SC nuclear plant didn't maintain key safety equipment for years, feds say. Updated May 1, 2026 6:18 PM Gift Article JENKINSVILLE, SC The V.C. Summer nuclear power plant north of Columbia failed for years to maintain a key piece of safety equipment that could help the plant continue running properly during an emergency, according to federal records and interviews with government inspectors. The equipment is a turbine-driven pump that provides water to help keep things cool if an accident at the nuclear plant occurs. Cool water must be circulated to prevent atomic energy plants from overheating and releasing harmful radiation at the site and into surrounding communities. Records show the pump experienced problems in August 2025 and again in November of that year because Dominion Energy, the nuclear plant's owner, did not schedule and maintain parts of the pumping system, in one case for decades. That led to problems that could have been avoided if regular maintenance had occurred, federal officials said. In one of the cases, maintenance did not occur for 20 years on part of the pump. In the other, maintenance wasn't done for nine years on another part of the pump. In the latter case, problems were found after a fire in a generator control breaker at the V.C. Summer plant, records show. In both cases, maintenance should have been done regularly, federal officials say. The safety equipment is formally known as a turbine driven emergency feedwater pump. Officials with the Nuclear Regulatory Commission discussed the problems during an annual public meeting Thursday night in Jenkinsville to outline how well the plant complied with safety rules in 2025. Overall, the plant operated safely. But the pump problems are issues that Dominion Energy is having to address - and they come just a few years after the NRC noted the company's failure to resolve problems with another part of the plant that also is designed to keep the nuclear reactor cool during an emergency. Problems with the plant's emergency backup diesel generators were flagged by the NRC in 2022 and 2023. In one of the cases, the plant's operators failed for two decades to stop cracks and leaks in V.C. Summer's backup diesel generator system, The State reported in 2023. Like the turbine driven pumps, the diesel generators are part of a backup system to keep the plant cool during emergencies. In each of four cases dating to 2022, the NRC issued a "white" finding, a rare rating that notes safety concerns that need resolution. The most serious finding a nuclear plant can get is a red one, with the least serious a green finding. The second most serious violation is yellow. In the 2023 case, the NRC initially gave V.C. Summer a yellow finding, but later backed off after discussions with Dominion officials. Nuclear safety advocates say the recent pattern of white findings is disturbing, even though the NRC and Dominion say the problems never put anyone in danger. White findings, while less serious than red and yellow findings, are not commonly handed out by the Nuclear Regulatory Commission. Only three were issued nationally last year. They are indicators of problems that need resolution. "There seems to be a common thread - they're not finding and fixing problems quickly enough," said Dave Lochbaum, an environmentalist with years of expertise on atomic energy plant safety. "The NRC doesn't like that. The NRC wants you to find it at the first opportunity and fix it right the first time." NRC inspector Mac Read said one of the 2025 white findings is not final and could be changed to a less significant green rating, depending on what Dominion says. Dominion said in an email that it is working to improve but has operated safely. "The finding the NRC referenced is related to the procedures used to perform maintenance on a pump in V.C. Summer's auxiliary feed water system," the company said in an email Thursday night. "There was no danger to the public. V.C. Summer has revised the procedures and implemented additional preventive maintenance practices to ensure the issue is thoroughly addressed." The NRC does not often fine power companies over issues like the one at V.C. Summer, so it's unlikely the agency would hit Dominion with a financial penalty. But the agency could beef up inspections to ensure the problems are resolved. The V.C. Summer nuclear plant, located on Lake Monticello about 25 miles north-northwest of Columbia, became operational in the early 1980s. It is one of four sites in South Carolina where plants produce atomic power for the electric grid. Two new nuclear reactors were at one time to be built adjacent to the current Summer reactor, but power companies SCE&G and Santee Cooper pulled the plug in 2017 on the partially built project amid delays and unforeseen costs. Some $9 billion had been spent when the project was shuttered. Ratepayers had been charged for the failed effort. Now, leaders in South Carolina are pushing to restart the stalled project to meet future energy needs. Santee Cooper is working with Brookfield Asset Management to complete the project. This story was originally published May 1, 2026 at 4:17 PM.

Dominion Energy has amended its sustainability-linked revolving credit facility and extended its core revolving credit agreement, pushing maturities to 2029 and 2031. The extensions provide enhanced liquidity as the utility company continues developing its Coastal Virginia Offshore Wind project. The credit facility extensions strengthen near-term liquidity but don't materially change key investment factors, including execution and cost control on the offshore wind project, which is approximately 70% complete with full completion targeted for early 2027. The project recently delivered its first power to the grid. Whilst the extended credit lines provide greater financial flexibility, investors remain exposed to potential cost overruns, tariff impacts and regulatory decisions on cost recovery. Dominion Energy's narrative projects $19.6 billion revenue and $3.8 billion earnings by 2029, requiring 5.9% yearly revenue growth.

South Carolinians fret over price tag of proposed gas plant at PSC hearing. As volatile fracked gas prices and energy demand rises, customers worry about paying more for less. COLUMBIA, S.C. - Last night, dozens of South Carolinians testified before the state Public Service Commission at two back-to-back hearings, expressing concerns that the proposed Canadys gas power plant may drive up already skyrocketing energy costs for customers of Santee Cooper and Dominion Energy South Carolina (DESC). Kenni Cummings, a Tenant Organizer and Dominion ratepayer said, "In the summer things are brutal, in the winter things are hard. Folks run their AC and their heat to stay safe. That's a safety reality but the reality is they are choosing between paying their light bill and groceries or prescriptions every month." Originally proposed in August 2024 as a $2.5 billion project, the Canadys gas power plant project has already ballooned to a new price tag of $5 billion, while actual construction could drive this cost even higher. Delays in the supply chain for plant components, macroeconomic factors like tariffs or inflation, or cost overruns with building new pipelines and transmission could all contribute to a much higher price. Once operational, the power plant would be fueled by fracked gas, often called "natural gas," which is seeing historic volatility on global markets. All of these expenses would likely be passed on to DESC and Santee Cooper ratepayers, though the PSC has the power to cap the total cost. "We should not repeat mistakes by investing in costly infrastructure that may not serve our long-term needs. Our region is growing and we need reliable energy, but that does not mean defaulting to outdated solutions. We should be using existing infrastructure where possible, expanding solar paired with battery shortage, and investing in a more resilient modern grid," said Maya Rivera-Vazquez, a Dominion Energy ratepayer. One reason for the proposed scale is because Santee Cooper expects many new data centers to be built. However, experts point out the risks of major investment based on speculative load from operators who have not made any commitments to build data centers in South Carolina. "Santee Cooper and Dominion should not make lasting multi-billion dollar investments based on ifs and maybes from potential data center developers that have not even signed contracts," said Sierra Club's Senior Campaign Organizer for the Carolinas, Paul Black. "It is also very costly and risky for ratepayers - and harmful for public health - if Santee Cooper and Dominion keep three aging coal plants online in addition to building a new large gas plant. Any approval of the Canadys plant should be paired with a commitment by the utilities to retire the polluting Wateree, Williams, and Winyah coal plants. In DESC's recently released 2026 Integrated Resource Plan, the utility stated broader plans to cling to expensive coal power in addition to doubling down on new gas like the Canadys proposal. The preferred portfolio in the IRP lists retirement years for two coal-fired power plants as 2032 and 2034, claiming it will need the Canadys gas plant to be constructed before retirement. However, DESC's plans fall short of actually committing to retire either coal plant. Santee Cooper is also refusing to commit to retire its old, costly Winyah coal plant, even if the Canadys gas plant is operational. About the Sierra Club The Sierra Club is America's largest and most influential grassroots environmental organization, with millions of members and supporters. In addition to protecting every person's right to get outdoors and access the healing power of nature, the Sierra Club works to promote clean energy, safeguard the health of its communities, protect wildlife, and preserve its remaining wild places through grassroots activism, public education, lobbying, and legal action. For more information, visit www.sierraclub.org.