Santee Cooper plans early-August start for Kingstree-Hemingway transmission rebuild

Construction is scheduled to begin in early August on Santee Cooper’s Kingstree-Hemingway transmission rebuild, according to a July 1, 2026, filing with the South Carolina Public Service Commission.

The project’s southern endpoint is the Hemingway substation, making the work relevant to residents and landowners in Hemingway even though the broader corridor runs through Williamsburg County toward Kingstree.

Early work planned between Vox and Nesmith

In its second-quarter project update, Santee Cooper reported that construction bid proposals were opened in early June 2026, all required construction permits had been obtained, and right-of-way acquisitions and clearances were continuing. The utility said one remaining half-acre parcel was expected to be completed before August 2026.

The filing lists the first planned construction activities between the Vox and Nesmith taps. They include installing any needed environmental protections, spotting and framing structures, and installing foundations and transmission structures.

Santee Cooper said the project was progressing according to schedule and that it expected no change or delay to the planned June 2029 commercial-operation date. That is a schedule update, not confirmation that construction was complete or had already begun.

What Hemingway-area residents may see

Santee Cooper’s public project information says homeowners along the route are expected to receive letters before construction starts. Landowners may see utility crews, environmental-protection work, structure layout, foundation construction and installation of the rebuilt line.

The utility currently expects no significant traffic delays and says there are no planned service disruptions from rebuilding the line. Those expectations may change as construction conditions develop.

Rebuilding an existing line

The project is not described as a wholly new transmission corridor. Santee Cooper says most of the work will use existing right-of-way, with limited new land needed near the Hemingway and Nesmith stations. Station work is also planned at Hemingway and Kingstree.

Official utility planning documents describe the project as rebuilding approximately 22.6 miles of the existing Kingstree-Hemingway 115-kilovolt line as new double-circuit 230/115-kilovolt transmission lines and associated facilities. Santee Cooper says the rebuild is intended to add electrical capacity, provide thermal-loading relief and voltage support, and improve network support and reliability for the region.

PSC approval and continuing updates

The Public Service Commission approved Santee Cooper’s application on April 10, 2026, under Order No. 2026-206. The order requires quarterly updates on construction progress, project completion and the commercial-operation date, along with notice of changes or delays to planned commercial-operation dates.

The July 1 filing is the controlling current schedule supplied in the approved research record: Santee Cooper listed early August 2026 as the planned construction start and June 2029 as the planned commercial-operation date. Future quarterly updates will show whether those dates change.

Sources

• Santee Cooper 2026 Q2 Kingstree-Hemingway project report
• Santee Cooper Kingstree-Hemingway Transmission Line Project