WACH-TV
September 10, 2015
By Tara Petitt Thursday
COLUMBIA, SC (WACH) — At a Lexington County Delegation meeting Thursday evening, Midlands residents took their concerns to state lawmakers about increased rates for SCE&G customers. (video)
Last week, the Public Service Commission approved a rate hike for the utility company to help pay for two nuclear projects that will be online in the next few years.
SCE&G rates have gone up almost 31 percent since 2008. Much of the increases are due to the ‘Base Load Review Act’ that was passed in 2007 that allows SCE&G to have rate hikes every year in order to pay for construction costs of the nuclear plants.
Community members as well as business leaders spoke at the meeting Thursday, saying that state lawmakers are turning a blind eye to what the Public Service Commission is doing to rate payers.
“It’s time to reassess the act and how it has been carried out to determine if it really is serving the public’s interest and not just the interest of SCE&G and their stockholders,” said Frank Knapp, President and CEO of the South Carolina Small Business Chamber of Commerce. (Read entire comments here.)
Community members said they want the General Assembly to address the Public Service Commission who approved the most recent rate hike last week.
When the rate hikes were approved, an SCE&G spokesman said at the end of the day, they have to do what’s necessary to meet the state’s energy needs. He added that in the long run, the nuclear units will help customers by providing clean, reliable power for South Carolina’s customers for quite a long time.
http://wach.com/news/local/residents-voice-concerns-over-latest-sceg-rate-hikes