PSC to decide fate of secret nuclear contract

The state received little direction Thursday from Westinghouse Electric Co. on whether the Public Service Commission should make public a contract for construction of twin nuclear reactors in Fairfield County.

That leaves the PSC to decide as early as next week whether the public should be allowed to inspect the document between Westinghouse and SCE&G, which owns the V.C. Summer plant site north of Columbia. Westinghouse is the main contractor for the construction project.

The S.C. Office of Regulatory Staff has asked that the contract be released, saying details contained in the document are in the public interest. SCANA also has not opposed releasing the contract.

But in a letter Thursday to the Office of Regulatory Staff, Westinghouse senior counsel J. David Mura Jr. said his company “does not intend to take any action or position in relation to this matter.’’

Westinghouse filed for bankruptcy in March, raising questions about whether the over-budget nuclear project would be completed. Costs of the project are now about $14 billion, up about $3 billion from previous estimates. The nuclear project employs 5,000 people.

Regulatory staff director Dukes Scott said he hopes the PSC now will release the contract document. Westinghouse spokeswoman Sarah Cassella was not immediately available for comment.

This story was originally published May 18, 2017 at 3:47 PM with the headline "PSC to decide fate of secret nuclear contract."