Proud of its strong history, SCE&G maintains focused on the future
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CE&G, the principal subsidiary of SCANA Corp., traces its roots back even before Edison invented the light bulb.
Its history can be traced back to the Charleston Gas Light Co., which was founded in 1846 to manufacture gas. But as technology emerged and the gas, lighting and electric industry evolved along with breakthroughs, so did the company. It went through several forms as utility companies emerged, and then merged, through the 1920s. In 1937, the name was officially changed to South Carolina Electric & Gas Co. Several years later, SCE&G merged with Lexington Water Power Co., which had built a dam on the Saluda River and created Lake Murray. At the time, the 50,000-acre Lake Murray was the largest man-made barrier built for power production in the world. As legislative acts were passed and holding companies were streamlined, the ownership of SCE&G was divested through a stock distribution. In 1946, SCE&G became the first South Carolina corporation to be listed on the New York Stock Exchange. In 1959, it joined three neighboring utilities to build the first electricity-producing nuclear power plant in the Southeast. The power plant served as a prototype for larger reactors, like the nuclear plant SCE&G built in the 1970s.
Felicia Rue Howard & Danny Kassis These programs not only help people to be better stewards of the environment, but they help manage energy costs and monthly bills. Looking to the future, SCE&G is predicting a need for base load electric generation around 2016. After conducting research on the best way to meet this need and the type of plant to build, SCE&G found nuclear power to be clean, reliable, efficient and economical. SCE&G is currently working with Santee Cooper to build a nuclear power plant outside of Columbia.
In 1982, SCE&G became the largest natural gas supplier in the state, and in 1984, SCANA was formed. This allowed the corporation to diversify into telecommunications, power plant management, natural gas exploration and other energy-related enterprises. Today, SCE&G provides electricity to around 650,000 customers and natural gas to around 307,000 customers. The company places a premium on customer service and input, and last summer put together a panel of more than 3,200 customers to provide feedback online. After hearing customers express a need to manage and conserve energy, SCE&G developed a plan to enhance its energy efficiency offerings to create a more comprehensive energy efficiency program. Programs currently available include an annual energy campaign to educate customers and create awareness on conservation and energy efficiency, an online tool where customers can track their energy use, and an in-home energy consultation for homeowners who want to proactively manage their energy use. Information about these and future programs can be found online at www.sceg.com/myenergy.
AT A GLANCE Top Local Executive: Jim Bryan, Manager, Lowcountry Community/Economic Development & Local Government Address: Phone: Web Site:
1426 Main St. Columbia, SC 20201 1-800-251-7234 www.sceg.com
Special Advertising Supplement | 2009 Profiles in Business
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