Environmental groups scoff at Canadys gas plant unanimous approval

Environmental groups scoff at Canadys gas plant unanimous approval

by Colin Russell

Thu, May 14, 2026 at 9:11 PM

Updated Thu, May 14, 2026 at 10:21 PM

COLLETON COUNTY, S.C. (WCIV) — South Carolina regulators have approved the controversial power plant inM Colleton County, clearing the way for Dominion Energy and Santee Cooper to jointly build a natural gas facility aimed at meeting the state's growing electricity demand.

The Public Service Commission of South Carolina voted 7-0 to approve Canadys Station, a proposed combined-cycle generating plant expected to produce about 2,200 megawatts of electricity, enough to power more than 1 million homes.

The project is designed to address increasing energy needs across the state while also providing economic and environmental benefits, utility officials say.

Environmental benefits, or lack thereof, has been a topic of conversation throughout the plant's approval process, as Colleton County residents have not been shy in voicing their concerns.

"While Canadys Station will help meet the state's growing energy demand, its benefits will extend beyond powering homes and businesses," said Jimmy Staton, president and CEO of Santee Cooper. "Canadys Station is good for the community, respectful of the environment and an excellent value for customers."

Dominion Energy South Carolina President Keller Kissam said the project reflects a practical reuse of a long-standing energy site in the region.

"For 50 years, the former Canadys generating station provided reliable energy across the South Carolina Lowcountry while providing economic benefits in partnership with Colleton County," Kissam said. "With its ruling today, the Public Service Commission authorizes Santee Cooper and Dominion Energy to sensibly repurpose this existing site with state-of-the-art technology to power future generations of the Palmetto State."

The project is expected to create hundreds of construction jobs and a smaller number of permanent positions once operational.

However, environmental groups and clean energy advocates sharply criticized the decision, raising concerns about costs, pollution and impacts to nearby communities and natural resources.

The Southern Environmental Law Center, representing the Coastal Conservation League and the Southern Alliance for Clean Energy, intervened in the case to oppose the project, including a proposed 71-mile pipeline to supply the plant.

"This massive, polluting plant has already doubled in cost from $2.5 to $5 billion in the last year, and the utilities admitted at the hearing that its final costs would likely be even higher," said Kate Mixson, a senior attorney with the Southern Environmental Law Center. "We're certainly worried that the plant and pipeline will negatively impact communities and raise customers' bills."

Opponents also pointed to potential environmental impacts along the Edisto River and in the nearby ACE Basin, one of the largest undeveloped estuaries on the East Coast.

"We are deeply concerned about the environmental, public health, and economic impacts of this plant and the associated pipeline," said Taylor Allred of the Coastal Conservation League. He also criticized what he described as delays in retiring existing coal units and warned that customers could face higher costs.

Eddy Moore of the Southern Alliance for Clean Energy said the total cost to customers could rival past troubled projects.

"When you count the all-in cost to customers to build, finance, and operate this gas infrastructure, our predictions two years ago that this project would cost as much as the failed $9 billion V.C. Summer nuclear project are coming true," Moore said, adding that the plant could result in decades of additional air pollution.

Despite those concerns, the commission concluded the plant is necessary to ensure reliability and meet projected demand. Dominion Energy and Santee Cooper said additional regulatory approvals are still required before construction begins and that they will continue working to advance the project.