Powering a Reliable and Sustainable Future: Energizing System Growth

Powering a Reliable and Sustainable Future: Energizing System Growth

Posted on April 25, 2024 by Tracy Vreeland

More customers joined Santee Cooper in 2023 than any other year on record. Santee Cooper added 7,831 customers in its retail territory, bringing the total number of residential and business customers to 212,597. That is nearly a 4% increase over 2022's strong growth. In fact, U.S. News and World Report reported Myrtle Beach as the fastest growing area in the U.S. for three consecutive years, in which we saw about 20,000 new customers. 2024 is off to a strong growth start, too, although it's pacing a bit slower than last year.

As our customer numbers increase, so are the ways we're helping them. Bryan Lewis, who is our Customer Service Director for our home and business customers, said we're continuing to add innovative technology to help improve our level of customer service. The additional technology allows us to give customers access to tools that give them more insight into how they use electricity.

As they say, knowledge is power.

Knowing how and when you use power gives you the opportunity to make changes to save money. For example, customers can help us reduce peak demand. Peak demand occurs when customers across the system are using a lot of electricity at the same time. That means we have to run more generating units, which can drive up costs and put a strain on the grid. When we can lessen that demand, it saves us money that we can pass down to our customers. Peaks are usually during the morning in the winter, when people turn up their heat and are getting ready for work and school, and in the evening in summer when people get home and lower their air conditioner setting, fix dinner, do laundry and other activities that require a lot of electricity.

Mike Waters, our Distribution Planning Manager, explained that we're not worried about using more electricity over time; however, he said, we need to know what the maximum use is at one time and make sure our electric output and equipment, like transformers, are able handle that peak demand.

The way we plan for growth is by looking at peak demand and making sure we can meet that at any given time. For example, during our 10-year planning process, we use demand to decide how many more substations we may need to bring power into growing neighborhoods and other areas where they are needed. It may also show which substations need to be expanded and where we need new or larger transmission lines. We're also pursuing options to add generation, because we create the power for a lot of the state, including the area deemed "fastest growing in the nation."

As we power the population boom, Santee Cooper's vision extends beyond the immediate future. Through collaboration, innovation and dedication to service, Santee

Cooper ensures that as our communities grow, so does our capacity to power a brighter future for generations to come.