The S.C. Public Service Commission (PSC) has suspended the April 17 intervention date for Duke Energy’s application to have its steam contract with Clemson University approved until further notice.
The decision comes after Rep. Gary Clary (R-Pickens) announced during Monday night’s open house that the university was planning to reevaluate the project.
“President Clements has admitted that they fumbled, they dropped the ball and [tomorrow] morning, there’s going to be a complete reevaluation of this project,” Clary told the crowd, which erupted with cheers and applause. “He has pledged inclusivity and transparency within this project … The project will not change; the question is going to be where it is located.”
Duke Energy and Clemson University have faced backlash from local residents and representatives in regards to plans to build a $50.8 million, 16-megawatt CHP (combined heat and power) plant on the eastern edge of Clemson University’s campus.
In its letter to the commission, Duke Energy requests “that the intervention deadline be suspended or extended so that all stakeholders and members of the community will have an opportunity to understand the result of the reassessment of the location of the project.”
Duke Energy filed its application with the PSC on Feb. 21 to have the steam contract approved, requesting that it be approved without notice or a hearing.
The commission denied Duke Energy’s request for waiver of notice and held in abeyance, or temporarily put on hold, its request for approval without hearing on March 8. This decision gave anyone who opposed the project until April 17 to write the PSC and voice his/her opinion.
86 people have written the commission expressing their concerns about the plant as of Tuesday afternoon.
It is unknown what the new intervention date will be.
