PSC NEWS

January 2020
Commissioners Elect Interim Vice Chair
During the regular Commission Business Meeting on December 18th, Commissioners voted to elect Commissioner Florence P. Belser as Interim Vice Chair during Commissioner Justin Williams' scheduled military leave. Commissioner Belser, who joined the Commission in February of 2019, has decades of experience with utilities in the state and the regulatory aspects of public utilities, and Commissioners praised her dedication and experience in their nomination.

The election can be viewed at this link and the agendas from that Commission Business Meeting can be reviewed at this link.
PSC Hosts Public Night Hearing in Docket No. 2019-64-WS
On December 9th, the Commission held a night hearing in Okatie, South Carolina to discuss a request made in Docket No. 2019-64-WS by CUC, Inc. At this public event, dozens of attendees shared their opinion regarding the case and their thoughts on CUC's request. As a quasijudicial body, the Commission is barred from ex parte communications with parties and with the public regarding ongoing dockets; these night hearings, along with allowable ex parte briefings, are a way for the public to directly address the Commissioners and share their opinions in an allowable and accessible way.

Please reach out to Commission staff at robert.bockman@psc.sc.gov to learn more about upcoming public night hearings and the dockets involved.
Highlights of 2019:
January and February brought an important allowable ex parte briefing in Docket No. 2017-370-E, as well as the launch of the SC Utility Consumer brand to supplement the PSC's public information efforts.

In March, the Commission held three public night hearings in Docket No. 2018-319-E, gathering public input from several hundred South Carolina citizens.

April brought the annual base rate of fuel cost review for Dominion Energy South Carolina (formerly SCE&G) and an on-site allowable ex parte briefing with Colite Technologies.

June, July, and August featured new analysis of the impact of the South Carolina Energy Freedom Act, beginning with an ex parte briefing involving the SC Solar Business Alliance, comprehensive hearings in July, and Commission presentations at business meetings through the summer. The Act, and its ramifications on the Commission's regulatory role, continued to be discussed and analyzed through August, with several allowable ex parte briefings in key dockets, including 2019-182-E, 2019-186-E, and 2019-180-E.

September saw the annual review of fuel costs for Duke Energy Carolinas, LLC and an ex parte briefing with the Department of Commerce.

October included in-depth hearings into the impact of Act 62, the SC Energy Freedom Act, and November brought the issuance of Order No. 2019-828, which outlines the schedule going forward. The complete business meeting during which these dockets were discussed can be viewed at this link.

Looking for more highlights from 2019? You can find the complete list of scheduled events for the year on the PSC's Docket Management System at this link.
From the Blog:
There's no wrong time of year to stay informed about potential scams coming from people posing as utilities. In November, the SC Utility Consumer blog spotlit some useful tips for keeping safe from the   6,517 reports of imposter scams  in SC in 2018. For more information, consult the SC Utility Consumer blog or follow the program on Facebook and Twitter .
Ethics Workshop
On October 11th, Commissioners and Commission staff participated in a joint ethics training session with the Office of Regulatory Staff. During the day-long session, PSC staff learned about the Code of Judicial Conduct, stress management techniques, and avoiding potential issues of impropriety or judicial misconduct.

As mandated by Act 175 of 2004, staff of the PSC and the ORS are required to attend six hours of ethics training annually; next year's joint ethics session has been scheduled for October 9th. You can read more about this year's training on the SC Utility Consumer website at this link.
Mark Your Calendars:
Please note that these are highlights—the complete calendar of scheduled events is available through the Docket Management System  at this link .
Recent Allowable Ex Parte Briefings
December 11, 2019: ND-2019-35-G: Request for Allowable Ex Parte Communication Briefing for an Update on Atlantic Coast Pipeline
November 7, 2019 : ND-2019-29-E :  Request for an Allowable Ex Parte Briefing to Discuss General Information and Considerations Regarding Regulatory Electric Vehicle Policies
If you have questions about anything contained within this newsletter or about the Commission’s operations, please contact the Commission at 803.896.5100. We also encourage you to follow us on Facebook, Twitter, and LinkedIn: PSC Twitter ; PSC Facebook ; PSC LinkedIn ; SC Utility Consumer Twitter ; SC Utility Consumer Facebook ; SC Utility Consumer LinkedIn .
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