Exhibit 5.01

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



                                             September 12,  2003



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 $600,000,000 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,
dated as of January 1, 1945, made by South Carolina Power Company to Central
Hanover Bank and Trust Company (now JPMorgan Chase Bank), as trustee, as
supplemented by three supplemental indentures thereto executed by South Carolina
Power Company and by fifty 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 (now The
Bank of New York), 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 "Legal Opinions" included
therein.

                              Sincerely,


                              s/H. Thomas Arthur
                              H. Thomas Arthur
                              Senior Vice President and General Counsel