On Monday, January 11, 2021 the PSC approved a six-month pause in DESC's application for a rate increase due to adverse economic conditions affecting customers during the COVID-19 pandemic. The pause was agreed to by all parties and means that no potential increase could be approved until after the case resumes July 12, 2021 and an order from the PSC is issued no later than August 16, 2021.
Read the letter from ORS executive director Nanette Edwards (PDF).
Dominion Energy South Carolina (DESC) filed an application to increase its rates by approximately 7.7% with the Public Service Commission of South Carolina (PSC) in August 2020. The average residential consumer’s monthly bill would increase by $9.68 per month if approved.
Rate Increase Request Summary
Number of Impacted Consumers: 753,000
Total Revenue Requested: $2.067 billion
Total Revenue Increase Requested ($): $178 million
Total Revenue Increase Requested (%): 7.75%
Average Monthly Bill of Residential Consumers Using 1,000 kilowatt hours per month
Current (2020): $122.31
If Rate Increase is Approved (2021): $131.99
Potential Increase in Average Monthly Bill: $9.68 (7.91%)
How Can Consumers Participate?
- Fill out a Letter of Protest on the PSC’s website.
- Attend Public Hearings and Testify
Consumers will be able to participate and let the Commissioners hear their concerns.
- Monday, November 9, 2020 at 6:00 PM
- Tuesday, November 10, 2020 at 6:00 PM
- Thursday, November 12, 2020 at 6:00 PM
- Tuesday, January 5, 2021 | 1:00 - 6:00 PM
- Thursday, January 7, 2021 | 6:00 – 9:00 PM
Important Dates (as published by the PSC)
08/14/2020 Application Filed
09/04/2020 Company Testimony Due
09/30/2020 Company has Published Notification of Increase
10/30/2020 Petition to Intervene Deadline
11/09/2020 Virtual Public Night Hearing
11/10/2020 Virtual Public Night Hearing
11/10/2020 All Other Parties Testimony Due
11/12/2020 Virtual Public Night Hearing
11/30/2020 Company’s Rebuttal Testimony Due
12/15/2020 All Other Parties Surrebuttal Testimony Due
01/05/2021 Public Night Hearing
01/05/2021 PSC Hearing Begins
01/07/2021 Public Night Hearing
01/11/2021 Pause in PSC Hearing
07/12/2021 PSC Hearing Resumes
08/16/2021 PSC Order Issued
Intervenors
- AARP South Carolina
- CMC Steel South Carolina
- Frank Knapp, Jr.
- ORS
- SC Department of Consumer Affairs
- Sierra Club
- South Carolina Energy Users Committee
- United States Department of Defense and all other Federal Executive Agencies
- Walmart, Inc.
About DESC
In January 2019, Dominion Energy, Inc. and SCANA Corporation (South Carolina Electric & Gas or SCE&G) merged. DESC provides service to over 753,000 electric customers and operates in 24 counties in the central, southern, and southwestern areas of the state.
Average Monthly Bill of Residential Consumers Using 1,000 kilowatt hours per month
After Last Rate Increase (2013): $137.65
Before V.C. Summer Nuclear Abandonment (2017): $147.70
After V.C. Summer Nuclear Abandonment (2019): $124.91
Current (2020): $122.31