Students and faculty gathered at the School of Business and Education (SOBE) on the night of Sept. 30 to hear from Rob Ardis, CEO of Santee Electric Cooperative, who shared insights on the challenges and opportunities facing the utility industry. The discussion highlighted not only the role of electricity in powering communities but also the economic development strategies tied to energy infrastructure.
Santee Electric currently serves more than 45,000 consumers across regions including Georgetown, Florence, Williamsburg, and Clarendon. Ardis explained the company’s methods of energy generation—coal, gas and nuclear energy—while also acknowledging the challenges of balancing costs and sustainability. One point of discussion was how customers are charged: those who use less than the average residential amount may underpay, while those who exceed it are often overcharged.
Beyond electricity, Ardis emphasized the utility’s connection to economic development. Their investments in industrial parks, counties and speculative buildings not only attract jobs but also help keep residential rates low. By bringing industrial customers into the service area, Santee Electric strengthens its load factor and benefits households.
The talk also touched on workforce needs. While entry-level positions such as cashier, customer service representative, and dispatcher are easier to fill, highly skilled positions such as accountants, engineers, IT professionals and GIS—Geographical Information Systems—technicians prove to be challenging to recruit.
Overall, the event gave students valuable insight into the ways a utility company operates, as well as the impact it has on local communities. Students were encouraged to reach out for internships and possible job opportunities after graduation.