Santee Cooper Announces First Home to Receive Solar Equipment Through The Solar Homes Initiative

July 24, 2008

The first of its kind in the state, the Solar Homes Initiative is a rebate program that helps Santee Cooper customers to go green by investing in solar equipment

PAWLEYS ISLAND, S.C. – Santee Cooper announced the first solar panel installation as a part of the company’s Solar Homes Initiative. The Houghton Family of Pawleys Island is the first family to receive and install the solar equipment.  Through fall 2008, eight additional residential customers are expected to receive solar equipment through the program.

The Solar Homes Initiative, the first of its kind in South Carolina, is a solar panel rebate program that helps Santee Cooper customers to go green by installing solar panel equipment on their homes.  The program launched March 10, 2008.  Qualified residential customers were able to apply for the rebate before April 10, 2008.

Together with federal and state tax credits, the program can help to offset up to $17,500 of the cost of the solar panels and installation. Santee Cooper is also offering a 10-year, zero-interest loan to help finance any additional investment in the solar equipment.

“Through programs like the Solar Homes Initiative, our recent CFL giveaway and others, we’re encouraging our customers to get involved in conserving energy and invest in renewable energy sources,” said Marc Tye, Santee Cooper vice president of conservation and renewable energy.  “In the meantime, Santee Cooper continues to expand, explore and add to our own company-wide environmental efforts including solar, hydroelectric, wind and landfill methane gas power sources, and many more.”

As part of the Solar Homes Initiative, Santee Cooper will conduct ongoing monitoring of the homes to learn more about solar power generation and the related benefits and challenges. 

Utility representatives also will work with the homeowners to make recommendations on additional lifestyle and energy conservation efforts to optimize the use of solar energy produced by the new panels.

“We are excited to be the first Solar Homes Initiative participant. By spreading the word about our installation, we hope that other homeowners also will consider solar power for their homes,” said Billie Houghton.

Photographs from the installation at the Houghton’s home, which will take place July 24, will be available at www.SanteeCooperGreen.com.


About Santee Cooper
Santee Cooper is South Carolina’s state-owned electric and water utility and the state’s largest power producer, supplying electricity to more than 162,000 retail customers in Berkeley, Georgetown and Horry counties, as well as 29 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 685,000 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 customers in Berkeley and Dorchester counties, and the town of Santee. 

For more information, visit www.SanteeCooper.com.

For information on how Santee Cooper lives green and how you can go green, visit www.SanteeCooperGreen.com.