Santee Cooper Completes Energy Audits of its Company Buildings

October 14, 2008

MONCKS CORNER, SC – October 14, 2008 –  As part of Santee Cooper’s ongoing conservation and renewable energy leadership efforts, the utility recently completed energy audits of its major facilities and buildings. The audits are part of how Santee Cooper is working to continually save energy and maximize efficiency, and also helping customers to go green, save money and save energy—through all of the utility’s Santee Cooper Green conservation and renewable energy programs.

Through the energy audits, Santee Cooper has identified where its buildings could be more energy efficient and has begun implementing upgrades, which will be completed throughout the coming months. The utility is currently estimating potential energy and cost savings as a result of the implementation of the audit results.

“The reality is that South Carolina will need new, reliable power sources in the near future. In the meantime, Santee Cooper continues to expand and enhance ways to maximize available energy through conservation, and also generate power through renewable energy sources,” said Lonnie Carter, president and CEO of Santee Cooper. “Our efforts to date include being the first utility in the state to offer Green Power, generating electricity using landfill gas and solar, promoting conservation and energy efficiency, installing state-of-the-art emission control technology, and funding innovative research into alternative forms of energy.”

Following are examples of the energy efficiency efforts:

  • Installing room lighting occupancy sensors – Automatically shutting off lights where applicable, when a room is not in use, will save energy. Santee Cooper previously upgraded lighting in all facilities to compact fluorescent bulbs.   Energy efficient lighting decreases energy consumption and also helps HVAC systems run more efficiently as less heat is emitted.
  • Replacing aging HVAC equipment – Santee Cooper will be replacing many of the older, least efficient systems with more efficient units that use less energy to operate.
  • Work style changes – Emphasis will be placed on employees turning off electronics when not in use (computers and monitors, fax machines, printers), proper thermostat control, use of programmable thermostats, and proper use of window blinds to maintain comfort and efficiency.   

Santee Cooper Green is not only helping customers to go green, save money and save energy, but we also are examining ways that we can be a leader with our own efforts,” said Marc Tye, vice president of conservation and renewable energy for Santee Cooper.  “We know we must lead by example.  Homeowners and business owners can do their part also by learning about conservation and renewable energy, and by implementing measures in their own homes and businesses.”


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 163,000 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.