Santee Cooper Seeks Buyers to Restart V.C. Summer Nuclear Reactor Project in S.C.

V.C. Summer Nuclear Reactor
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ToggleSantee Cooper Seeks Buyers to Restart V.C. Summer Nuclear Reactor Project
By James Seidel | CC News Network
JENKINSVILLE, S.C. — Santee Cooper, South Carolina’s state-owned power utility, is taking steps to revive the construction of two long-abandoned nuclear reactors at the V.C. Summer Nuclear Station, betting on strong interest from tech giants like Amazon, Google, and Microsoft, which are increasingly hungry for clean energy to power their growing AI data centers.
The utility plans to announce that it is soliciting proposals from potential buyers to complete the project, according to sources familiar with the matter. Santee Cooper has tapped Centerview Partners to handle the process, with proposals being accepted until May 5.
A Collaborative Approach to Restart Construction
Santee Cooper is looking to assemble a consortium of partners to restart and complete the reactors. This group could include a construction firm, a tech company interested in purchasing the power generated, and a third partner to provide capital. The utility also plans to bring in another power company, as it does not intend to own or operate the reactors once operational.
The V.C. Summer project, halted in 2017 after the bankruptcy of contractor Westinghouse Electric Co., has remained a symbol of the challenges facing nuclear power in the U.S. Santee Cooper and South Carolina Electric & Gas (now part of Dominion Energy) had already invested around $9 billion in the project before construction stopped. Completing the reactors is expected to cost several billion dollars more over several years.

Former Westinghouse executive Jeffrey Benjamin was sentenced on November 20, 2024, to a year and a day in federal prison for his role in the $9 billion collapse of South Carolina’s V.C. Summer nuclear project. Despite pleading guilty to aiding and abetting the failure to maintain accurate corporate records, Benjamin, 62, claimed he acted in good faith. U.S. District Judge Mary Geiger Lewis, however, described the project as a “fiasco” and underscored Benjamin’s dishonesty in her ruling, which also included a $100,000 fine. Benjamin was among four utility executives charged in the fallout of the abandoned nuclear reactors in Fairfield County, a project halted in 2017 after Westinghouse’s bankruptcy. Federal prosecutors criticized Benjamin as the “worst” among the defendants, accusing him of concealing delays and cost overruns while ratepayers continued to foot the bill. Judge Lewis rejected calls for probation, emphasizing the need for accountability and deterrence for corporate executives.
Nuclear Power Back in Demand
The push to revive V.C. Summer comes amid renewed interest in nuclear energy, driven by growing electricity demands and the need for sustainable energy solutions. Data centers for tech giants like Google, Amazon, Meta, and Microsoft require immense amounts of energy, making nuclear power an attractive option for its reliability and low carbon footprint.
Recent moves by major companies highlight this trend:
- Microsoft partnered with Constellation Energy to revive Pennsylvania’s Three Mile Island nuclear plant.
- Google has backed small nuclear reactor projects while investing heavily in South Carolina, including a $2 billion data center in Dorchester County.
- Meta recently issued a request for proposals to partner with nuclear energy developers in the U.S.
Challenges Ahead
Restarting the V.C. Summer project is no small feat. Nuclear projects like Georgia’s Plant Vogtle, the nation’s largest nuclear plant, faced repeated delays and ballooned costs, ultimately exceeding $30 billion, more than twice the original estimate.
Santee Cooper’s leadership is optimistic that the utility can recover part of the $9 billion already spent on V.C. Summer’s initial construction. However, the road ahead will require careful planning, substantial investment, and cooperation between public and private sectors.
South Carolina’s Growing Tech and Energy Needs
The effort to revive nuclear power in South Carolina aligns with the state’s rapid growth in both population and economic activity. Tech companies like Google are making significant investments in the region, signaling their commitment to South Carolina as a hub for innovation.
“This investment is a testament to Google’s long-term commitment to this region,” said Audrey Van Belleghem, Google’s global data center strategy and operations director, during a recent announcement in Dorchester County.
As South Carolina debates the future of its energy infrastructure, Santee Cooper’s move to find partners for V.C. Summer could serve as a blueprint for integrating clean energy into the state’s expanding economic landscape.
CC News Network will continue to follow developments in this evolving story
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