Jenkinsville, South Carolina – October 11 –
In July, 2011 Shaw Constructors contracted with Garney to design, build and operate the Offsite Water Treatment System (“OWS”) located at the V.C. Summer Nuclear Generating Station located near Jenkinsville, South Carolina, which is approximately 30 miles northwest of Columbia. The OWS is to be constructed for the purpose of treating raw water from the Monticello Reservoir to produce filtered and potable water for the V.C. Summer Nuclear Station Units 1, 2 and 3.
The V.C. Summer plant is co-owned by its operator, the South Carolina Electric & Gas Company (SCE&G, a subsidiary of the SCANA corporation) and the South Carolina Public Service Authority (Santee Cooper). The V.C. Summer plant currently operates one Westinghouse pressurized water reactor and its cooling water is supplied from the Monticello Reservoir, which is also used by a pumped storage (hydroelectric) unit. The plant currently produces 1,000 MW, approximately 21% of SCE&G’s electricity, and has been in operation since 1982.
On May 27, 2008, SCE&G and Santee Cooper announced an engineering, procurement and construction (EPC) contract had been reached with Westinghouse to construct two 1,100 MW AP1000 pressurized water reactors at the site. Costs are estimated to be approximately $9.8 billion for both AP1000 units, plus transmission facility and financing costs. SCE&G plans to bring the first of the new units online in 2016, with the second in 2019. Upon completion of the two new reactors, the combined V.C. Summer plant will be capable of generation 3,200 MW of emission-free electricity. That is enough electricity to power 2.24 million homes in South Carolina. V.C. Summer creates electricity by using steam to turn the plant’s large turbines. The steam is produced by nuclear fission, the splitting of atoms inside uranium fuel pellets. Fuel pellets are about the size of a pencil eraser and contain as much energy as a ton of coal.
Notice to proceed for this project was issued in August 2011. Design will be performed by Jacobs Engineering and is expected to be completed by March of 2012, however, phased construction will begin as early as January 2012. Construction is expected to be completed in April 2013 at which time Garney will operate the plant for one year.
This design-build-operate project consists of a water treatment facility capable of producing 4.0 MGD filtered water and 0.2 MGD potable water using the Pall microfiltration process complete laboratory facilities and control room. The system also includes dual retention basins which will allow the option to recycle a portion of the effluent or discharge the effluent to Lake Monticello through a discharge monitoring vault and structure. The facility also includes a raw water intake structure located on Lake Monticello. This structure is comprised of a precast concrete structure with intake screens and work platform including the necessary instrumentation, pumps, switchgear, and electrical building. The project is located at an active nuclear power generating site which in itself will offer a series of unique challenges. Included in the design will be a highly sophisticated security and area lighting plan. 
