Summer 2016 - SCANA Corporation

A publication of SCANA Corporation
WAR STORIES // CAMP LEOPOLD // ORCHID PAPERS
SUMMER
2016
For six months in 1945, Bill Watkinson served as a fighter pilot on the USS
YORKTOWN. Flying the Navy’s famous Hellcat, he was specially trained as
a night fighter. Most of his missions from the carrier were combat air patrol
at night. During the signing of the surrender agreement with Japan on
Sept. 2, 1945, Watkinson was flying patrol along the Japanese coast.
Now 94, Watkinson has shared his World
War II experiences as part of the Patriots
Point Naval & Maritime Museum’s video
series, “War Stories.” Last December,
SCE&G announced a $125,000 donation
to the USS YORKTOWN Foundation
to fund the preservation of veteran war
stories and oral histories. In this issue
of Insights, you’ll learn more about this
important project.
recover from the economic downturn
that led to several major manufacturers
closing their local plants. Orchids Paper
Products Company has invested more
than $110 million in building a new
manufacturing facility in Barnwell that
will create more than 130 jobs. The
Barnwell plant will expand Orchids’
market reach and their story begins
on page 2.
We’re also pleased to feature in this
issue Camp Leopold, an environmental
education day camp for South Carolina
students in grades 3-7. Operated by the
South Carolina Waterfowl Association,
the camp provides an outdoor classroom
experience focusing on wildlife, upland
and wetland ecology. SCE&G has
provided funding that will allow students
to take field trips to Camp Leopold and
participate in camp activities. You’ll read
about how the camp is providing lifechanging experiences for these kids.
Last October, the historic flooding in
South Carolina destroyed homes and
businesses and uprooted the lives of
thousands of people. Although eight
months have passed, there are still many
South Carolinians who need assistance.
The Palmetto SC Region of the American
Red Cross continues to work with local,
state and federal partners to help our
communities recover. In this issue, we
highlight the tireless work of the Red
Cross in the ongoing recovery effort.
In the course of serving our customers
and communities, we strive to ensure
that natural resources are preserved
for future generations. One example
of that commitment is the dramatic
transformation that has taken place at
our Urquhart Station. Through a series
of projects completed in 2015, the retired
coal yards have been turned into green
space and a walking path. We’re pleased
to tell this positive story.
Barnwell County in the southwestern
part of South Carolina is continuing to
Finally, hurricane season officially began
this month, so please keep in touch with
SCE&G on Twitter and Facebook. It’s the
best way to stay informed in the event of
severe weather.
Kevin Marsh,
Chairman, President and
Chief Executive Officer,
SCANA Corporation
SUMMER 2016 • VOLUME 29, NUMBER 2
2 Coming Up Orchids
Orchids Paper Products Company seeks to expand market
reach with new manufacturing facility.
8 War Stories
A new video series captures the experiences of those who served on the USS YORKTOWN.
14 A Natural Connection
Camp Leopold gives students a unique outdoor
learning experience.
20
After the Flood Recovery from the historic flooding in South Carolina is ongoing and the Palmetto SC Region of the American Red Cross is leading the way.
22
Life After Coal
Coal-yard clearing transforms landscape at
Urquhart Station.
26
Illuminating Sound
New lighting upgrades bring Pecknel Music to life.
Young Professionals Lead the Way in Nuclear
28
V.C. Summer chapter of NAYGN recognized for its outreach
Cover World War II
veteran Bill Watkinson served
as a fighter pilot on the USS
YORKTOWN.
29 DOLLARS FOR DOERS
In their own words.
Editor
Jim Poindexter
Vice President of Marketing & Communications
Cathy Love
Insights is produced three times a year by the SCANA Marketing & Communications Dept.
SCANA Corp. is a $13 billion energy-based holding company with subsidiaries
providing electric, natural gas and telecommunications services.
Call 803-217-7628 if you have any comments, questions or ideas
for articles, or email [email protected].
Insights can be viewed on the SCANA home page at scana.com/insights.
SCANA Corporation | Mail Code B227 | 220 Operation Way | Cayce, SC 29033-3701
© 2016 SCANA Corporation. All rights reserved.
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Cert no. SCS-COC-00648
All product and company names herein may
be trademarks of their registered owners.
BY JIM POINDEXTER
| PHOTOS BY ROBERT CLARK
COMING UP
ORCHIDS
Orchids Paper Products Company seeks to expand
market reach with new manufacturing facility.
Have you ever really looked at a roll of toilet paper?
Notice the decorative embossing. The perforations
that allow a sheet to be separated from the roll
without tearing. The way the roll is perfectly wound
around the cardboard tube. It’s a marvel of design
and engineering.
At Orchids Paper Products Company in Barnwell,
South Carolina, making a standard roll of two-ply
bathroom tissue is an ultra-high-tech operation.
Based in Pryor, Oklahoma, Orchids Paper specializes
in the manufacturing of private label tissue products.
The company is in the second phase of construction
for a new manufacturing facility adjacent to the
Barnwell Regional Airport.
Orchids currently manufactures paper products at
its Oklahoma facility and in Mexicali, Mexico through
a partnership with Fabrica de Papel San Francisco.
Total paper-making capacity at these two sites is
approximately 94,000 tons. The company currently
serves customers in the south central, lower west
coast and some areas of the Southeast. The Barnwell
facility will increase total production by over one-
2 INSIGHTS • SUMMER 2016
third and allow the company to better serve existing
and new markets in the Southeast U.S., according to
Eric Diring, vice president of manufacturing.
“The Barnwell facility is a key part of our plan
to make Orchids Paper a national company,” Diring
said. “The facility will not only grow our capacity but
expand our capability as well.”
When completed in 2017, the Barnwell facility
will include two converting lines, a paper machine
for making tissue paper and a paper recycling facility.
One converting line came on line in the first quarter
of 2016. A second converting line will go into
production in the second quarter of this year.
Initially, the Barnwell facility is focusing on
converting bulk tissue paper shipped from the
company’s Oklahoma operation until the paper
machine begins production in early 2017. The bulk
tissue rolls are converted into bathroom tissue, paper
towels and napkins. These bulk tissue rolls, referred
to as parent rolls, weigh up to 5,000 pounds. On the
converting line, the paper is embossed, laminated
and perforated, pressed into multiple-ply products,
With a capacity between 30,000 and 32,000 tons
per year, the two converting lines at the Barnwell
facility are capable of producing value through
ultra-premium grades of tissue products.
SUMMER 2016 • INSIGHTS 3
Workers inspect rebar for the
floor of the paper-making
facility. When operational in
2017, the facility will have a
paper-making capacity of up
to 40,000 tons per year.
4 INSIGHTS • SUMMER 2016
printed with designs, cut into rolls or stacks, wrapped in
poly film and boxed for shipping.
“The technology that we’re putting into the plant
will allow us to produce an entire range of products
and quality, from value grades through ultra-premium
grade.” said Plant Manager Romeo Urbinelli. “Currently,
our facility in Oklahoma focuses on value and premium
tier products. The plant here will allow us to better
target customers who want a higher quality product.”
Orchids produces bulk tissue paper from both
recycled and virgin fibers. Once the tissue paper
machine now under construction becomes operational,
the Barnwell facility will produce parent rolls of tissue
paper on site. The paper machine will have a papermaking capacity of up to 40,000 tons per year.
“This will be one of the most state-of-the-art tissue
paper machines in the world,” said Urbinelli. “We will
be able to turn wet pulp into finished tissue in less than
10 seconds.”
Orchids plans to invest approximately $135 million
in the new facility and create up to 134 jobs in Barnwell
County. SCANA Economic Development and Local
Government Manager Scott Neely said the addition
of the Orchids facility is part of a positive trend for
the county.
“2015 was a good year for Barnwell County,” Neely
said. “I am hopeful that the Orchids Paper plant and
other recent project announcements will lead to a
marked improvement in the unemployment rate in
Barnwell County.”
The South Carolina Department of Commerce,
Barnwell County, the City of Barnwell and many
other allies were involved in the effort to recruit
Orchids Paper to Barnwell. SCANA offered incentives
to Orchids Paper as part of the overall economic
development package submitted for the project.
Orchids’ decision to locate a new facility within
the City of Barnwell was welcome news for Barnwell
Mayor Edward Lemon. In addition to providing new
For Plant Manager Romeo Urbinelli, having a reliable power supply is critical. Here, Urbinelli
talks with SCE&G Large Customer Account Manager Mike Coleman (l) and SCANA Economic
Development and Local Government Manager Scott Neely (r).
SUMMER 2016 • INSIGHTS 5
Company Profile
investment and jobs, the Orchids plant will also help
the City by boosting municipal revenues from water
and sewer service.
“In 2009 both of the City’s remaining
manufacturing plants closed, resulting in the loss
of over 400 jobs,” said Lemon. “The Orchids Paper
project represents a new start for manufacturing
in the City of Barnwell, and we could not be more
pleased with the company’s decision to invest in
our community.”
Barnwell County Council Chairman David Kenner
also knows the importance of recruiting new industry
to the county.
“With the Orchids Paper announcement, Barnwell
County started to see a resurgence in manufacturing,”
Kenner said. “Manufacturing is vital to our future.
We are proud that Orchids Paper selected Barnwell
County as the site of the company’s new plant. We
view their decision as a vote of confidence in our
county and our workforce as we look to build a longterm partnership.”
SCE&G will provide electricity and natural gas to
the Orchids facility. Construction for a new electric
substation and natural gas metering and regulating
station will begin later this year. A new electric
transmission line is also being extended to the site.
Urbinelli said having a reliable cost-competitive
power supply to the facility is crucial.
“The paper industry is extremely competitive,”
Urbinelli said, “and if you’re not running efficiently,
24/7, you’re not going to be able to compete from a
cost standpoint. When we have unscheduled outages,
whether power or otherwise, it hurts us in terms of
being competitive in the marketplace.”
The Barnwell facility is Orchids’ first greenfield
project. Diring said that, during the company’s search
for a suitable location South Carolina and Barnwell
County were especially responsive to the company’s
business needs.
“The state, county and city organizations were
and are key to Orchids Paper being successful in
the Southeast region of the country,” Diring said.
“Orchids is pleased to be able to support Barnwell
County and we look forward to a long and fruitful
relationship as we grow our company.”
Headquarters:
Customers:
Located in the MidAmerica Industrial
Primarily value retailers, generally known
Park, on a 35-acre industrial site in
as “dollar” stores; grocery stores; grocery
northeastern Oklahoma.
wholesalers; and cooperatives. To a lesser
extent, janitorial and food service stores.
Manufactures:
Bulk tissue paper converted to a full
Service area:
product line of consumer paper products.
Orchids provides paper products to
customers located throughout the United
Products:
States. Sales efforts are currently focused
Private-label, value-tier, premium-tier and
on areas within approximately 500 miles of
ultra-premium-tier paper towels, bathroom
manufacturing facilities in Pryor, Oklahoma
tissue and paper napkins.
and Mexicali, Mexico.
6 INSIGHTS • SUMMER 2016
A worker monitors the
automated packaging system
that prepares cases of tissue
paper for shipping.
SUMMER 2016 • INSIGHTS 7
War
Stories
BY KEELA GLOVER
8 INSIGHTS • SUMMER 2016
| PHOTOS BY ROBERT CLARK
A new video series captures the
experiences of those who served on
the USS YORKTOWN.
SUMMER 2016 • INSIGHTS 9
Touch-screen kiosks stationed throughout the museum areas will present the War Stories project to visitors to the YORKTOWN.
The sky is pitch black as the bomber takes off from
the USS YORKTOWN and climbs above the Pacific.
At about 2,000 feet, pilot Jim Hancock smells smoke.
A crew member investigating the source of the fumes
reaches for a nightlight. Suddenly, flames ignite
between them. Thinking quickly, the crew member
grabs an extinguisher and puts out the fire. But now
the instrument panel and windshield are covered in
foam. Hancock is flying blind. “Mayday. Mayday,” he
yells into the radio.
More than 16 million Americans served in World
War II. Today, there are approximately 650,000 living
WWII veterans. Like Hancock, most are now in their
90s. According to the U.S. Veterans Administration,
430 veterans pass away each day, taking great
moments of history with them.
In order to preserve as many memories from
the Greatest Generation for future generations,
the Patriots Point Naval & Maritime Museum in
Charleston, South Carolina, is using technology
to capture, preserve and share personal stories of
courage and sacrifice. The War Stories video series
10 INSIGHTS • SUMMER 2016
is part of a new initiative to bring the museum to
life. It features interviews and footage from the men
and women who served our country during times of
conflict, especially World War II and the Korean War.
“For the past couple of years, we’ve been taking
exhibits that we’ve had in the past that are static and
we’re finding ways to give that information in new
interactive and immersive ways,” said Christopher
Hauff, public information officer. “We’ve done that
with holograms and theatrical presentations in our
Vietnam Experience and on the YORKTOWN with
the Apollo exhibit. We’ve been naturally looking for
ways to use technology to tell these stories.”
During the same time, the museum’s staff had used
a video camera to gather oral accounts of veterans
who visited, documenting what they did during the
war and on the YORKTOWN. A grant to provide
long-distance learning opportunities for students led
to the purchase of additional video equipment and
gave staff members the idea to take these accounts
used only internally and share them on social media.
Last December, SCANA made a $125,000 donation
Ninety-four-year-old Bill Watkinson
flew most of the aircraft on display
aboard the USS YORKTOWN, including
the Navy’s famous Hellcat.
SUMMER 2016 • INSIGHTS 11
to help provide touch screen kiosks that will be
stationed throughout the museum areas. Scheduled to
be installed in late summer, the kiosks will present the
War Stories project to the more than a quarter million
people who visit the YORKTOWN each year.
The videos help visitors walk in the steps of
heroes through first hand accounts of events that had
previously been told through photographs, displays
and replicas of equipment in the museum.
Now, for example, visitors who stop at the display
on mobile army surgical hospitals can watch a video of
a husband and wife team describing their experiences
in the MASH units as a surgeon and surgical nurse
during the Korean War.
“If you’re standing in front of a plane, you can hit a
button and hear from a veteran who flew that plane 70
years ago off the YORKTOWN explain what a Hellcat
does, how fast it was and what it felt like to take off,”
said Hauff. “It’s so much more impactful to hear that
from a veteran than to read a static display.”
Bill Watkinson is another veteran who shares his
knowledge of flying most of the aircraft displayed
as you enter the YORKTOWN. The Pennsylvania
resident lives in Charleston about six months a year
and proudly volunteers as a tour guide several times
a week.
“The YORKTOWN is a fine boat,” said Watkins.
“Each day you’ll see buses out front and these kids
are getting an education that you don’t get from a
school book and I enjoy supporting that. That’s why
I’m here.”
The USS YORKTOWN became a museum ship
at Patriots Point in 1975 and has been designated as
a National Historic Landmark since 1986. From the
Congressional Medal of Honor Museum to the top
10 most significant aircraft in U.S. carrier aviation
history, there’s a lot to be learned for historical
students of all ages and the War Stories series will
add to the museum’s legacy.
Despite the disastrous fire, Hancock was able to
land his plane safely that long-ago night. Neither he
nor his crew member were injured. As you stand on
the deck of the Yorktown and listen to him recall his
harrowing experience on video, it’s almost as if you
were there with him.
One of the YORKTOWN’s many veteran volunteers leads a tour of the ship for a group of school children.
12 INSIGHTS • SUMMER 2016
Photo Credit: Richard W. Rokes
About the USS YORKTOWN (CV-10)
n
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Commissioned on April 15, 1943, it is the 10th aircraft carrier to serve in the United States Navy.
It was supposed to be named the Bon Homme Richard, but was renamed while under construction to honor the USS YORKTOWN (CV-5), which sank at the Battle of Midway in June 1942.
YORKTOWN participated significantly in the Pacific Offensive that began in late 1943 and ended with the defeat of Japan in 1945.
Much of the 1944 Academy Award-winning documentary The Fighting Lady was filmed aboard the YORKTOWN, as well as the 1970 film Tora! Tora! Tora!
In December 1968, YORKTOWN recovered the Apollo 8 astronauts and capsule.
YORKTOWN received the Presidential Unit Citation and earned 11 battle stars for service in World
War II and five battle stars for service in Vietnam from 1965-1968.
YORKTOWN was decommissioned in 1970, became a museum ship at Patriots Point in 1975, and was designated a National Historic Landmark in 1986.
Passing of the Greatest Generation
16 million Americans served in World War II
430 veterans die each day
n Less than 700,000 veterans alive today
n
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Source: US Veterans Administration
Want to see War Stories?
Visit the Patriots Point Naval Maritime Museum pages on Facebook and YouTube.
SUMMER 2016 • INSIGHTS 13
A Natural Connection
Camp Leopold gives students a unique outdoor learning experience.
BY KIM ASBILL
14 INSIGHTS • SUMMER 2016
| PHOTOS BY ROBERT CLARK
SUMMER 2016 • INSIGHTS 15
A student gets a close-up look at a
box turtle.
16 INSIGHTS • SUMMER 2016
About 20 sixth graders from Newberry Academy pile onto four oversized
leather sofas in front of an immense brick fireplace. A fire crackles as the
flames provide warmth to the students who are mostly dressed in sweatshirts
and jeans. Two mounted deer heads peer down at the group as instructor
Katy Beth Culp begins her lesson on herpetology.
“Herpetology is the study of reptiles and
amphibians. How would you describe a reptile?”
she asks the students.
“They have scales,” one boy shouts out before
raising his hand.
“They are cold blooded,” another boy offers.
“That’s right,” affirms Culp. “The word for that
is ectothermic! And don’t forget they lay eggs.”
The group is gathered in Chace Lodge, the main
building at Camp Leopold, a 410-acre environmental
education camp adjacent to Lake Marion near
Pinewood, South Carolina. The building has a rustic
look, but a large-screen television mounted on the
wood-paneled wall provides the camp instructor
access to PowerPoint technology to assist with the
lesson on cold-blooded animals.
Culp continues with a discussion about snakes.
“Did you know there are 38 species of snakes in
South Carolina? How many of those are poisonous?”
she asks.
The students look around, waiting for someone
to answer.
“None,” Culp exclaims. “There are six snakes
that are venomous, but none are poisonous. There is
a difference!”
Camp Leopold was founded in 2012 with a mission
to enlighten students’ awareness of the natural
world while instilling a love, respect and admiration
for the land. A $30,000 gift from SCE&G to the
South Carolina Waterfowl Association, which runs
the camp, will allow third-through-seventh grade
students to take field trips to Camp Leopold and
participate in camp activities designed to help them
achieve academic standards in science, reading and
math through hands-on lessons focusing on wildlife,
wetland and upland ecology.
Camp Leopold hopes to host more than 5,000
youth, parent chaperones and teachers in the coming
academic year. The sixth graders from Newberry
Academy are on a day trip, but overnight trips are
also available for school groups. The students arrived
at 9 a.m. and started the day with a hike through
the forests of Camp Leopold where they see birds,
reptiles, amphibians, and insects.
Camp Director of Operations Joe Gonzalez says
that, after a long bus ride, it works well to get the kids
out and moving right away.
“It’s just so easy to lose touch with nature when
technology seems to be taking over everything,”
Gonazlez says. “It’s important to go back to the
basics. And that’s kind of the principal that we’re
founded upon here. Aldo Leopold believed that
everybody should have their own kind of personal
connection with the land. He called it a land ethic.”
After the hike, the students come to the lodge for
the classroom program. Gonzalez and environmental
instructors Katie Childress and Alexis Patel help Culp
with the lesson by adding facts about other snakes,
including water moccasins.
“No snake is going to go out of its way to attack
you,” Gonzalez says. “They don’t want to use their
venom. It’s like gold.” When he describes the
venom as modified snake spit, the teachers lean
in, the students crinkle up their noses and the
mom-chaperones glance around in disgust.
Programs at Camp Leopold are beneficial for
teachers because they make learning come to life
by exposing students to science in the outdoors.
SUMMER 2016 • INSIGHTS 17
“The same concepts that they’re touching on
in the classroom are going to be touched upon
here in a way students can experience,” Gonzalez
says. The program builds upon what’s already
being learned in the classroom.”
The interactive reptile lesson continues with
tips on how to avoid being bitten by a snake.
“Don’t throw rocks at ’em,” one boy offers.
“Yes,” Gonzalez says encouragingly. “Believe
it or not, that’s actually how the majority of
bites happen. When snakes are provoked.”
Another girl says, “don’t wear shorts or
flip flops.”
“That’s right!” Culp encourages. “Boots are
best, but tennis shoes are good too.”
The classroom program concludes with an
opportunity for the students to touch a yellow
rat snake and a turtle. The turtle’s name is
Sammy, and the students line up to hold him and
touch his hard shell. Student Kailey Cheeks is
apprehensive as she wraps her fingers around
its greenish-grey shell and hesitantly glances
back at her teachers, who quickly snap a picture.
Later, on the back porch, she is laughing with her
friends. “It is really fun. And probably the best
field trip I’ve ever been on,” she says.
On the back porch of the main lodge, a row of
green Adirondack chairs invites guests to enjoy
the peaceful view of Bullington Pond, which is
where the students end up after their square
pizza, salad and lemonade lunch. A truck carries
them to the other side of the pond for the
highlight of the trip: the canoe paddle through
the Cypress swamp.
The canoeing adventure exposes students to
wetland biology and the natural history of South
Carolina’s wetland ecosystem. After a safety
lesson, the students are grouped in threes and
called to the edge of the pond. With their bright
orange, red, yellow and blue lifejackets buckled,
one-by-one the groups of three step into a canoe
and eagerly paddle their way to the middle of
the pond.
“A lot of students that come through our camp
don’t have that experience in the outdoors. Some
of them have never even really been outside in
nature, so this is their first real connection with
the land,” Gonzalez says.
“You want to be able to explain it in a way that
they’ll understand it, but you also want them to
appreciate it. You know if they have their own
connection to it, they’re more apt to care about it
and make smart decisions in the future.”
Gonzalez says the donation from SCE&G
allows kids to visit Camp Leopold who might not
necessarily get the opportunity.
“It allows them to come and experience this.
In my opinion, I wish we could have every school
in the state. I feel like students who come on
those trips, they really appreciate it more. They
get a lot out of it. It’s just so rewarding to be able
to offer it to them.”
Instructor Katy Beth Culp shares facts about snakes in South Carolina with a group of students from Newberry Academy.
18 INSIGHTS • SUMMER 2016
The South Carolina Waterfowl Association maintains more than 200 acres of wintering
waterfowl habitat at its Wildlife Education Center. The wood duck is by far the most
common waterfowl species nesting in South Carolina. SCWA is a leader in installing,
maintaining and servicing wood duck boxes across the state. Since 1987, more than
940,000 wood ducks have hatched from 22,000 SCWA-installed nesting boxes.
SUMMER 2016 • INSIGHTS 19
BY STEPHANIE JONES
After the Flood
Recovery from the historic flooding in South Carolina is ongoing and the
Palmetto SC Region of the American Red Cross is leading the way.
In the days following the historic flooding that
destroyed homes and uprooted the lives of South
Carolina residents last October, the strength and
spirit of the community emerged as thousands of
disaster relief workers and community volunteers
united to provide food, shelter and comfort to those
in need.
Although the floodwaters receded months ago,
the recovery effort is ongoing. At the forefront
of that effort is the Palmetto SC Region of the
American Red Cross. Working with local, state
and federal partners, the Red Cross continues to
assist thousands of South Carolinians impacted by
the floods.
“Recovering from a natural disaster takes time
and a comprehensive network of organizations and
services to make sure people have the help they
need,” said Louise Welch Williams, regional CEO of
the Palmetto SC Region of the American Red Cross.
“We’ve been here and will continue to be here in
the months ahead to bring hope and help to those
in South Carolina still recovering from last year’s
devastating floods.”
20 INSIGHTS • SUMMER 2016
Through its recovery programs, the Red Cross is
providing additional direct financial assistance for
those impacted by the flood to help them overcome
obstacles on their road to recovery. Additional
efforts include working with partners to help with
mold remediation and removal from impacted
homes, and support for health-related recovery for
people experiencing upper respiratory ailments
following the floods and extended exposure to mold
and mildew, especially for those in need or who do
not have regular access to health care.
“Post-disaster collaboration and communication
is critical to ensuring that people have the support
they need,” said Mark Smith, executive director of
recovery operations for the American Red Cross.
“This is why the Red Cross is working closely
with emergency officials, partner agencies, local
communities and residents to identify and address
emerging recovery needs related to the floods.”
Through collaboration with other groups and
agencies across the state, the Red Cross identifies
the most vulnerable communities and implements
key support strategies aimed at helping highly
vulnerable populations, including the elderly and
economically disadvantaged, overcome recovery
roadblocks and barriers.
“Oftentimes, we find that 50 to 60 percent of
people who are impacted by a natural disaster can
self-recover within three months with insurance,
FEMA assistance and other personal resources,
and an additional 20 to 30 percent of those
impacted can recover with additional assistance
after three months,” said Smith. “However, it’s
the final 10 percent of impacted individuals and
families who need significant support for an
extended period of time that we’re seeking to
help with recovery programs. Without ongoing
assistance, they risk losing everything and falling
even further into poverty.”
Red Cross caseworkers are currently reaching
out to 1,200 families whose homes were destroyed
or sustained major damage from the floods to
identify any gaps in the families’ personal recovery
plans and help finalize their recovery efforts.
Thanks to financial support from individuals,
community organizations and businesses­—
including SCE&G—Red Cross disaster recovery
programs are able to provide the additional
financial assistance and support that can help
those in need secure stable housing, make
necessary home repairs, and receive help with
health care needs, mold remediation or removal,
and more.
Although the work of the Red Cross in
disasters is never truly done, the organization
and its volunteers remain committed to creating
a more sustainable living situation for those
who have been impacted by disaster in order to
strengthen the critical infrastructure that helps
entire communities recover. To learn more about
ongoing flood recovery efforts in South Carolina,
visit: redcross.org/southcarolina.
Red Cross Flood Recovery Assistance By the Numbers
(as of March 2016)
Since the flooding began, the Red Cross has mobilized more than 1,700 Red Cross workers and
45 response vehicles that:
Provided over 4,700 overnight shelter stays
Served more than 154,000 meals and snacks working with community partners
n Handed out over 181,000 relief items including comfort kits, tarps, flashlights, trash bags, shovels, rakes, bleach and work gloves
n Provided nearly 7,000 health and mental health services
In addition:
n Red Cross workers have opened nearly 2,000 cases to help more than 5,000 people affected by
the floods.
n The Red Cross has raised more than $8.8 million for S.C. floods and disaster recovery services. Of that, approximately $1.3 million remains and is being put back into S.C. for continued recovery efforts.
n
n
SUMMER 2016 • INSIGHTS 21
Since 2012, the three power
generating units at Urquhart
Station have run exclusively
on natural gas.
22 INSIGHTS • SUMMER 2016
BY GINNY JONES
| PHOTOS BY TAYLOR KEARNS
Life After Coal
Coal-yard clearing transforms landscape at Urquhart Station.
If you stand in the wide, green field beside Urquhart Station, you might see
an occasional lawnmower interrupting the otherwise-peaceful landscape.
Quietly soaking in the sunshine, you may find it hard to imagine that, just
a few years ago, long freight trains arrived here day and night, bringing
loads of coal to fuel the plant’s three electric generating units. The nowflat green field looked more like a range of small black coal mountains.
SUMMER 2016 • INSIGHTS 23
Urquhart Station Plant Manager Dave Jerome is pleased the plant has been
able to adapt in a way that will positively impact the environment.
24 INSIGHTS • SUMMER 2016
Urquhart Station began operating in 1953 as a coal-fired generating station in
Beech Island, S.C., and remained a key part of SCE&G’s coal fleet for more than half
a century. But over time, the use of coal as a fuel has been dramatically reduced as
regulators and utilities seek to reduce greenhouse gas emissions.
In 2002, the coal-fired boilers on Urquhart
Units 1 and 2 were retired, and the units were
repowered to burn natural gas with the installation
of two gas turbines and heat recovery steam
generators. This reduced the plant’s emissions
and helped SCE&G meet federal emissions
requirements. Then, in 2012, Urquhart Unit 3
began burning natural gas exclusively, again
reducing the company’s emissions and ending
the plant’s use of coal.
Until recently, despite a dramatic
transformation in how it generates electricity,
Urquhart Station’s years as a coal plant were still
visible. But through a series of projects completed
in 2015, the landscape has significantly changed.
After the plant stopped burning coal, it was
time to decommission the retired coal yard, said
Ray Ammarell, an engineer with SCE&G’s Fossil
Hydro group.
“It needed to be cleared, and the coal-handling
system demolished, so it wouldn’t become a
deteriorating problem,” Ammarell said. “There
were transfer towers, coal unloading equipment,
a railroad spur line – all the things we once
needed to run a coal plant.”
As the coal yard clearing was in process,
SCE&G also redesigned containment ponds and
diverted storm water runoff to limit its impact to
soil and groundwater into the future.
Dave Jerome, Urquhart Station plant manager,
said the inside of the main building looks much the
same as it always has, but those who work there
every day know the difference.
“It’s certainly a different plant now to people
who have worked here for 25 years,” Jerome said.
“And if you look where the coal yard used to be,
that’s radically different. It’s a flat area with green
grass growing.”
“We drastically reduced the air emissions from
this site in terms of nitrogen oxide and sulfur
dioxide when we changed to burning natural gas,”
Jerome continued. “And since we removed the
coal pile, the quality of the water discharging from
the site has naturally improved and is now just
considered storm water.”
Jerome said the plant continues to look toward
the future in terms of upgrades and improvements.
“We’re still a valuable generating asset and
we’re happy to be that, and we will likely be a
valuable generating asset for years to come,”
Jerome said. “We’re happy to still be here and be
a part of SCE&G’s generation portfolio.”
With fields of grass where coal yards once
were, and a footpath where rail cars once parked,
Urquhart Station stands as an example of SCE&G’s
commitment to protect the environment while
delivering safe, reliable electricity to customers.
SUMMER 2016 • INSIGHTS 25
Illuminating Sound
BY TERRI RANDALL
| PHOTO BY ROBERT CLARK
New lighting upgrades
bring Pecknel Music to life.
When you own a small business in a beautiful
shopping district such as 5 Points in Columbia, South
Carolina, the last thing you want is to lose valuable
foot traffic because your lights are on, but no one
knows you’re home.
“I literally saw a customer one day walk up
outside, put his hand to the door, then turn and
walk away,” said Paul Morgan, manager of Pecknel
Music. “Our store was so dark, he thought that we
were closed.”
As a showroom for musical instruments, Pecknel
requires tinting on its front windows to protect
valuable inventory from sun damage. That tinting,
combined with old incandescent light bulbs, created
a dimming effect that was inadequate to display the
array of band and orchestra instruments the company
rents locally. Full-service repair of the instruments
was made tedious and complicated under the
dull lighting; technicians strained to see small parts.
In 2015, SCE&G – through its Small Business
Energy Solutions Program – conducted a free, on-site
analysis of the store and suggested simple lighting
upgrades to not only improve the appearance and
functionality of the space, but to save money through
greater energy efficiency.
Pecknel has been located in the same building for
close to 50 years, so a lighting upgrade was in order.
SCE&G replaced all of the old incandescent ceiling
26 INSIGHTS • SUMMER 2016
lights in the instrument showroom and repair shop
with LED ceiling panel lights and spotlights. The
total cost of the upgrades was $4,460, with SCE&G
covering $3,303 of that amount. Morgan said his
company is on track to get a return on its portion of
the investment in the seven-month period estimated
in the proposal. He’s already looking at ways to invest
the savings back into the business, such as other
interior upgrades or new inventory.
“Our folks working on small instrument parts all
day were probably the happiest, because now they
can really see what they’re doing,” said Morgan. “But
we’ve also had customers mention it, so I know it’s
having a positive impact on their experience, too.
Even better, the return on our investment is taking
less than a year to realize. Everything we save is
going right back into the business to purchase more
inventory or to make the store more appealing to
our customers. I would definitely recommend this to
other small businesses.”
If you’re an SCE&G small business or nonprofit
customer with five or fewer electric accounts and
an annual energy use of 250,000 kWh or less, call
877-784-7234 or visit sceg.com/smallbusiness to see
how the Small Business Energy Solutions Program
can energize your operating efficiency.
Features of SCE&G’s Small Business Energy Solutions Program
Efficiency upgrades for lighting and refrigeration
Free, on-site energy analysis of energy use
Simple, cost-effective options and easy-to-follow recommendations for managing lighting and
refrigeration-related expenses
n Financial incentives that cover 80% (up to $4,000) of total costs of most lighting and refrigeration controls
retrofit projects
n Fast return on investment
n Local contractors who work at your convenience
n Removal and environmentally friendly disposal of old fluorescent lamps and ballasts
n
n
Paul Morgan, manager of Pecknel Music
SUMMER 2016 • INSIGHTS 27
BY ERICA KNIGHT
Young professionals lead the way
in nuclear.
“Winning this national award has been a huge accomplishment for our chapter.”
Year End Stats
2015
Courtney Tampas is referring to the 2015 North
American Young Generation in Nuclear (NAGYN)
Best Overall Chapter Award the V.C. Summer
Chapter of NAYGN received in May. Earlier this
year, the chapter received the 2015 Best in RegionCarolinas Award. Tampas, an engineer at Units 2 and
3, is the current chapter president. The group was
recognized for their commitment to professional
development, public information, community service
and networking.
“Our members are the reason this chapter
continues to be successful,” Tampas said, “and this
award symbolizes everything they have done to
contribute to our ongoing success.”
Founded in 1999, NAGYN provides opportunities
for young professionals in the nuclear industry to
develop leadership and professional skills. Over
the past two years, the V.C. Summer chapter has
developed new public information events and
increased their participation in community service
projects and fundraisers including school supply,
food and toy drives.
The chapter made a significant impact in the
community with its events in 2015. More than
100 members participated in the Columbia Heart
Walk. Members also collected food to support the
n
n
n
n
28 INSIGHTS • SUMMER 2016
Over 3,700 participation hours
1,300 professional development hours
Over 1,000 networking hours
Nearly 1,500 combined public information and community service hours
Harvest Hope Food Bank after the devastating floods
in October.
In addition to supporting the well being of the
local community, NAYGN also strives to engage and
educate the public about nuclear power.
For the past two years, the V.C. Summer Chapter
has held a public information outreach event known
as the “nuclear blitz.” The chapter co-sponsors the
event with the Midlands Education and Business
Alliance. In 2015, the blitz reached 3,800 middle
and high school students at 22 schools. Fifty-five
volunteers took part in the one-day event.
“High school students are looking at what careers
to pursue post-graduation and our blitz is intended
to give them an overview of nuclear power and the
benefits of joining a company like SCE&G,” said
Tampas. “We also use this event to emphasize the
safety and reliability of V.C. Summer and nuclear
plants around the country.”
As V.C. Summer moves toward bringing two new
reactors online and the current nuclear workforce
reaches retirement, it’s important to prepare a new
generation to take the reins.
“I’m very grateful and excited for this
opportunity,” said Tampas. “This is the first time in
recent years that V.C. Summer NAYGN has gotten this
level of recognition.”
Nearly 4,000 non-members reached through public information events
n Over 5,800 non-members directly impacted through community service events
n
In their
own words
SCANA’s employees contribute an incredible amount of volunteer
service to their local community. The Dollars for Doers program is
designed to recognize employees for their volunteerism and reward
the nonprofit organizations they support through annual volunteer
matching gifts. The program provides additional funding to eligible
nonprofit organizations when SCANA employees complete at least
20 hours of qualified volunteer service annually.
Name: Debra Rogers
Title: Customer Service Lead Representative, Eastern Gas Operations
Years of service: 17
Supports: Mcleod Hospice House, Florence, S.C.
“I am a volunteer with McLeod Hospice House
here in Florence. I have always been concerned for
people who are experiencing life threatening or
terminal illnesses. It is my goal in life to assist as
many people as possible in getting the most comfort
out of the life they are living. I answer the phones
and the doorbell after hours to allow family members
entrance to visit with loved ones. This gives the
nurses more quality time to spend with the patients
who really need them.
“I also answer the call lights from the patients
and assist them with items that I can, or relay
messages to the nurse for things beyond what I
qualify to assist with. The patients are sometimes
in need of a listening ear and I’m always available
for that. Everyone is not fortunate enough to have
family checking on them and visiting them around
the clock. I try to spend time with those who have
the greatest need. I also give assistance to family
members while they are staying at the Hospice
House with their loved ones by supplying them with
blankets, pillows and towels for their stay. There are
times when a patient is in need of small personal
items and the “Dollars for Doers” money assists with
making these purchases possible.”
A pair of wreathed hornbills survey their
surroundings at Riverbanks Zoo and Garden.