Exhibit 99
FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
Investor Contact: H. John Winn, III
(803) 217-9240
Media Contact: Brian Duncan
(800) 562-9308
SCE&G Announces V.C. Summer Nuclear Station Repairs Nearing
Completion; Restart Expected by Early February
Cope Generating Station Undergoes Unscheduled Maintenance
Columbia, SC, January 9, 2001...South Carolina Electric & Gas Company (SCE&G),
principal subsidiary of SCANA Corporation (NYSE: SCG), announced today that
repair and testing of a faulty weld in a pipe in the reactor coolant system at
the V.C. Summer Nuclear Station are progressing well, and the plant should
return to service in late January or early February.
"We initially thought we would be able to put the nuclear plant back in service
in early January, but the repair work has been very time consuming and we want
to make sure there are no questions about the integrity of the new weld," said
Steve Byrne, vice president of nuclear operations for SCE&G.
On October 7, 2000, SCE&G shut down the 1,000-megawatt plant for a routine
refueling and maintenance outage. During the early inspection phase of the
refueling shut-down, which is done every 18 months, plant employees discovered
indications of a leak. The leak was later identified to be very small and coming
from a 3/16-inch diameter hole in a weld in a 30-inch diameter primary coolant
system pipe. A 12-inch spool piece of pipe which includes the entire weld has
been cut out and a new spool piece has been installed. The new welds on this
replacement spool piece are nearing completion and will be inspected to ensure
there are no flaws.
SCE&G has made three presentations to the Nuclear Regulatory Commission (NRC)
addressing this repair. The final meeting with the NRC on this issue will be a
public meeting at the plant site on January 18, 2001. A Safety Evaluation Report
from the NRC is expected prior to that meeting indicating that all NRC questions
have been satisfactorily answered. Weld repairs and all associated testing
should be completed by mid-January with restart of the plant currently scheduled
for the end of January or the first week of February 2001.
The company cannot estimate how much the additional repair work will add to the
cost of the outage. However, the company expects to defer and amortize any costs
above the amounts normally accrued for this refueling outage, subject to
regulatory review.
SCE&G also reported that its 385-megawatt coal-fired Cope Generating Station
experienced an unplanned shut-down on January 3, 2001 due to an electrical
ground in the generator. Plant personnel are currently evaluating the nature of
the problem and appropriate corrective action. Upon completion of that
evaluation, an expected restart date will be determined.
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The energy cost of replacement power during the outages of these facilities is
expected to be included as a component of total fuel costs in SCE&G's next
annual electric fuel cost hearing before the Public Service Commission of South
Carolina scheduled for April 2001.
SCANA Corporation, headquartered in Columbia, SC, is an energy-based holding
company principally engaged, through subsidiaries, in electric and natural gas
utility operations, telecommunications and other energy-related businesses.
SCE&G is a regulated public utility providing electricity to more than 533,000
customers and natural gas to approximately 263,000 customers in portions of
central and southern South Carolina. Information about SCANA and its businesses
is available on the company's website at www.scana.com.
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