Power plays
The energy industry will be abuzz with activity in South Carolina as two major developments unfold this year.
The most immediate is a proposal by Santee Cooper and Dominion Energy to construct a large natural-gas fired power plant in Colleton County that’s roughly doubled in price since a 2023 cost estimate.
A new gas-fired power plant is proposed for the site of the now-demolished Canadys Station coal generator (above) near Edisto River in Colleton County.
The utilities submitted their paperwork last month with the S.C. Public Service Commission, kicking off a six-month review process.
The first formal hearing for the $5 billion project is set for March 12 in Columbia — and opposition from environmental groups is expected.
Regulators must issue a decision by June 12.
Around the same time, Santee Cooper will have a clearer picture about whether its plan to sell the two unfinished reactors at the V.C. Summer nuclear plant will advance.
The $2.7 billion deal was announced in October. Last month, the state-owned power provider signed a “memorandum of understanding” with global investment giant Brookfield Asset Management to continue negotiations and refine the terms of the sale that would likely close in 2027.
The agreement expires June 26, but it could be extended beyond that date. It also could be squelched if Brookfield decides to take a pass on the Midland reactors.
The Cooper is set to open in March next to Waterfront Park on Concord Street.
Check-in time
A long-awaited luxury hotel offering panoramic views of Charleston Harbor and the peninsula will soon make its debut in 2026 after years of delays.
The Cooper is scheduled to open on March 1.
The 191-room property next to Waterfront Park will offer a spa, four dining concepts, luxury retail shops, a private marina and other amenities.
The high-end Concord Street project has been on the drawing board since 2017. Los Angeles-based developer Lowe broke ground about six years ago at the site of the former State Ports Authority headquarters.
BHC, once known as Beemok Hospitality Collection and owned by Charleston business mogul Ben Navarro and his family, became the majority owner in 2021 and took about two years to put its stamp on the design plans.
The board that oversees the Dockside condominium tower and townhomes (above) along the Charleston waterfront is hoping to sell the 3.3-acre property through a U.S. Bankruptcy Court auction.
Dockside dealings
The fate of a structurally unsound 1970s-era condominium tower along Charleston Harbor could be determined this year after the property’s governing board took a decisive move to line up a buyer.
Dockside Association Inc. closed out 2025 by seeking bankruptcy protection on Dec. 29. The filing keeps creditors at bay while putting all litigation on hold.
The end goal is to solicit as many would-be buyers as possible to bid on the 3.3-acre property at a court-supervised auction. It could be one of the most memorable local real estate transactions in recent memory.
“The board’s priority remains to secure the best possible outcome for all of Dockside’s 100+ owners, many of whom are already facing significant financial hardship, and we believe seeking this relief is the most expedient and effective path forward,” the association said in a written statement last month.
Residents were forced to evacuate the 18-story high-rise and adjacent ground-level townhomes in February. The owners later voted down a repair plan that would have cost them about $150 million.
Officials recently marked the start of a $1 billion expansion at Boeing South Carolina to increase production of the North Charleston-built 787 Dreamliner.
Step it up
Two of the region’s largest blue-chip manufacturers will be making moves to accelerate their assembly lines this year.
Boeing South Carolina is aiming to crank out 10 787 Dreamliners each month at its North Charleston factory by late 2026 to meet what it called “exceptional demand” for the widebody.
The company recently raised the monthly output rate at the local factory to eight jets, a new high for the plant.
Boeing watchers have speculated that the aerospace giant could one day be rolling out anywhere from 12 to 16 new 787s every four weeks after a second assembly line is completed in 2028.
Volvo’s top-selling XC60 SUV (above) will be made at the company’s online U.S. plant in Ridgeville later this year.
Meanwhile, Volvo Cars will start building its top-selling XC60 at its underutilized Ridgeville plant to jumpstart U.S. sales and reduce exposure to new tariffs on overseas-made cars.
Production of two versions of the electric-gas hybrid now made in Sweden is expected to begin in Berkeley County by late 2026. They’ll be built alongside the sluggish-selling all-electric EX90 and another EV that made for Sweden’s Polestar brand.
Volvo said it also plans to add a fourth model to its local lineup but no details beyond it being a yet-to-be named hybrid have been released.
Charleston travelers can soon fly nonstop to Cancun on Mexico’s Yucatan Peninsula (above).
Coming soon: Cancun
In one of its first expansions into a foreign land, Breeze Airways will add a sunbaked destination bordering the Caribbean Sea to its local lineup this winter.
The carrier is scheduled to launch the first-ever seasonal service between Cancún and Charleston International Airport on Jan. 17.
The weekly, nearly 3-hour flight to and from the tropical Yucatán Peninsula, known for its turquoise blue water, resorts and nightlife, is the airline’s 26th nonstop from South Carolina’s busiest airport. The route will run on Saturdays only.
The only other direct international service from Charleston are seasonal roundtrips to Toronto and the pink sandy shores of Bermuda.
CHS was the first U.S. destination for Breeze when it started up operations in 2021.
New road signs have been commissioned by SC250 and the state Department of Transportation that direct drivers to Revolutionary War historical markers across South Carolina.
250th fever
South Carolina will be all in as the U.S. celebrates the nation’s 250th anniversary throughout 2026 in what could be a boon for the tourism industry.
Museums and cultural institutions across the Palmetto State are organizing events and new exhibits.
The Charleston Museum, for example, opens its new “Ringleaders of Rebellion: Charleston in Revolt” exhibit at the end of January, while Middleton Place will reopen its reimagined house museum in April with a rare silk commemorative edition of the Declaration of Independence.
The schedule of events will ramp up as July 4 nears, but a series of offerings will highlight Charleston’s role in shaping America’s founding ideals. They include concerts at Spoleto Festival USA and Credit One Stadium, living history demonstrations, historical programming and community celebrations in spaces like the Dock Street Theatre, Fort Moultrie and Marion Square.
The state Department of Motor Vehicles also is getting in the game. It’s rolling out new commemorative Revolutionary War license plates this year to help mark the occasion.
