Lexington County Chronicle
September 13, 2018
By Jerry Bellune
SC Electric & Gas aims to raise ratepayers’ bills another $132.72 a year.
That’s the average SCE&G is asking the Public Service Commission to let them charge 700,000 ratepayers for the next 50 years.
That’s an average $11 a month increase on your bill.
Office of Regulatory Staff Director Nannette Edwards reported this to the Chronicle after her staff studied SCE&G’s latest request.
The increase in rates is to pay for the abandoned nuclear reactors SCE&G promised almost a dozen years ago would lower rates.
The base request is one of 3 options in SCE&G’s request to the commission last January 12, Edwards said.
It will become the Lexington County-based utility’s only request if the PSC rejects its sale to Dominion Energy of Virginia.
“The base request would require $61 million in additional electric revenue.”
This is another rate hike above the 18% SCE&G says it is already charging for the failed
nuclear project.
Critics argue the added rate is more than 30%.
Lawmakers passed Act 258 this year to lower the nuclear surcharge to 3%.
SCE&G is suing to try to nullify that act.
SCE&G’s request contains an owner’s cost of $411,688 million for its employees, their training, office space and other needs.
Frank Knapp of the SC Small Business Chamber said he thinks it unlikely the PSC will roll back all 18%.
He said the PSC should not have allowed Dominion to be part of the hearing in which the abandonment costs will be ruled on.
“That PSC decision in favor of Dominion, I’m afraid, seals the fate against a complete roll-
back of the 18% rate hike,” he said.
“I think that decision puts in jeopardy a rate rollback of even the 15% the legislators supported.”