What’s Being Proposed

Utilities Santee Cooper and Dominion Energy South Carolina are seeking approval to build a large natural  gas-fired power plant in Canadys, a rural community along the Edisto River in Colleton County. The project would introduce major new energy infrastructure into the ACE Basin.

The proposal includes:

• A new natural gas–fired power plant near Canadys
• 70+ miles of natural gas pipelines to supply the facility
• Associated transmission lines and energy infrastructure

Approval for the plant must come from the South Carolina Public Service Commission (PSC), which regulates major utility infrastructure projects across the state and must determine whether the project is in the public interest.

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The PSC Process

The Public Service Commission process includes public hearings and comment periods so residents can share their concerns, experiences and perspectives before a final decision is made.

These opportunities are not formalities. Public input becomes part of the official record that commissioners must consider when deciding whether a project meets South Carolina’s legal standards for public convenience and necessity.

Important Dates

Walterboro Public Hearing

Monday, March 23 at 6:00 PM

Walterboro Wildlife Center (100 S Jefferies Blvd., Walterboro, SC 29488)

Public Comment Deadline: Tuesday, March 17, 2026 (Note: While you can sometimes sign up day-of to provide comment, only those who register in advance are guaranteed a spot.)

Columbia/Virtual Public Hearing

Tuesday, April 7 at 4:00 PM and 7:00 PM

Public Service Commission (101 Executive Center Dr # 100, Columbia, SC 29210)

Public Comment Deadline: Thursday, March 26, 2026 (Note: While you can sometimes sign up day-of to provide comment, only those who register in advance are guaranteed a spot.)
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Register here to speak at a public hearing. 
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Need help crafting your public comment? Watch a recording of a public comment workshop here. In this virtual session, our partners at CVSC, Friends of the Edisto and the Charleston Climate Coalition walked through the details of the proposed project, explained how the PSC review process works and shared practical tips for delivering effective public comments.

Are you based in Charleston? The Charleston Climate Coalition is livestreaming the April 7 hearing and facilitating tech for making virtual public comments at Parkside Church. You can RSVP here. Dinner will be provided.  

Why This Matters

Projects of this scale can have lasting consequences for nearby communities, public health, water quality and South Carolina’s long-term energy future.
Key concerns raised about the proposal include:

Public Health & Community Impact

• Increased industrial activity in a rural community
• Traffic, noise and construction impacts
• The cumulative health burden that large industrial facilities can place on nearby residents, including air pollutants linked to respiratory and cardiovascular illness

Water & Land

• Proximity to the Edisto River and surrounding wetlands
• Potential impacts to water quality and aquatic ecosystems
• Effects on nearby farms, forests and wildlife habitat
• Industrial water use and potential stress on regional water resources

Energy System Consequences

• Long-term investment in fossil fuel infrastructure
• Costs that may ultimately fall on utility customers
• The role of large energy-intensive projects – including data centers – in driving new power demand
• New pipelines, substations and transmission corridors needed to support additional generation
• Increased probability of future, high energy-dependent projects due to construction of this “anchor” facility

Across the Southeast, a surge in large industrial electricity users is driving pressure for new power plants and infrastructure. While projects like data centers, pipelines and gas plants may be reviewed separately, their cumulative impact harms the same landscapes and the same people.

What SCELP Is Doing

SCELP is closely monitoring the proposed Edisto Gas Plant and related infrastructure proposals, including the proposed data center in Colleton County.

Our role is to ensure that major utility projects comply with the law and that decisions are made transparently and in the public interest.