S.C. regulators approve plans for coal-fired plant

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COLUMBIA, S.C. (AP) - South Carolina's health and environmental authority has approved air permits for a coal-fired power plant to be run by state-owned utility Santee Cooper.

The Department of Health and Environmental Control said Tuesday the generating station on the Great Pee Dee River can meet state and federal air quality requirements.

Santee Cooper says it needs the two 600-megawatt generators to meet growing demand for electricity that current plants won't be able to provide as early as 2013.

Dozens of South Carolina's waterways already are under fish-consumption advisories because of high levels of mercury, which is released by coal-fired plants.

DHEC says the permit requires Santee Cooper to monitor its mercury outputs and conduct a six-month study to see if mercury emissions can be reduced.

(Copyright 2008 by The Associated Press. All Rights Reserved.)

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