The Sustainability Institute, a local energy conservation non-profit, will receive $484,345 from unclaimed funds of the 2021 Hearn v. Santee Cooper lawsuit settlement. This lawsuit, initiated in 2017, addressed improper utility rates linked to a cancelled coal-fired facility project by Santee Cooper.
From the settlement, half of the unclaimed funds are designated for energy assistance for low-income individuals, while the other half goes to the South Carolina Bar Foundation to promote civil justice access for the state’s low-income residents.
The Sustainability Institute was chosen to use these funds to offer energy conservation education, conduct energy audits, perform weatherization upgrades, and replace HVAC systems for select households in Berkeley, Georgetown, and Horry counties.
You can find out more on their website here.
