CONWAY - I.W. Jones Jr. was 11 when his house in rural Horry County got electricity, and he remembers what it was like to watch his daddy read the Bible in the lamplight.

He was one of about 20 people who came Thursday night to a state Senate hearing at Coastal Carolina University on how Santee Cooper should be operated.

"I want it to stay intact like it is," Jones said.

Sen. Luke Rankin, R-Myrtle Beach, called the hearing and two others for next week because of turmoil at the state-owned utility.

In the past year, the governor fired the board chairman and several members, and some of the top management left. The turnover resulted in a downgrading of the utility's outlook by one of the top three financial rating companies.

Rankin and Sen. Dick Elliott, D-North Myrtle Beach, and Sen. Bill Mescher, R-Pinopolis, have been the General Assembly's sharpest critics of the governor's actions and the board's vote to send the state more money.

They also say they think the governor is interested in selling Santee Cooper.

Guerry Green, interim chairman of the board, told the senators Thursday night that the governor has never mentioned to him anything about selling or privatizing Santee Cooper.

Most of those who spoke were former board members of the utility and people who represent large users of electricity.

Joe Woodle, president of Partners Economic Development Corp., said the utility is an important part of business recruitment.

That not only is because of its stable and reasonable rates but because the utility contributes to projects such as business parks for the county, Woodle said.

"Let's make sure we retain this asset for South Carolina," he said.

Wilbur James, a member of Horry Electric Co-op's board, said Rankin's proposed legislation to prevent governors from removing anyone from the board without cause is important. The co-op buys its power from Santee Cooper.

"We do not want politics to have a direct influence on board members," he said.

Former board member Billy Alford said, "Santee Cooper is a giant in the region" and that tourism depends on it.

"Please take the necessary steps to ensure that board members can made independent decisions" without fear of being fired, Alford said.

Mike Wooten, one of the board members who was fired by Sanford, said new members have little experience related to the utility's needs.

He said he disagrees with Sanford's attempts to make the utility stop its contribution program to local charities and activities. All companies have "a responsibility to give back to their community," Wooten said.

Eddie Rodelsperger of Horry County Schools said Santee Cooper is one of the district's biggest business partners. The staff goes beyond what a private company would do to help the schools save taxpayer money, he said.

Carl Falk, an interim board member, said he agrees members should not be dismissed without cause.

Santee Cooper is "an outstanding organization," and it should be able to get past the squabbling with legislators and the governor's office, Falk said.

Rankin said he agrees.

Sanford sent two of his aides to observe. They declined to comment.

The next hearing is at 6 p.m. Monday at the Waccamaw Higher Education Center in Litchfield.