Less than 50% of state residents are aware of SCANA’s failed nuclear project.

That is one finding of Club for Growth research.

The South Carolina group promotes economic growth through legislation, advocacy, research and training.

The group said their research indicates that:

• The more people learn about SCANA partner San-tee Cooper’s disastrous finances and potential provisions of a sale, the more likely they are to support selling the state taxpayer-owned utility.

• A private company could pay Santee Cooper’s $8 billion debt and prevent it from being passed to electric cooperative members.

That is the issue most likely to make cooperative members more likely to support selling Santee Cooper to a private utility.

Santee Cooper sells power to state cooperatives such as Mid-Carolina Electric in Lexington County.

• More than 80% of South Carolinians would rather see a price set by an independent auditor than trust state lawmakers to set the price.

• The public favors a sale if Santee Cooper’s lands and waterways are protected.