Company officials said that it stopped generating electricity at the Colleton County coal-fired plant on November 6, making good on an earlier announcement of its intentions.

“The plant closing is part of SCE&G’s efforts to reduce emissions, achieve a more balanced generation portfolio and comply with new environmental regulations that will take effect after 2015,” it said.

SCG&E said in 2012 that it would idle six of its oldest and smallest units, including Canadys’ three, and either taken them offline or convert them to natural gas power.

One Canadys unit was retired in late 2012. Under the initial plan, the remaining two units were to be converted and then ultimately retired in 2017.

“However, after reevaluating system needs and analysing the economics of the situation, the company decided to proceed with completely closing down the plant by the end of 2013,” the company said.

SCE&G president of generation and transmission and chief operating officer Steve Byrne said that retiring the utility’s older coal generation, along with adding new nuclear generation to its system, will help to meet the increasingly stringent environmental laws and aid it in achieving the balanced generation portfolio it is seeking.

“Once our new nuclear units are complete, we anticipate our generation capacity will be about 30 percent nuclear, 30 percent natural gas and 30 percent scrubbed coal, with the balance in hydro and some renewable resources,” Byrne said.

“With this portfolio, about 60 percent of our annual generation will be non-carbon-emitting. Additionally, we’ll have the flexibility to take advantage of whatever generation option makes economic and environmental sense for our customers at any given point in time.”

Canadys Station, over the coming years, will be demolishing and all ash and wastewater treatment ponds will be closed. The company will also build a permitted dry ash storage facility onsite.

SCE&G has no immediate plans to sell the property, officials said.

The plant opened first in 1962.