Santee Cooper to purchase 95 MW of biomass power

(ADPnews) – Oct 4, 2010 - South Carolina’s state-owned utility Santee Cooper said it has signed two power purchase agreements (PPAs) for a combined 95 MW of biomass power.

Alabama-based developed Southeast Renewable Energy will supply 45 MW of power during a 30-year period from three proposed 15-MW biomass plants in South Carolina. The facilities should be up and running in 2012 or 2013.

In addition, Domtar Paper Inc (TSE:UFX) will provide 50 MW of power from a pulp and paper mill. The contract will run for 15 years and is now awaiting approval by the Canadian company’s board.

Santee Cooper already produces 22 MW of renewable power from landfill methane gas, a type of biomass, which it supplies to customers as Santee Cooper Green Power.

Santee Cooper provides wholesale electricity to 20 cooperatives and two municipalities that serve more than 700,000 customers in South Carolina. It also directly sells electricity to more than 163,000 retail customers. One of the largest US state-owned utilities, Santee Cooper operates in all 46 counties in South Carolina and has interests in power plants (fossil-fuelled, nuclear and hydroelectric) that give it about 6,100 MW of generating capacity.

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