SCE&G rate foes rally

Lexington County Chronicle
July 21, 2016

By  Jerry Bellune

Electric power rate critics have decided there’s strength in numbers

They have formed a coalition of state and local groups to oppose S.C. Electric & Gas rate hikes.

Their Stop the Blank Check drive aims to halt SCE&G requests to raise:
• Costs of two nuclear plants by $846 million.
• Electric rates another 3.06% to pay for construction financing costs of the plants near Jenkinsvile.

The state Public Service Commission will decide on the 8th annual request in eight years this fall.

Critics says the commissioners rubber stamp everything SCE&G requests.

The coalition plans to change the state law that enabled the nuclear plant costs to go millions of dollars over budget and delayed opening three years.

This has delayed the projected savings to SCE&G customers in lower rates.

Coalition members are Kingdom Living Temple, National Association of Social Workers-SC Chapter, New Alpha Community Development Corporation, League of Women Voters, S.C. Sierra Club, S.C. Small Business Chamber of Commerce, Sustainable Midlands and the Whitney M. Slater Foundation.

Should the PSC approve the rate hike as expected, SCE&G customers will have had their rates increased about 30% since 2009 under a state law, the Base Load Review Act.

To date SCE&G customers have paid about $1.1 billion in higher electric bills under the law. If the increase in construction costs are approved, the nuclear plants will be about 43% over the original projected budget.

State owned Santee Cooper owns 45% of the nuclear plants and their costs.

Mid-Carolina Electric Cooperative and other Santee Cooper cooperatives’ customers will be impacted by approval of $846 million in increased nuclear costs.

http://lexingtonchronicle.com/sceg-rate-foes-rally-p38658-550.htm

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