CHARLESTON, SC (WCSC) - One week from Thursday, the Public Service Commission will begin a hearing that could ultimately decide how much you pay for electricity for decades.
The big question is how much SCE&G customers will have to pay for the failed VC Summer Nuclear project.
Our state’s consumer watchdogs expect the hearing to be contentious.
“The proposal that is before the commission, ORS does not agree with,” Nanette Edwards said. The Charleston native is the Director of the South Carolina Office of Regulatory Staff. Her agency represents the public’s interest in utility industries like electric, gas, telecommunications and railroad safety.
On Nov. 1, the state’s Public Service Commission will begin a hearing expected to last weeks. They’re considering the merger proposal from Dominion Energy and SCANA, the parent company of SCE&G.
“We’ve worked very hard. We’ve looked at millions and millions of pages of documents,” Edwards said.
ORS will present email evidence at the hearing they said shows the power companies were trying to conceal a report about the now-defunct nuclear project.
“There was an attempt- actually a successful attempt- to not share that information with the Commission at the time it would have been appropriate to do so,” Edwards said.
ORS posted those emails on its website for the public.
Edwards said while she and her staff appreciate the work power lineman do to keep our lights on, those at the top of the company have explaining to do.
“I think it’s extremely unfortunate that we find this information. Very disappointing to me,” she said.
ORS will also propose its own lower rate proposal to the Commission and push to continue releasing documents.
“To the extent the ratepayer is asked to pay these abandonment costs, they have a right to know the story behind it,” Edwards said. “The good, the bad and the ugly.”
Dominion Energy has not yet responded to a request for comment about the emails ORS shared online.
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