The board of state-owned utility Santee Cooper has approved a letter of intent with Brookfield Asset Management to guide final, exclusive negotiations with Brookfield concerning the two partially built Westinghouse AP1000 nuclear units at the Summer nuclear site in Fairfield County, South Carolina.

The company said the letter of intent establishes a “six-week initial project feasibility period”.

In that period, the parties will jointly select a project manager and evaluate construction providers that would be used in resuming construction of the two nuclear units.

The six weeks also would allow for advanced discussions with entities interested in buying nuclear power generated by the units and facilitate additional due diligence, leading to execution of a memorandum of understanding.