South Carolina Senate Majority Leader Shane Massey, R-Edgefield, speaks about a massive energy bill on Tuesday, April 16, 2024, in Columbia, SC. South Carolina Sen. Margie Bright Matthews, D-Walterboro, speaks about a massive energy bill on Tuesday, April 16, 2024, in Columbia, S.C. South Carolina Sen. Nikki Setzler, D-West Columbia, left, speaks to Senate Majority Leader Shane Massey. R-Edgefield, right, during debate on a massive energy bill on Tuesday, April 16, 2024, in Columbia, S.C.
Supporters of the bill point to Christmas Eve 2022 when cold weather combined with some problems at generating stations led to demand that nearly topped the ability to generate electricity in South Carolina.
Republican Sen. Luke Rankin said while the bill is barely two months old, the ideas have been debated for much longer, both in the House and generally. Republican Sen. Sandy Senn said she was told by Dominion Energy it would take eight years to get the new gas plant online and that’s why the bill was needed in 2024.Tuesday’s opponents to the bill said they aren’t against extra power. A state whose population has grown by more than 30% in the past two decades — adding more than 1.4 million people — needs it to keep the lights on in houses and big manufacturers and data farms humming without having to buy power from out of state.