An ambitious twin nuclear reactor project began with big dreams and fell into incompetence and deceit.

10 years and 9 rate hikes of $2.2 billion later, it lay in ruins, abandoned by the 2 utilities that pledged to drive electric rates down to the lowest in the US.

2 of SCANA’s top executives have pled guilty to fraud charges.

A Securities and Exchange civil prosecution against SCANA, CEO Kevin Marsh and COO Stephen Byrne has been temporarily halted until the criminal prosecutions are resolved.

The SEC probe covers much of the same ground as the criminal investigation. However, in a civil prosecution, wrongdoers do not face prison.

The case against the 2 includes:

• SCANA persuaded lawmakers to pass a law allowing it to charge 725,000 electric ratepayers monthly fees to cover costs while the project was being built.

• In May 2008, SCANA and its junior partner, Santee Cooper, set out to build 2 nuclear reactors.

• SCANA had 55% ownership and daily oversight. Santee Cooper had 45% .

• By 2012, SCANA had signed agreements with Westinghouse and other contractors at an estimated cost of $10 billion.

• SCANA promised the 1st reactor would be up by 2016, the 2nd by 2019.

Nothing went right. “From its inception, the nuclear project was plagued by delays and cost increases,” court documents read.

• SCANA officials became aware of poor performance, missed deadlines and other mishaps that delayed announced completion dates.

• In 2015, under CEO Kevin Marsh, SCANA commissioned a secret factfinding investigation by Bechtel, an internationallyrecognized consulting and management firm, into wha was happening.

• When Bechtel reported the project was “failing,” SCANA “buried” the report from regulators “under disingenuous representations of attorney-client privilege,” federal papers read.

“The Bechtel conclusions were not made public until after abandonment of the nuclear project.”

Gov. Henry McMaster released the report publicly.

US Attorney Peter McCoy said, “No one should be able to use a position of trust, power, and influence to take [$2.2 billion] from the hardworking people of South Carolina.”