The South Carolina Public Service Authority, also known as Santee Cooper, is an operation similar to the Tennessee Valley Authority. Both organizations were created during the Great Depression as part of President Franklin D. Roosevelt's New Deal programs to provide economic development and infrastructure improvements in the southeastern United States. Santee Cooper was established in 1934 to improve the quality of life for residents in South Carolina by providing electricity, water resources, and other public services. Similarly to TVA, Santee Cooper has played a significant role in the economic growth and development of the state.
