Stand By for Historic Guilty Plea: SCE&G Official Responsible for Nuclear Reactor Construction Debacle to Plead Guilty to Fraud in Federal Court in Columbia, South Carolina on July 23, 2020 (rescheduled from July 14); Other Officials, Attorneys Likely to be Charged as Part of “Conspiracy to Defraud” for $11+ Billion Wasted
NOTE – Hearing Rescheduled from July 14 to July 23, according to court posting: “NOTICE OF RESCHEDULED HEARING as to Stephen Andrew Byrne Arraignment and Plea Hearing set for 7/14/2020 10:00 AM cancelled and rescheduled to: Arraignment set for 7/23/2020 10:00 AM in Columbia #1, Matthew J. Perry Court House, 901 Richland St, Columbia before Honorable Mary Geiger Lewis. Plea Hearing set for 7/23/2020 10:00 AM in Columbia #1, Matthew J. Perry Court House, 901 Richland St, Columbia before Honorable Mary Geiger Lewis. (mdea ) (Entered: 07/13/2020)”
Columbia, SC – In a historic court proceeding, a former official responsible for the SCE&G nuclear reactor construction debacle will plead guilty to a conspiracy involving the failed project, which began in 2008 and was terminated in July 2017, after a waste of over $11 billion by SCE&G and Santee Cooper. The project, which unjustly saddled customers with the costs, led to the bankruptcy of SCE&G and helped kill the future of construction of large nuclear power reactors in the United States.
The guilty plea will be entered by Mr. Stephen Byrne, former Chief Operating Officer of SCANA, the parent of South Carolina Electric and Gas (now taken over by Dominion Energy) at 10:00 a.m. on Tuesday, July 14 at the federal courthouse located at 901 Richland St, Columbia, SC 29201 in downtown Columbia.
Mr. Byrne has agreed to plead guilty to the felony of “CONSPIRACY TO DEFRAUD THE UNITED STATES in violation of 18:371 and 18:1343 and forfeiture allegations.” He has already signed a plea agreement with attorneys for the United States, which stipulates what he must do for the agreed deal. In court on July 14, the judge will likely affirm the plea agreement and possibly modify it as she chooses.
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Full SRS Watch news release: SRS Watch media advisory on Byrne nuclear felony plea July 13 2020
Aerial photos of VC Summer site, ©High Flyer, special to SRS Watch; more photos from September 2019:
https://drive.google.com/drive/folders/1LPZC6D0a4sHlqQPoaYlhWAyxp4lAFgkU