CHARLESTON, S.C. (WCBD) – Lowcountry advocates are raising concerns about a proposed gas plant in Colleton County. It would bring the two of the state’s major energy providers together.
Charleston Climate Coalition and several advocates protested outside of Dominion Energy’s building, in opposition to the planned 2,200 megawatt Canadys Gas Plant near the Edisto River. Dominion Energy and Santee Cooper would run the facility jointly.
“We’re trying to get the word out because not enough people know Dominion’s trying to build a massive gas plant, one of the largest in the nation. Just an hour away from here,” Belvin Olasov, director of Charleston Climate Coalition, said. “People don’t know their energy bills will be going to what was a $2.5 billion – this year a $5 billion project. And people don’t know this is all going to fuel data centers.”
Dominion Energy said in response, “Dominion Energy has not attributed the need for Canadys Station to data centers…and that the proposed data center in Colleton County is not in Dominion Energy’s service territory.”
The Southern Environmental Law Project contracted the Harvard Data Science Center for a study on the potential impacts of the plant in October 2025. The study claims the plant would emit significant levels of fine particulate matter, which is an air pollutant that can cause serious health issues with no safe level of exposure. It also estimates $28 million in healthcare-related costs per year once built.
“The gas plant will cause a mass disabling event if allowed to be built. We know that the emissions that gas plants put out cause cardiovascular disease, lung diseases, heart attack and stroke are very common in areas with gas plants,” Mel Moore, director of New Disabled South Rising, said.
The study claims Colleton County would be most impacted, with pollution spreading into the Lowcountry and even as far as Georgia.
“The Edisto is part of the ACE Basin, which has been called one of the last great places. It’s a genuine environmental treasure. This project for the maybe 50 years of service that we’ll get from it is going to impact things that have taken centuries and thousands of years to come to us in the state that they’re in, and we’re going to do permanent damage to that legacy,” Hugo Krispyn, executive director of Friends of the Edisto, said.
Santee Cooper refuted the advocates’ claims.
“The study referenced by protestors is flawed. It is based on the performance of older models, broad assumptions, overestimations , and modeling that isn’t even approved by the EPA. The public and transparent permitting process for this station will require full, science-based environmental assessment and input.”
Dominion Energy also provided a statement.
“Canadys Station is critical in meeting increased customer demand for electricity and supporting economic prosperity in South Carolina, which is one of the fastest growing states in the nation. With proven technology and state-of-the-art environmental protections, this reliable, highly efficient natural gas-fueled facility will help secure South Carolina’s energy future.”
Advocates plan to continue to rally against the plant, as they told News 2, they hope Dominion Energy will look into renewable energy options instead.
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