Blue Ridge leader at Santee Cooper sale hearing

Blue Ridge Electric Cooperative is one of the state’s 20 cooperatives with interest in bidding for the Santee Cooper utility in Moncks Corner, in the event the state deems it in the best interest to sell. The factor driving the possible sale of the utility that wholesales electric power is Santee Cooper’s failed part in building a nuclear plant. Jim Lovinggood, the new Blue Ridge general manager, attended last week’s four and a half hour hearing to consider what might happen to Santee Cooper. And today Blue Ridge spokesman Terry Ballenger predicted, “We (the co-ops) will ultimately come together around some kind of plan, the outline of that plan is not entirely clear right now….” The South Carolina co-ops now buy 60% of Santee Cooper’s power. At the same time, however, Ballenger said Blue Ridge won’t plunge into such a venture without due consideration to its ratepayers and its commitment to keep the cost of electric power as low to its retail customers as much as possible.