Latest local news, weather and high school sports from the Midlands

Thursday, January 31, 2013  Crews are working to restore electric service across South Carolina after a powerful winter storm moved across the state.

Saturday, June 09, 2012  After more than year of wrangling over competition concerns, federal regulators have cleared Duke Energy's proposed takeover of Progress Energy, a deal that will create the nation's largest electric utility.

Monday, October 03, 2011  Executives of Duke Energy and Progress Energy say they'll need only about two weeks to address federal regulators' concerns that their merger will too heavily concentrate the Carolinas electric power market.

Wednesday, September 28, 2011  Progress Energy officials say a faulty electrical relay has caused a reactor to shut down at the Robinson Nuclear Plant near Hartsville.  Utility officials told WBTW-TV that the reactor automatically switched off when a gauge detected a low coolant level Monday.

Tuesday, September 06, 2011  South Carolina regulators have approved a merger agreement for Duke Energy Corp. and Progress Energy Inc. as they create the nation's largest utility company.

Monday, August 08, 2011  Fire officials in Darlington are trying to figure out what sparked a fire at a turbine at a Progress Energy plant.

Friday, May 06, 2011  The South Carolina Office of Regulatory Staff says it has filed to intervene and participate in hearings on the merger of Duke Energy Corp. and Progress Energy Inc. The deal needs approval from North Carolina regulators.

Friday, April 01, 2011  Radiation possibly stemming from Japan's crippled Fukushima Diichi plant has been detected at South Carolina State University.

Thursday, March 31, 2011  The Nuclear Regulatory Commission says the HB Robinson Nuclear Plant near Hartsville needs increased oversight from federal regulators, although officials stressed that all are operating safely.

Tuesday, March 29, 2011  Progress Energy and Duke Energy in North Carolina and South Carolina Electric and Gas Co. all operate nuclear plants and say they have detected trace amounts of radiation.  Experts say there is no health risk here in the Midlands.

Friday, March 25, 2011  The Nuclear Regulatory Commission says its disappointed in the 2010 safety performance of Progress Energy's HB Robinson Nuclear Plant near Hartsville.

Monday, January 10, 2011  Duke Energy Corp. is buying Progress Energy Inc. for more than $13 billion in stock in a deal that would create one of the nation's largest utilities.

Thursday, December 09, 2010  Federal regulators say a utility company gave them false information and failed for months to fix important safety equipment at a Darlington County nuclear power plant last year.

Monday, November 08, 2010  The Nuclear Regulatory Commission will hold a hearing to discuss Progress Energy's handling of an issue at its Hartsville plant.

Wednesday, October 13, 2010  Inspectors from the Nuclear Regulatory Commission are going over a South Carolina nuclear plant that shut down last week after problems with a cooling pump.