Dominion Energy has proposed expanding fossil fuel usage by building a new 2,000 megawatt methane gas plant in Canady’s, SC. The plant would be located on a site adjacent to the Edisto River.

We want to prevent this plant from ever being built. This would be a reckless and misguided project because:

Methane is a potent greenhouse gas. To avoid worsening effects of climate change on our livelihoods, we need to keep as many fossil fuels as possible in the ground. Methane is a more powerful greenhouse gas than carbon dioxide.

It would raise our electric bills. This plant would be expensive, costing over $2 billion, and would be paid for by us, the ratepayers.

It’s unnecessary. South Carolina’s regulatory structure incentivizes utilities to build (and be reimbursed for) big, expensive infrastructure, whether we need it or not.

It’s dangerous. This plant will require a new pipeline to be built across South Carolina to connect to existing ones in Georgia. Communities across this path will be subject to leaks, and even explosions (yes, those do happen - methane is highly flammable). Pipelines can leak benzene, which can cause anemia and immune system diseases, as well as methane, and the compressor stations that push gas through pipelines can leak cancer-causing pollutants.

Our state is growing in population, and we should indeed plan for an increase in electricity demand. However, we should meet those needs with electricity sources that do not warm the climate, pollute our air, or raise our electric bills, and whose size and cost align with our needs. Fossil fuels are the energy sources of the past; we now have better options available.

We instead call on Dominion Energy to expand their use of solar, wind, and battery storage technology. These can be installed much faster than a large methane gas plant (2 - 3 years versus 7 - 10), and would support the growing regional clean energy economy, which now supports over a million jobs in the Southeast.