Exhibit 3.16

                             STATE OF SOUTH CAROLINA
                               SECRETARY OF STATE

                              ARTICLES OF AMENDMENT

                  Pursuant to Section 33-10-106 of the 1976 South Carolina Code,
as  amended,  the  undersigned  corporation  adopts the  following  Articles  of
Amendment to its Articles of Incorporation:

1. The name of the corporation is SOUTH CAROLINA ELECTRIC & GAS COMPANY.

     2. On , the corporation adopted the following  Amendment(s) of its Articles
of Incorporation:

                                                     NOT APPLICABLE

3.       The manner,  if not set forth in the amendment,  in which any exchange,
         reclassification,  or cancellation of issued shares provided for in the
         Amendment shall be effected, is as follows:

     (a) The  number of  redeemable  shares  of the  corporation  reacquired  by
redemption or purchase is 9,407 itemized as follows:

         Class                                      Series         No. of Shares

         Cumulative Preferred Stock ($50 par value)   4.50%               1,600
         Cumulative Preferred Stock ($50 par value)   4.60% (Series A)    1,842
         Cumulative Preferred Stock ($50 par value)   5.125%              2,000
         Cumulative Preferred Stock ($50 par value)   6.00%                 565
         Cumulative Preferred Stock ($50 par value)   4.60% (Series B)    3,400

         (b)      The aggregate number of issued shares of the corporation after
                  giving effect to such cancellation is 41,656,443,  itemized as
                  follows:

                  Class                            Series         No. of Shares

 Cumulative Preferred Stock ($50 par value)          5%                 25,209
       "          "         "          "             4.60%                   0
       "          "         "          "             4.50%              12,800
       "          "         "          "             4.60% (Series A)   20,052
       "          "         "          "             5.125%             68,000
       "          "         "          "             4.60% (Series B)   61,200
       "          "         "          "             6%                 73,035
       "          "         "          "             9.40%                   0
       "          "         "    ($100 par value)    8.12%                   0
       "          "         "          "             7.70%                   0
       "          "         "          "             8.40%                   0
       "          "         "     ($50 par value)    8.72%                   0
       "          "         "    ($100 par value)   6.52%            1,000,000

 Common Stock ($4.50 par value)                      ------         40,296,147
                                                                    ----------
                                                                    41,656,443

         (c)      The amount of the  stated  capital  of the  corporation  after
                  giving effect to such cancellation is $299,347,461.50.





                                     Page 2


         (d)      The number of shares which the  corporation  has  authority to
                  issue after giving effect to such  cancellation is 56,450,296,
                  itemized as follows:

         Class                                   Series           No. of Shares

Cumulative Preferred Stock ($50 par value)          5%                  125,209
      "          "         "          "             4.60%                     0
      "          "         "          "             4.50%                12,800
      "          "         "          "             4.60% (Series A)     20,052
      "          "         "          "             5.125%               68,000
      "          "         "          "             4.60% (Series B)     61,200
      "          "         "          "             6%                   73,035
      "          "         "          "             9.40%                     0
      "          "         "    ($100 par value)    8.12%                     0
      "          "         "          "             7.70%                     0
      "          "         "          "             8.40%                     0
      "          "         "    ($50 par value)     8.72%                     0
      "          "         "    ($100 par value)    6.52%             1,000,000

Serial Preferred Stock  ($50 par value)  (1 vote)    ---                640,000
Serial Preferred Stock  ($100 par value) (1 vote)    ----             1,750,000
Serial Preferred Stock  ($25 par value)  (1/4 vote)  ----             2,000,000
Serial Preferred Stock  ($50 par value)  (1/2 vote)  ----               700,000
Common Stock  ($4.50 par value)                      ----            50,000,000
                                                                     ----------
                                                                     56,450,296
                    --
4.       (a)      |__|     Amendment(s) adopted by shareholder action.

                  At the  date of  adoption  of the  amendment,  the  number  of
         outstanding  shares of each voting group entitled to vote separately on
         the Amendment, and the vote of such shares was:

         Number of  Number of   Number of Votes  Number of Undisputed
         Voting   Outstanding   Votes Entitled     Represented at   Shares Voted
         Group      Shares       to be Cast       the meeting        For Against
                    ---
         (b) |XX| The  Amendment(s)  was duly  adopted by the  incorporators  or
         board of directors  without  shareholder  approval pursuant to Sections
         33-6-102(d),  33-10-102 and 33-10-105 of the 1976 South  Carolina Code,
         as amended, and shareholder action was not required.

5.       Unless  a  delayed  date is  specified,  the  effective  date of  these
         Articles of Amendment shall be the date of the acceptance for filing by
         the Secretary of State (See Section 33-1-230(b)):

                                    SOUTH CAROLINA ELECTRIC & GAS COMPANY


Date:  May 19, 1999                 By:_s/Lynn M. Williams_____________________
                                    ------------------
                                    Secretary





                                  Exhibit 3.17
                             STATE OF SOUTH CAROLINA
                               SECRETARY OF STATE

                              ARTICLES OF AMENDMENT

                  Pursuant to Section 33-10-106 of the 1976 South Carolina Code,
as  amended,  the  undersigned  corporation  adopts the  following  Articles  of
Amendment to its Articles of Incorporation:

1. The name of the corporation is SOUTH CAROLINA ELECTRIC & GAS COMPANY.

     2. On , the corporation adopted the following  Amendment(s) of its Articles
of Incorporation:

                                 NOT APPLICABLE

3.       The manner,  if not set forth in the amendment,  in which any exchange,
         reclassification,  or cancellation of issued shares provided for in the
         Amendment shall be effected, is as follows:

     (a) The  number of  redeemable  shares  of the  corporation  reacquired  by
redemption or purchase is 3,600 itemized as follows:

                  Class                       Series            No. of Shares

  Cumulative Preferred Stock ($50 par value)   4.50%               1,600
  Cumulative Preferred Stock ($50 par value)   4.60% (Series A)    2,000


         (b)      The aggregate number of issued shares of the corporation after
                  giving effect to such cancellation is 41,652,843,  itemized as
                  follows:

                     Class                          Series         No. of Shares

  Cumulative Preferred Stock ($50 par value)         5%               125,209
        "          "         "          "            4.60%                  0
        "          "         "          "            4.50%             11,200
        "          "         "          "            4.60% (Series A)  18,052
        "          "         "          "            5.125%            68,000
        "          "         "          "            4.60% (Series B)  61,200
        "          "         "          "            6%                73,035
        "          "         "          "            9.40%                  0
        "          "         "    ($100 par value)   8.12%                  0
        "          "         "          "            7.70%                  0
        "          "         "          "            8.40%                  0
        "          "         "     ($50 par value)   8.72%                  0
        "          "         "    ($100 par value)  6.52%           1,000,000

  Common Stock ($4.50 par value)                                   40,296,147
                                                                   ----------
                                                                   41,652,843

         (c)      The amount of the  stated  capital  of the  corporation  after
                  giving effect to such cancellation is $299,167,461.50.





                                                              Page 2

         (d)      The number of shares which the  corporation  has  authority to
                  issue after giving effect to such  cancellation is 56,446,696,
                  itemized as follows:

        Class                                     Series          No. of Shares

 Cumulative Preferred Stock ($50 par value)         5%                  125,209
       "          "         "          "            4.60%                     0
       "          "         "          "            4.50%                11,200
       "          "         "          "            4.60% (Series A)     18,052
       "          "         "          "            5.125%               68,000
       "          "         "          "            4.60% (Series B)     61,200
       "          "         "          "            6%                   73,035
       "          "         "          "            9.40%                     0
       "          "         "    ($100 par value)   8.12%                     0
       "          "         "          "            7.70%                     0
       "          "         "          "            8.40%                     0
       "          "         "    ($50 par value)    8.72%                     0
       "          "         "    ($100 par value)   6.52%             1,000,000

 Serial Preferred Stock  ($50 par value)  (1 vote)                      640,000
 Serial Preferred Stock  ($100 par value) (1 vote)                    1,750,000
 Serial Preferred Stock  ($25 par value)  (1/4 vote)                  2,000,000
 Serial Preferred Stock  ($50 par value)  (1/2 vote)                    700,000
 Common Stock  ($4.50 par value)                                     50,000,000
                                                                     ----------
                                                                     56,446,696
                    --
4.       (a)      |__|     Amendment(s) adopted by shareholder action.

                  At the  date of  adoption  of the  amendment,  the  number  of
         outstanding  shares of each voting group entitled to vote separately on
         the Amendment, and the vote of such shares was:

Number of  Number of    Number of Votes Number of Undisputed
 Voting    Outstanding  Votes Entitled  Represented at      Shares Voted
  Group     Shares       to be Cast      the meeting         For   Against
          --
         (b) |XX| The  Amendment(s)  was duly  adopted by the  incorporators  or
         board of directors  without  shareholder  approval pursuant to Sections
         33-6-102(d),  33-10-102 and 33-10-105 of the 1976 South  Carolina Code,
         as amended, and shareholder action was not required.

5.       Unless  a  delayed  date is  specified,  the  effective  date of  these
         Articles of Amendment shall be the date of the acceptance for filing by
         the Secretary of State (See Section 33-1-230(b)):

                                  SOUTH CAROLINA ELECTRIC & GAS COMPANY


Date:  August 13, 1999            By:_s/Lynn M. Williams______________________
                                          Secretary







                                                                    Exhibit 3.18

                             STATE OF SOUTH CAROLINA
                               SECRETARY OF STATE

                              ARTICLES OF AMENDMENT

                  Pursuant to Section 33-10-106 of the 1976 South Carolina Code,
as  amended,  the  undersigned  corporation  adopts the  following  Articles  of
Amendment to its Articles of Incorporation:

1. The name of the corporation is SOUTH CAROLINA ELECTRIC & GAS COMPANY.

     2. On , the corporation adopted the following  Amendment(s) of its Articles
of Incorporation:

                                 NOT APPLICABLE

3.       The manner,  if not set forth in the amendment,  in which any exchange,
         reclassification,  or cancellation of issued shares provided for in the
         Amendment shall be effected, is as follows:

     (a) The  number of  redeemable  shares  of the  corporation  reacquired  by
redemption or purchase is 3,200 itemized as follows:

                  Class                                 Series     No. of Shares

         Cumulative Preferred Stock ($50 par value)     6.00%          3,200


         (b)      The aggregate number of issued shares of the corporation after
                  giving effect to such cancellation is 41,649,643,  itemized as
                  follows:

                  Class
Series                     No. of Shares

  Cumulative Preferred Stock ($50 par value)          5%                 125,209
        "          "         "          "             4.60%                    0
        "          "         "          "             4.50%               11,200
        "          "         "          "             4.60% (Series A)    18,052
        "          "         "          "             5.125%              68,000
        "          "         "          "             4.60% (Series B)    61,200
        "          "         "          "             6%                  69,835
        "          "         "          "             9.40%                    0
        "          "         "    ($100 par value)    8.12%                    0
        "          "         "          "             7.70%                    0
        "          "         "          "             8.40%                    0
        "          "         "     ($50 par value)    8.72%                    0
        "          "         "     ($100 par value)   6.52%            1,000,000

  Common Stock ($4.50 par value)                                      40,296,147
                                                                     ----------
                                                                      41,649,643

         (c)      The amount of the  stated  capital  of the  corporation  after
                  giving effect to such cancellation is $299,007,461.50.





                                     Page 2


         (d)      The number of shares which the  corporation  has  authority to
                  issue after giving effect to such  cancellation is 56,446,696,
                  itemized as follows:

                  Class                            Series          No. of Shares

 Cumulative Preferred Stock ($50 par value)         5%                  125,209
       "          "         "          "            4.60%                     0
       "          "         "          "            4.50%                11,200
       "          "         "          "            4.60% (Series A)     18,052
       "          "         "          "            5.125%               68,000
       "          "         "          "            4.60% (Series B)     61,200
       "          "         "          "            6%                   69,835
       "          "         "          "            9.40%                     0
       "          "         "    ($100 par value)   8.12%                     0
       "          "         "          "            7.70%                     0
       "          "         "          "            8.40%                     0
       "          "         "    ($50 par value)    8.72%                     0
       "          "         "    ($100 par value)   6.52%             1,000,000

 Serial Preferred Stock  ($50 par value)  (1 vote)                      640,000
 Serial Preferred Stock  ($100 par value) (1 vote)                    1,750,000
 Serial Preferred Stock  ($25 par value)  (1/4 vote)                  2,000,000
 Serial Preferred Stock  ($50 par value)  (1/2 vote)                    700,000
 Common Stock  ($4.50 par value)                        ----         50,000,000
                                                                     ----------
                                                                     56,443,496
                    --
4.       (a)      |__|     Amendment(s) adopted by shareholder action.

                  At the  date of  adoption  of the  amendment,  the  number  of
         outstanding  shares of each voting group entitled to vote separately on
         the Amendment, and the vote of such shares was:

Number of  Number of    Number of Votes  Number of Undisputed
 Voting     Outstanding  Votes Entitled   Represented at       Shares Voted
 Group      Shares       to be Cast       the meeting          For  Against
           ---
         (b) |XX| The  Amendment(s)  was duly  adopted by the  incorporators  or
         board of directors  without  shareholder  approval pursuant to Sections
         33-6-102(d),  33-10-102 and 33-10-105 of the 1976 South  Carolina Code,
         as amended, and shareholder action was not required.

5.       Unless  a  delayed  date is  specified,  the  effective  date of  these
         Articles of Amendment shall be the date of the acceptance for filing by
         the Secretary of State (See Section 33-1-230(b)):

                             SOUTH CAROLINA ELECTRIC & GAS COMPANY


Date:  March 1, 2000       By:__s/Lynn M. Williams___________________________
                                    Secretary