South Carolina Business Review

An update on the abandoned Midlands SC nuclear plants

By Mike Switzer

Published March 6, 2026 at 6:30 AM EST

Ways To Subscribe

Provided

Jimmy Staton, president and CEO of Santee Cooper in Moncks Corner, SC

You’ve probably heard that the long abandoned nuclear plants in Jenkinsville, SC may soon be resurrected. Santee Cooper, the owner of the facilities, has reached an agreement with a purchaser and our guest today is here to give us an update. Mike Switzer interviews Jimmy Staton, president and CEO of Santee Cooper in Moncks Corner, SC. Resource: SCNuclear.com

Inside the Jefferies Hydroelectric Station turbine building, located in Moncks Corner. This was Santee Cooper's first generating station, which came online in 1942.

Tags

Mike Switzer

After almost 20 years, Mike Switzer retired from Wells Fargo Securities in 2001 as Senior Vice President/Investment Officer and Certified Portfolio Manager. In 1999, he and his wife, Maggie, purchased and operated for eight years the Baskin Robbins ice cream store on Forest Drive in Columbia. They grew the store from a bottom-tier operation in the Baskin Robbins franchise system to one in the top 5% nationwide within three years, tripling sales along the way. While operating the ice cream store, Mike and Maggie received patents for a portable ice cream sink and fold-down sneezeguard they invented and in 2002 started Magnolia Carts, an ice cream cart manufacturing company, which they sold in 2013.

See stories by Mike Switzer