Winyah
Winyah is a coal plant in Georgetown County, South Carolina, operated by South Carolina Public Service Authority. It ranks fifth by nameplate capacity among South Carolina’s 215 power plants. The operator has reported planned retirement dates for 1,276 MW of it, in 2030. Within the Santee Cooper balancing area it is the second-largest of 28 plants. A further 114 MW of new generating units is reported as planned or under construction on the site.
Nameplate capacity, 2025
1,276 MW
1,130 MW net summer capacity
4 operable units
- Coal steam1,276 MW100%
Unit by unit, 1975 to 2025
operating in 2025reported planned retirementbar height follows unit size
Unit 1 Coal steam, 331 MW, 1975
Unit 2 Coal steam, 315 MW, 1977
Unit 3 Coal steam, 315 MW, 1980
Unit 4 Coal steam, 315 MW, 1981
Among South Carolina’s plants
Largest plants in the state by nameplate capacity, with the plants ranked next to this one.
- 1Oconee2,667 MW
- 2Cross2,452 MW
- 3Catawba2,410 MW
- 4Bad Creek1,680 MW
- 5Winyahthis plant
- 6John S Rainey1,154 MW
- 7Jasper1,068 MW
Other rankings
- All US power plants
- 198th of 14,286
- US coal plants
- 63rd of 195
- Coal plants in South Carolina
- 2nd of 4
- Plants run by South Carolina Public Service Authority
- 2nd of 12
- Biggest single unit, among South Carolina’s plants
- 12th of 215
Operable units
| Unit | Technology | Nameplate | Summer | Online | Status |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Coal steam | 331 MW | 275 MW | 1975 | Operating, retirement planned for 2030 |
| 2 | Coal steam | 315 MW | 285 MW | 1977 | Operating, retirement planned for 2030 |
| 3 | Coal steam | 315 MW | 285 MW | 1980 | Operating, retirement planned for 2030 |
| 4 | Coal steam | 315 MW | 285 MW | 1981 | Operating, retirement planned for 2030 |
New units reported to EIA
| Technology | Nameplate | Expected | Stage at end of 2025 |
|---|---|---|---|
| Oil-fired | 57 MW | 2027 | planned, approvals not yet sought |
| Oil-fired | 57 MW | 2027 | planned, approvals not yet sought |
Grid and site
- Balancing area
- Santee Cooper
- Reliability region
- SERC Reliability Corporation
- Highest grid connection voltage
- 230 kV
- Water source
- Wadmacon Creek
- Nearest town on record
- Georgetown
- Operator type
- Utility
- Coordinates
- 33.332°N, 79.357°W
Closest plants
| Plant | Runs on | Capacity | Distance |
|---|---|---|---|
| International Paper Georgetown Mill | Biomass and waste | 95.6 MW | 3.7 mi northeast |
| Georgetown LFGTE | Biomass and waste | 1.3 MW | 8.7 mi north |
| SR Lambert I, LLC | Solar | 100 MW | 11.9 mi west |
| SR Lambert II | Solar | 100 MW | 11.9 mi west |
| Cherry Blossom Solar LLC | Solar | 10 MW | 30.3 mi north |
| Landrace Holdings, LLC | Solar | 55 MW | 31.1 mi northeast |
| St Stephen | Hydroelectric | 84 MW | 33.7 mi west |
| Bell Bay Solar Farm | Solar | 1.6 MW | 34.3 mi northeast |