COLUMBIA - A bill limiting the governor's power over the board of Santee Cooper passed the House on Thursday with the bill's floor leader and the governor blaming each other for the failure of an agreement on the measure.

Gov. Mark Sanford's spokesman would not say whether the governor will sign the bill.

The proposal changing the makeup of the board of the utility that serves most of Horry and Georgetown counties arose out of Sanford's removal of the board chairman in the fall and his request for money from the agency. Legislators fear the moves could result in higher rates for customers.

Rep. Bill Sandifer, R-Seneca, told House members he had an agreement with Sanford that "he would allow this bill to become law" if two of the designated electric co-op representatives and a representative from the utility's industrial customers were removed from the required list of board members.

Sandifer said he agreed to that but that Sanford reneged after a committee passed the revised version Tuesday.

Sanford's spokesman, Will Folks, said Sandifer dealt in bad faith by not carrying out his part of the agreement.

"Representative Sandifer did not work with us in an above-board manner," Folks said.

Folks said Sanford requested other changes in the bill and wanted the changes in writing but that Sandifer did not produce.

He also said there was no talk about Sanford signing the bill.

"There was discussion about the governor not vetoing the bill," Folks said.

Rep. Harry Cato, R-Travelers Rest, leads the committee that handled the Santee Cooper bill and participated in the negotiations with Sanford.

Cato said there was "a slight misunderstanding with the governor." He and Sandifer thought they changed the bill to suit Sanford, but the governor later said he also wants the seven-year board member terms reduced and a guarantee of more money for the state from the utility, Cato said.

Cato said he thinks the problem can be resolved when the bill goes to a conference committee of three members from each chamber to work out the differences in the House and Senate versions.

Folks said the governor is "still here ready to negotiate in good faith" and that his staff continues talks with legislators about the bill.

Also on Thursday, top Senate staff told Sen. Luke Rankin, R-Myrtle Beach, that it is being stonewalled by a Wall Street company that did an evaluation of Santee Cooper.

The Judiciary Committee staff is preparing for board-member confirmation hearings next week and wants details on why part of Credit Suisse First Boston's report was written by a Santee Cooper board member and whether anyone on the board approved it.

Board Chairman Guerry Green said last week that the board did not know member Keith Munson wrote part of the report or why it was included by Credit Suisse.

The board issued a disclaimer on Munson's portion of the report.

Confirmation hearings on Green and three other members are scheduled for Tuesday and Wednesday.