From its beautiful coastline to the Appalachian foothills, South Carolina is a jewel in the south. With a culture rooted in southern charm and hospitality, the state of Palmetto has produced some of the country’s most famous names, such as Vanna White, Chadwick Boseman, Viola Davis, James Brown, Chubby Checker, Chris Rock and Joe Frazier, just to name a small number of talented people who were born in South Carolina.
Yet, for all its glory, South Carolina also has a history of white privilege, favoritism and racism. These characteristics are still evident in current state systems, especially in the state’s energy sector. President Roosevelt’s New Deal of the 1930s provided funds for the South Carolina Public Service Authority (Santee Cooper) for both rural electrification and public works design.
At the time, energy was a privilege and limited to wealthy whites, investors and companies. Lawsuits, clientelism and other conflicts of interest hindered the expansion of electricity to the interior of the state. In response, a statewide network of electrical cooperatives began providing electricity in rural areas serving low-income people and communities of color.
Today, South Carolina’s inhabitants pay some of the highest electricity bills in the country and suffer from some of the largest energy loads – the percentage of household income spent on energy. The global pandemic has further worsened the domestic energy burden by creating economic instability, while forcing people to spend more time at home. Black low-income communities suffer the most disproportionate impact of the difficult economy and COVID-19.
Even so, in the face of the adversities and adjustments caused by the pandemic, South Carolina from dozens of communities and organizations representing each region of the state collaborated in a virtual space to create the People’s Energy Plan. The group meets monthly to host experts in clean energy and dismantling racism, showcasing local musical talent and working collaboratively on the plan – a comprehensive roadmap for the future of energy and climate justice in South Carolina that will help ensure that our state achieve a clean energy future for everyone.
“Helping to develop the People’s Energy Plan was enlightening and encouraging, as we all face the adversities caused by the pandemic,” said Jeniffer Ruff, a member of the Whitmire community. “We need energy democracy now more than ever.”
Members of the People’s Energy Plan group are well aware that state utilities Santee Cooper and SCE & G accumulated $ 10 billion in debt on the failed VC Summer nuclear project, which resulted in the sale of SCE & G to Dominion Energy. Dominion has already filed a request to raise electricity tariffs in 2021.
“As a climate activist, I am encouraged that we now have a People’s Energy Plan to address South Carolina’s racially unequal and polluting climate energy system,” said Belvin Olasov of the Charleston Climate Coalition. “This Plan offers a roadmap for a fair transition that protects the groups that the current SC system has left behind, and I look forward to seeing our lawmakers pursue this.”
The General Assembly in the next legislative session will resume its discussions on the sale or reform of Santee Cooper, which has been under scrutiny for its lack of transparency and structural diversity.
“Ensuring a fair transition when we retire coal plants means cultivating a clean energy economy and a workforce,” said Lori Vereen, a member of the Georgetown community.
Electric utilities in South Carolina poison air and water with dirty, aging, and expensive fossil fuel plants. There are five coal-fired power plants in the state, all located in low-income communities of color. Each day, more than a million gallons of toxic wastewater are dumped from these coal plants into the state’s beloved rivers and lakes. Some nearby fishermen put their rods to avoid the risk of eating contaminated fish.
“Green energy is clean energy. Our state coalition for clean energy and racial justice is a catalyst that brings equity and equality at all levels of governance, ”said David Morrisey, a member of the People’s Energy Plan committee in Darlington.
Given the current realities of South Carolina’s energy issues, urgent action is needed to achieve a fair and equitable future. Group members identified eight key principles and policy recommendations for the People’s Energy Plan to address, such as robust energy efficiency programs, equitable leadership and decision-making in the energy sector and the replacement of dirty coal with clean energy.
“Educating others and raising awareness about cleaner, cheaper energy in rural South Carolina was very inspiring for me when I entered this space,” said Charles Vance of Manning.
Talk to Nick Masuda at 843-607-0912. Follow him on Twitter at @nickmasudaphoto.