SC Utilities (SC)

Electric Utilities

More than 25 different organizations provide electrical service to areas of SC. There are three large electric companies that generate, transmit and distribute electricity to individuals and businesses. There are 20 or so electric co-ops that primarily just distribute electricity.

This is a link to a Word document that includes a service map for all electric utilities in SC: SC Electric Utilites(scroll to the last page).

To determine a radio system used by an electric utility, search for FCC licenses or look at antennas on company service vehicles. A 10" "pig tail" antenna would indicate a trunked system may be in use.

Electric Companies

• Duke Energy - multiple 800MHz Smartnet systems covering small areas. There is some indication that Duke is preparing to implement a new communication system soon.
  • Duke Energy - Anderson
  • Duke Energy - Greenville
  • Duke Energy - Greenwood
  • Duke Energy - Lancaster
  • Duke Energy - Pickens
  • Duke Energy - Spartanburg
  • Duke Energy - York
  • Duke Energy also has sites licensed in Cherokee, Chester, Laurens, and Newberry Counties, but those have not been confirmed to be operational.
  • Duke Energy also operates multiple electric generation stations in the Upstate and Catawba areas of SC, including nuclear stations in Oconee and York Counties. Little information is known about the radio systems used at these locations.

• SCE&G (subsidiary of SCANA Corp) - one of the largest users of the Palmetto 800 system.
  • Palmetto 800 - Look under "Utilites Talkgroups" Section
    
  • Some of the talkgroups attributed to SCE&G may be local electric Co-ops instead.
  • VC Sumner Nuclear Plant TRS located in Fairfield County. SCE&G operats multiple generation stations throughout the Midlands and Lowcountry of SC.

• Santee Cooper (aka SC PSA) - operates a 900MHz Smartzone system.
  • SC Public Service Authority TRS
    
  • Help is needed to identify additional radio sites and talkgroups. Some electric Co-ops are likely using this system.

• Progress Energy - Operates a 900MHz Smartzone radio system in SC and NC.
  • Progress Energy TRS
  • Progress Energy TRS
    
  • Help is needed to confirm System IDs, Zone numbers and site locations so that these systems can be merged into a single database entry.

Electric Co-ops

• Aiken - Palmetto 800
• Berkeley
• Black River
• Blue Ridge
• Broad River - UHF
• Coastal
• Edisto
• Fairfield
• Haywood
• Horry
• Laurens - Palmetto 800
• Little River
• Lynches
• Marlboro
• Mid-Carolina - UHF
• Newberry
• Palmetto - Palmetto 800
• Pee Dee
• Santee
• Tri-County
• York

Telephone Utilities

Just about any telecomm company can now resell local and long distance service to just about any customer anywhere. However, the companies that own the "local loop" infrastructure are called Incumbent Local Exchange Carriers, or ILECs. These companies have service vehicles and crews that maintain their infrastructure. Most probably use mobile phones for communication. Some may still use LMR radio systems.
This is a list of ILECs in SC: SC ILECS
The largest of these by far is AT&T.

ILECS

• AT&T (formerly BellSouth) - their 2 900MHz Smartzone systems appear to be off the air and their liceses converted to FCI 900, Inc. Most likely using mobile devices, not LMR.
• Chesnee Telephone (Spartanburg)- UHF
• Hargray Telephone
• Farmers Telephone Cooperative

Water Utilities

This is a list of members of a trade group for water systems in SC. This probably includes all major and most small water systems.
Water System List

• Spartanburg Water - Nextel
• SJWD (West Spartanburg) - VHF
• Greenville Water - UHF LTR
• Cassett