AIKEN, South Carolina — Burns & McDonnell, a 100% employee-owned engineering, architecture and construction firm, has been selected by Santee Cooper to provide engineer-procure-construct (EPC) services for a key transmission project in South Carolina. The project involves rebuilding approximately 16 miles of 115-kV transmission line, adding two new 230-kV lines and constructing a new 230-kV substation to meet growing power demands in the region.

The project, designed to support a new data center in Aiken County, reflects the knowledge and experience of Burns & McDonnell in delivering large-scale, complex power infrastructure projects. The firm broke ground in August 2024 and aims to complete the work by late 2025.

“We’re proud to partner with Santee Cooper on this critical project,” says Oko Buckle, senior vice president and general manager for the Southeast Region at Burns & McDonnell. “Our team brings extensive experience in transmission and substation EPC projects, and we’re committed to delivering innovative solutions to meet the energy demands of the growing data center sector.”

The expansion of the transmission network is vital to providing reliable power to the data center and surrounding communities.

“This project plays a crucial role in supporting the development of emerging technologies like artificial intelligence, which are dependent on the data center sector,” says Dotun Famakinwa, vice president of operations for the Southeast Region at Burns & McDonnell. “As we expand our capabilities in the region, we’re excited about future opportunities to partner with Santee Cooper on additional projects.”

Over the past five years, the companies have collaborated on a range of projects, including substation engineering, transmission line design, environmental and consulting services.

“The successful execution of the current project is a reflection of the trust and partnership that has developed between the two organizations,” Buckle says.

About Burns & McDonnell

Working from more than 75 offices around the world, Burns & McDonnell designs and builds critical infrastructure. Our family of companies — driven by engineers, construction professionals, architects, planners, technologists and scientists — delivers projects grounded in safety and a desire to make a difference as we make our clients successful. Founded in 1898, Burns & McDonnell is 100% employee-owned. Learn more.