Pinopolis Lock Closed for Repairs

[OneMoreHour]

This is going to put a damper on any trips from the Santee lakes to Charleston for awhile. I definitely want to make this run again this summer, but it looks like we might have to wait a little while.

NEWS RELEASE

[FONT=Times New Roman,Times New Roman]April 18, 2008 [/FONT]​

[FONT=Times New Roman,Times New Roman]Media Contact: [/FONT]​

[FONT=Times New Roman,Times New Roman]Mollie Gore [/FONT]
[FONT=Times New Roman,Times New Roman]Corporate Communications [/FONT]

[FONT=Times New Roman,Times New Roman]843-761-7093 [/FONT]

[FONT=Times New Roman,Times New Roman]mrgore@santeecooper.com [/FONT]​

[FONT=Times New Roman,Times New Roman]Pinopolis Lock Out of Service; Boat Ramps Reopen [/FONT]​

[FONT=Times New Roman,Times New Roman]The Pinopolis Lock at Santee Cooper’s Jefferies Hydroelectric Station is out of service while the utility repairs a gate that has come off track on the Tailrace Canal side of the passage.[/FONT]​

[FONT=Times New Roman,Times New Roman]Specifically, a submerged bearing failed on the 140-ton Tailrace Canal gate. Repairing the gate requires the lock to be dewatered, a special crane to be shipped in and the repairs to be made. Santee Cooper expects the lock to be out of service for at least five weeks.[/FONT]​

[FONT=Times New Roman,Times New Roman]"We are working as hard as we can to get the Pinopolis Lock back in service," said Tom Kierspe, vice president of engineering and construction services at Santee Cooper. "This was a completely unexpected break, which is requiring extensive efforts to repair, and we know that prime boating season is coming. We will do everything we can to get the gate operational as quickly as possible." [/FONT]​

[FONT=Times New Roman,Times New Roman]Meanwhile, winter and spring rains have restored lakes Marion and Moultrie to nearly full levels, allowing Santee Cooper to reopen all of its boat ramps that were closed due to the drought. One of the ramps that Santee Cooper operates – at White Point Beach – remains closed, and that is for non-drought-related repairs. Several ramps are still opened on a cautionary basis, as the levels are still not at full pool, and boaters are urged to call the Santee Cooper Lakes Information Line toll-free at 1-800-92LAKES before setting out. [/FONT]​

[FONT=Times New Roman,Times New Roman]The Pinopolis Lock is a popular path for boaters, in that it provides a route between Lake Moultrie and the Cooper River via the Tailrace Canal. The lock, which was the highest single-lift lock in the world when it was built in 1942, raises or lowers boats the 75-foot difference between the Tailrace Canal and Lake Moultrie. Boats enter through one set of gates, float in the lock about 30 minutes while the water is adjusted and exit the other set of gates. The Pinopolis Lock is typically open year-round during daylight hours. [/FONT]​

[FONT=Times New Roman,Times New Roman]A notice will be posted on the Santee Cooper website, www.santeecooper.com, when the lock is functional again. [/FONT]

[FONT=Times New Roman,Times New Roman]Santee Cooper is South Carolina's state-owned electric and water utility and serves more than 162,000 residential and commercial customers in Berkeley, Georgetown and Horry counties. The utility also generates the power distributed by the state's 20 electric cooperatives to more than 685,000 customers in all 46 counties. Santee Cooper is the largest provider of electricity to South Carolinians. All total, almost two million South Carolinians receive their power directly or indirectly from Santee Cooper. For more information, visit www.SanteeCooper.com. [/FONT]

 

[SeaRide]

The lock is back in service.

https://www.santeecooper.com/portal.../2008 PDFs/Pinopolis Lock Resumes Service.pdf