Exhibit 5.01



                      SOUTH CAROLINA ELECTRIC & GAS COMPANY
                                1426 Main Street
                         Columbia, South Carolina 29201






                                                   July 19,  2001



Securities and Exchange Commission
450 Fifth Street, NW
Washington, DC  20549


Ladies and Gentlemen:

     I refer to the proposed issue and sale from time to time in one or more
series of up to $400,000,000 principal amount of First Mortgage Bonds (the
"Bonds") by South Carolina Electric & Gas Company (the "Company"), with respect
to which the Company proposes to file a Registration Statement on Form S-3 with
the Securities and Exchange Commission under the Securities Act of 1933, as
amended, and Rule 415 thereof.

     In connection therewith, I have examined (a) the Registration Statement,
proposed to be filed as of the date hereof (the "Registration Statement"), to
which this opinion is attached as an exhibit; (b) the Indenture of Mortgage,
dated as of January 1, 1945, made by South Carolina Power Company to Central
Hanover Bank and Trust Company (now The Chase Manhattan Bank), as trustee, as
supplemented by three supplemental indentures thereto executed by South Carolina
Power Company and by fifty-three supplemental indentures thereto executed by the
Company (the "Class A Mortgage"); (c) the Indenture dated as of April 1, 1993
between the Company and NationsBank of Georgia, National Association, as
trustee, as supplemented by two supplemental indentures thereto executed by the
Company (the "Mortgage"); and (d) such other corporate documents, proceedings
and matters of law as I have considered necessary.

     Based on the foregoing, I am of the opinion that, with respect to the Bonds
of each series, when (a) the Registration Statement, and any amendments thereto,
have become effective under the Securities Act of 1933, as amended, (b) the
Mortgage has been qualified under the Trust Indenture Act of 1939, as amended,
(c) an appropriate order relating to such Bonds has been obtained from The
Public Service Commission of South Carolina, (d) the Board of Directors of the
Company has authorized the issuance and sale of the Bonds of such series, (e) a
prospectus supplement relating to such series has been filed with the Securities
and Exchange Commission and (f) the Bonds of such series have been duly
executed, authenticated, issued and delivered in accordance with the Mortgage
and the corporate and governmental authorizations aforesaid, the Bonds of such
series will be duly authorized and will constitute legal, valid and binding
obligations of the Company and will be entitled to the benefits and security of
the Mortgage.

     I hereby consent to the filing of this opinion with the Registration
Statement and to the reference to me under the caption "Validity of the New
Bonds" included therein.

                                      Sincerely,


                                      s/H. Thomas Arthur
                                      H. Thomas Arthur, Esq.
                                      General Counsel