no power. Unthinkable, right? SC never wants to emulate California with its routine rolling blackouts. This week, the House of Representatives took bold action to secure our state’s energy future and keep your lights on.
Securing South Carolina’s Energy Future
On Wednesday, the House passed H.3309, the South Carolina Energy Security Act. This act ensures that as our state’s population grows, we have the reliable and affordable power to fuel our economy.
SC is one of the fastest-growing states in the country, and if we don’t act now, we could face energy shortages that threaten businesses and jobs.
The Crisis Looms
SC is at the precipice of an energy crisis, not immediately, but in the years to come if we don’t act. The failure of the V.C. Summer nuclear project and the strain on our power grid during Winter Storm Elliott exposed serious vulnerabilities in our state’s energy infrastructure. This bill ensures we act now rather than wait until the next crisis.
Our energy generation plants are aging. Over 50% of our energy generation comes from coal, which costs about $200 million a year to comply with federal environmental regulations. Even if the EPA changed course to allow greater reliance on coal, our coal-fired plants are at the end of their useful lives — they are 60 years old. This means that even if we locked the doors to SC and didn’t allow another person to move here, about 50% of our energy generation would be gone within a decade. That’s scary.
All-of-the-Above Strategy
This bill came to the House floor after more than two years of study, numerous public hearings, and countless hours of public input. All stakeholders agree that we must bring new power online before it’s too late.
This legislation doesn’t favor one method of electrical generation; it encourages an “All-of-the-Above-Strategy.” It expands access to nuclear, natural gas, hydrogen, and renewables. It also cuts red tape to speed up energy project approvals and protects consumers from rising costs.
New Natural Gas Plant
One quick fix is to authorize Santee Cooper to proceed with plans to partner with Dominion
Energy South Carolina to build a natural gas plant at the retired Canadys coal-fired generation station in Colleton County. By allowing them to work together, Dominion and Santee Cooper will be able to pool resources to build one plant that not only better meets our energy needs but also allows savings for construction and other costs that directly benefit ratepayers. The partnership lets them build one larger plant rather than two smaller plants. They can build larger, more fuel-efficient, lower-emitting units and reduce the capital costs by as much as 25% or more compared to single, stand-alone units.
Natural gas is one of the most effective, efficient, safe, and clean energy sources. Unlike other energy sources, natural gas can quickly be ramped up and down depending on load demands. That’s not the case with nuclear and intermittent renewables. It is also always available, even at night, which is not the case with renewables such as solar.
Future Possibilities
Energy science and technology are advancing, and we have much to be excited about as these environmentally friendly, carbon-free solutions come online. However, there will be a transition period as we wait for this new technology to come online because we have to replace the energy generation we are losing and the supply capacity for the growing population.
The bill includes extensive support for nuclear power generation by expanding the mission of the Governor’s nuclear advisory council to study small modular reactors.
“Small Modular Reactors address the significant challenges associated with traditional nuclear power. They offer the promise of expedited and cost-effective plant construction, enhanced safety in operational practices, and reliable carbon-free energy generation that can operate nearly 24/7.” – Rep. Gil Gatch, Chairman of the H.3309 Subcommittee
Energy security is economic security, and the House of Representatives is committed to ensuring SC remains strong and independent. This legislation was sent to the Senate. We hope they will prioritize it in their agenda.
LEGISLATIVE BRIEFS
Cracking Down on Organized Retail Crime
Unlike the dysfunctional Congress in Washington, law and order are not partisan issues in the SC State House.
The House of Representatives voted unanimously for a bill (H.3523) to crack down on organized retail crime. Across the country, smash-and-grab thefts grow more brazen, with criminal rings coordinating large-scale retail thefts that drive up prices and threaten jobs.
The days of slaps on the wrist for repeat offenders are over — this legislation ensures that those who steal thousands in merchandise face felony charges, increased penalties, and real consequences. It also allows law enforcement to prosecute thefts across multiple counties as a single crime, helping to shut down organized crime networks that have long taken advantage of legal loopholes. SC businesses and consumers deserve protection; this bill gives law enforcement the tools to deliver it.
Protecting Kids Online & Holding Big Tech Accountable
In addition to protecting our communities and securing our energy future, we have made significant progress in keeping South Carolina’s children safe online.
The Social Media Regulation Act moved forward this week, passing out of the Judiciary Committee with a favorable vote. It’s no secret that social media has negatively impacted the mental health of children and teens, fueling rising rates of anxiety, depression, and cyberbullying.
This legislation (H.3431) ensures that social media companies verify users’ ages and obtain parental consent for minors, limits the collection of personal data from children, and restricts features designed to increase screen addiction. It also prohibits adults from directly messaging minors they aren’t connected to, helping to prevent online exploitation and predatory behavior. Big Tech has spent years putting profits over child safety, and it’s time to hold them accountable. SC must lead the way in ensuring parents have the tools to protect their children online.
Getting Physical
Childhood obesity has reached epidemic levels in the United States, causing serious health risks for youngsters. More exercise would likely help. State law requires kindergarten through 5th grade students to receive one hour and thirty minutes of physical education every week.
This week, the House of Representatives passed a bill (H.3195) expanding PE to 6th through 8th grades, requiring a minimum of sixty hours of physical education each school year. The bill also calls for students’ pre-K through grade 8 to require a minimum of 20 minutes of unstructured outdoor recess daily.
Student Work Absences
Representatives voted unanimously for legislation (H.3247) requiring school districts to adopt a policy allowing students to be excused from school to participate in work-based learning experiences under the direction of a certified teacher. Those learning experiences include Future Farmers of America, 4-H, and others.
Help For Teachers
Another unanimous vote came in support of SC’s public-school teachers. The Educator Assistance Act (H.3196) will save teachers time and money by not having to take college courses to be recertified every five years. Taking in-district professional development courses would suffice. The bill also protects teachers from being abruptly reassigned to another school (sometimes the next day or week) without a good reason and school board approval.
LEGISLATIVE SPOTLIGHT
Protecting SC from an EMP
Most people are unaware of the disruption that could come from an Electromagnetic Pulse (EMP) or geomagnetic disturbance. An EMP strike would make a terrifying horror movie. Its effects would be life-altering and lasting because it would wipe out the electric grid and all electronics. For starters, there would be no power, access to water or sewer systems, hospitals, pharmacies, and refrigeration.
An electromagnetic pulse can be caused by a solar flare or a nuclear blast high up in the atmosphere delivered by a ballistic missile, a satellite, or a weather balloon. Scientists estimate that within one year, a high number of humans could die because of the destruction of critical infrastructure.
Our adversaries, China, North Korea, Russia, and Iran, are all very aware of the potential for disaster caused by an EMP, and some of them already have access to the technology to wreak havoc on their enemies. The federal government has taken steps to protect military installations, but most states have not.
Rep. Kathy Landing introduced H.3968 for SC’s common defense. I joined her in cosponsoring the bill. The SC National Guard, SC’s Emergency Management Division, and many county Emergency Management authorities helped inspire the legislation. They see the urgent need.
The bill requires the SC Emergency Management Division (SCEMD) to provide by year-end a detailed outline of their current emergency preparedness plan, which includes steps to harden critical infrastructure from an EMP and alternative energy sources to provide independence for an extended period if the grid is incapacitated indefinitely.
It also requires that SC’s electrical distributors and electrical power utilities offer a program to their residential customers who request EMP pulse protection for their personal assets. That program allows customers to have EMP pulse protection installed by the utility with a payment plan through the customer’s monthly utility bill.
We need to get this done pronto!
PHOTO OF THE WEEK
This week, the Student Ambassadors from USC-Aiken joined us at the State House. It was Carolina Day! These super-achieving students are selected annually to represent USCA at various civic activities and campus functions.
