“SCE&G Enough Is Enough” Campaign announced. 35% rate increase since January 2008 needs legislative attention

Today the South Carolina Small Business Chamber of Commerce announced an opportunity for small businesses to join an “SCE&G Enough Is Enough” Campaign.

SCE&G business or residential customers know that their electrical rates have gone up and up and up—just under 35%—since January of 2008.  The latest 2.6% increase was approved this week.

Half of this overall increase is due to the State Legislature allowing the power company to increase rates annually through the Base Load Review Act to pay for the construction financing costs of building two nuclear plants in Fairfield County.

Amazingly the South Carolina Small Business Chamber of Commerce (SCSBCC) has successfully opposed and reduced regular operational rate increases for the past 13 years or otherwise customers would have had well over a 35% increase today.

Last month the SCSBCC and AARP-SC called for an independent audit of the Base Load Review Act to determine how much of the originally projected customer savings are still remaining given costs overruns and delays.  The Office of Regulatory Staff has now started the process of having this independent audit conducted.  This audit will be valuable to the Public Service Commission and the Legislature.

“So now it is time to take the fight from the regulatory arena into the legislative arena,” said Frank Knapp Jr., president and CEO of the SCSBCC.  “The 2007 Base Load Review Act is not holding SCE&G accountable even when the company is 3 years behind schedule and over $1 billion from original projections on the nuclear plants.  The law needs to be amended to better protect the consumer and to get SCE&G customers financial relief.”

Small businesses are being asked to join the SCSBCC’s special “SCE&G Enough Is Enough” advocacy team.  These small businesses will receive the information they need to be informed and to be engaged in the campaign.  Small businesses can join by sending an email to sbchamber@scsbc.org.

 

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