Exhibit 5
 
                                                                  
  
                     SOUTH CAROLINA ELECTRIC & GAS COMPANY
                               1426 Main Street
                        Columbia, South Carolina  29201






                                  March 3, 1995



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


Gentlemen:

     I refer to the proposed issue and sale from time to time in
one or more series of up to $200,000,000 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 proposed
Registration Statement, dated March 3, 1995 (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 Chemical Bank), as trustee, as supplemented by three
supplemental indentures thereto executed by South Carolina Power
Company and by forty-nine 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, or mailed for filing to, 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 filing of this opinion with the
Registration Statement and to the use of my name under the caption
"Experts" included therein.

                                    Sincerely,

 
                                    s/Asbury H. Gibbes
                                    Asbury H. Gibbes
                                    General Counsel
                                    SCANA Corporation


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