On Monday, South Carolina filed its 13-page response to the federal government’s Clean Power Plan, the far-reaching proposal that the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) hopes will cut carbon pollution by 30 percent from 2005 levels by 2030. The reductions proposed for the state by the EPA are the third highest in the nation – 51 percent. Business leaders are concerned that meeting that standard will threaten the low electricity costs that lower the price of doing business in South Carolina.
The South Carolina Department of Health and Environmental Control’s (DHEC) state plan in response to the proposed rule was due Monday. DHEC also filed an additional letter that addressed a major point of contention: two nuclear power plants now under construction in Fairfield County. The plants are a joint project of Santee Cooper and South Carolina Electric and Gas Company (SCE&G), which suggested to the state Public Services Commission that the plants replace aging coal plants. The EPA did not count the plants toward the state’s future emissions reduction efforts, even though their energy production will replace that of carbon-producing coal plants set to close around the state.
DHEC is asking for credit for steps already taken to reduce emissions, including early shutdown of older coal units and recent legislation that will spur solar energy investment in the state.
In its response, DHEC pointed out “two major issues related to heat rate and natural gas re-dispatch. [DHEC] is uncertain if a 6 percent heat rate improvement (fleet-wide average) could even be achieved and maintained at a coal-fired unit in South Carolina. If this level of improvement was achievable, it likely would have already been done for economic reasons.”
DHEC said the business community’s biggest concern was ensuring that South Carolina receives credit for early actions that have resulted in significant reductions of CO2 emissions in the state. Business leaders also want to see a final rule and state plan that allow the state to continue to provide affordable and reliable electricity.
DHEC also stated its concern that the proposed requirements did not take into consideration South Carolina’s specific circumstances. The EPA used the North Carolina Renewable Portfolio Standard (RPS) to develop an RPS and to develop the emission rate goals for South Carolina and the other Southeastern states. North Carolina is the only state in the Southeast region that had already developed its own RPS.
DHEC said it did not believe it currently has the authority to implement this rule as proposed.
A spokesperson for DHEC said timing has been a concern throughout the process. The six-month comment period for the proposal was significantly longer than for most rules, but due to the proposal’s complexity, DHEC still believes there are many unanswered questions. Timing remains a concern for the amount of time the agency will be given to develop a state plan when the final rule is issued.
[ Photo by Sharon Loxton [CC-BY-SA-2.0], via Wikimedia Commons ]
