SCANA expects state regulators to approve its sale to Dominion Energy.

The Lexington County based-holding company said in an announcement to its investors that it expects the sale to be completed by the end of this year.

Dominion is expected to let go 600 Lexington County employees if the sale goes through, an expert witness has told the SC Public Service Commission.

SCANA’s prediction reflects its executives belief that they will prevail despite lawsuits, public condemnation and the threat of action by state lawmakers.

A state law to allow taxpayers to guarantee loans to SCANA is being considered.

The loans are expected to save 727,000 ratepayers’ money by avoiding a 10.5% profit SCANA has been charging them under the controversial state Base Load Review Act.

Similar laws reportedly have worked in 17 states.

Rep. Mac Toole of Lexington County said he is looking into such a law here.

Another approval

SCANA and Dominion appear to be on a roll. Last week their proposed sale cleared another hurdle.

The North Carolina Utilities Commission approved Dominion buying SCANA and its SC Electric & Gas subsidiary in Cayce.

The NC regulators’ decision is the 6th of 7 approvals the 2 companies need.

These include SCANA shareholders, Federal Energy Regulatory Commission, Georgia Public Service Commission, Nuclear Regulatory Commission and early termination by the Federal Trade Commission of the 30-day waiting period under federal anti-trust laws.

The SC PSC has held hearings this month on the sale and its impact here. A decision is expected by Dec. 21.

What sale would do

SCANA said the combined company would deliver energy to about 6.5 million ratepayers and have an electric generating capacity of about 33,000 megawatts and 93,600 miles of electric transmission lines.

Its natural gas pipeline network will cover 106,400 miles and operate one of the nation’s largest natural gas storage systems with 1 trillion cubic feet of capacity.

SCANA tempered its prediction by saying it and Dominion may be unable to obtain state approval or that a delay in approval may cause both to abandon the sale as SCANA did at its ill-fated $9 billion nuclear project.