On June 9, 2023, South Carolina Governor Henry McMaster issued an executive order that establishes a working group to ensure the state has the energy capacity needed for the future. The PowerSC Working Group is directed to work with the state’s energy stakeholders to develop strategic plans to build energy capacity for the state’s economic growth, proliferation of EV infrastructure, and its rapidly growing population.
Among its many duties, PowerSC will work with the Energy Office of the Office of Regulatory Staff to develop the scope of work for an updated comprehensive state energy plan. PowerSC shall evaluate the feasibility of incorporating additional nuclear power production and natural gas pipeline or generation capacity. It will also identify opportunities to improve state licensing and permitting processes related to energy infrastructure, evaluate building codes to recommend modifications to enhance energy efficiency, and work with industry stakeholders, education providers, and other state agencies to evaluate supply gaps in the state’s energy workforce.
This initiative follows another executive order issued in October 2022 which created an interagency working group tasked with developing a comprehensive plan regarding the strategic deployment of electric vehicle-related resources and infrastructure across the state.