By S.C. Sen. Tom Davis
South Carolina stands at a crossroads. Our state faces surging electricity demand driven by population growth, advanced manufacturing and data center expansion.
Meanwhile, two partially built nuclear reactors at V.C. Summer in Fairfield County have sat dormant since July 2017. The Santee Cooper board’s unanimous decision on Oct. 24 to enter final negotiations with Brookfield Asset Management to sell and complete those reactors with private capital changes everything.
This proposed deal transforms an abandoned liability into a strategic asset. It delivers 2,200 megawatts of reliable baseload power without asking taxpayers for another dime, positioning South Carolina as the national leader in America’s nuclear resurgence.
Nuclear power remains the only reliable, scalable energy source capable of meeting our state’s growing needs. While wind and solar have their place, they cannot provide the around-the-clock baseload power that manufacturers, data centers and households depend on. As China accelerates nuclear deployment and states like Texas and Tennessee expand their energy portfolios, South Carolina cannot afford to sit on the sidelines.
The Westinghouse AP1000 reactor design represents a quantum leap in safety. It features passive safety systems that rely on gravity and natural circulation rather than pumps, meaning the reactor can safely shut down and cool itself even during complete power loss. This eliminates vulnerabilities that led to accidents like Three Mile Island and Fukushima. If power systems fail, physics itself takes over, with water naturally flowing downward to cool the reactor core, and heat naturally rising to dissipate through the containment structure. No human intervention, electricity or backup generators needed.
The deal itself has been thoroughly de-risked. Since July 2017, Westinghouse has successfully delivered six AP1000 units worldwide, including Georgia’s Vogtle Units 3 and 4, which now power more than 1 million homes. Fourteen more units are under construction in China. Construction efficiencies improved 30% between Vogtle’s third and fourth units, and the design is fully licensed by the U.S. Nuclear Regulatory Commission until 2046.
Critically, Santee Cooper has maintained V.C. Summer in good condition since 2017, keeping the site among the best-preserved nuclear assets globally. We’re not starting from scratch; we’re finishing what we started.
The financial structure protects South Carolina ratepayers while securing massive benefits. Brookfield’s proposal includes a multi-billion-dollar ratepayer relief package and provides Santee Cooper with percentage ownership and power share through a structure that delivers below-market electricity rates without equity investment or project-level financial risk.
Brookfield brings extraordinary resources: approximately $1 trillion in assets under management, including $500 billion invested in U.S. infrastructure. As majority owner of Westinghouse, Brookfield uniquely aligns capital, technology and execution expertise. The company is negotiating with major tech companies for long-term power purchase agreements at premium rates, ensuring stable revenues while guaranteeing that Santee Cooper’s customers receive power at below-market rates.
Beyond electricity generation, Brookfield’s investment will rebuild South Carolina’s nuclear workforce and strengthen the state’s manufacturing ecosystem. The project will prioritize South Carolina vendors and suppliers, creating sustained demand for local businesses. Through partnerships with trade schools and universities, Brookfield will establish comprehensive training pipelines for nuclear technicians, welders and engineers.
This commitment to workforce development will revitalize the Midlands economy and position South Carolina as a hub for high-tech manufacturing and nuclear research. The ripple effects will extend far beyond Fairfield County, creating opportunities for the next generation of South Carolinians in careers that didn’t exist when the project was first conceived.
The completion of V.C. Summer’s two reactors also creates powerful synergies with the $80 billion initiative to build 10 additional AP1000 reactors nationwide recently announced by the Trump Administration. South Carolina gains transformative first-mover advantage: while the 10 new reactors require years for siting and permitting, VC Summer can deliver power sooner, positioning South Carolina as the anchor of America’s nuclear renaissance.
The alternative is leaving 2,200 megawatts of potential capacity on the table while competitors surge ahead. South Carolina has a chance to turn a painful chapter into a success story. The Brookfield-Santee Cooper partnership delivers reliable power, protects ratepayers, creates jobs, requires no new taxpayer funding and positions our state as a national energy leader. That’s not just a good deal. It’s the deal South Carolina needs.
Republican state Sen. Tom Davis represents Beaufort and Jasper counties.
