The South Carolina Office of Regulatory Staff (ORS) was created with the enactment of Act 175 of 2004. The ORS is responsible for many of the non-adjudicative functions associated with utility regulation that formerly fell under the authority of the Public Service Commission of South Carolina (PSC).
Prior to Act 175, the PSC handled all aspects of utility regulation. The creation of ORS by Act 175 provides a revised structure for addressing the public interest that clearly separates the adjudicative function (which remains with the PSC) from the investigative, legal, prosecutorial, and educational roles necessary to utility regulation that are now within the purview of ORS.
Specifically, the ORS has responsibility for the inspection, auditing, and examination of public utilities. The agency must be considered a party of record in all filings, applications, or proceedings before the PSC.
The ORS represents the public interest of South Carolina in utility regulation for the major utility industries -- electric, natural gas, telecommunications, water/wastewater, and transportation -- before the PSC, the court system, the South Carolina General Assembly, and federal regulatory bodies. The ORS also has responsibility for oversight of railroad safety and natural gas pipeline safety in South Carolina.
The State Regulation of Public Utilities Review Committee, also created by Act 175, is a ten-member committee consisting of six members of the South Carolina General Assembly and four representatives from the general public.
The Office of Regulatory Staff represents the public interest of South Carolina in utility regulation and must be considered a party of record in all filings, applications, or proceedings before the South Carolina Public Service Commission.
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