The Public Service Commission produces Public Information Notices (PINs), which provide details on allowable ex parte communication briefings, hearings, and customer public hearings as they are scheduled. You can now sign up to receive these PINs directly in your email inbox as they are issued--to do so, follow this link:

PIN Updates from the PSC



In 2024, the upstate region of South Carolina will receive a new 821 area code that will supplement—but not replace—the current 864 area code. An overlay is the addition of another area code (821) to the same geographic region served by an existing area code (864). An overlay does not require customers to change their existing area code, but does require customers to dial the area code to complete local calls.

Important dates involving this area code overlay and 10-digit dialing:

• On January 19, 2024, a six-month permissive dialing period began to give consumers adequate time to adjust to the dialing changes. During this period, local calls can be made with either 7 or 10 digits, and all calls that are local will continue to be local even though you dial 10 digits.

• Beginning July 19, 2024, all local calls made within the SC 864 area code must be placed using 10 digits (area code + the 7-digit telephone number). On and after this date, calls placed using just 7 digits will not be completed.

• Beginning August 19, 2024, new telephone lines or services may be assigned numbers using the new 821 area code.

The key facts for consumers to know about the upcoming SC 864/821 area code overlay are:

• Your current telephone number, including current area code, will not change.
• If you seek new phone service on and after August 19, 2024, you may be assigned a phone number with the 821 area code.
• You will need to dial the area code + telephone number for all local calls, including calls within the same area code.
• You will continue to dial 1 + area code + telephone number for all long-distance calls.
• What is a local call now will remain a local call.
• The price of a call, coverage area, or other rates and services will not change due to the overlay.
• You can still dial just three digits to reach 911 and 988. You can also dial three digits to reach 211, 311, 511, and 811 where available.

Please remember to identify your telephone number as a 10-digit number and include the area code when giving the number to friends, family, business associates, and customers, etc.

Customers should ensure all services, automatic dialing equipment, applications, software, or other types of equipment are reprogrammed to dial 10 digits if they are programmed to dial just 7 digits and to recognize the new 821 area code as a valid area code. Examples include life-safety systems, fax machines, Internet dial-up numbers, gates, ankle monitors, speed dialers, mobile phone contact lists, call forwarding settings, voicemail services, and similar functions. Be sure to check your business stationery, advertising materials, personal checks, and your personal or pet ID tags to ensure the area code is included in your telephone number.

Important safety and security equipment, such as medical alert devices, and alarm and security systems must be programmed to use 10-digit dialing. Many systems operate on 10-digit dialing by default, but some older equipment may still use 7 digits. Please contact your medical alert or security provider if you are not sure whether your equipment needs to be reprogrammed to accommodate the upcoming change to 10-digit local dialing. Any needed reprogramming of alarm and home security equipment must be done between January 19, 2024, and July 19, 2024.

Remember that all local calls must be programmed using 10 digits and add ‘1’ for all long distance calls.

For additional information, please contact the South Carolina Public Service Commission at 803.896.5100 or at robert.bockman@psc.sc.gov or contact your local telephone service provider.

The Public Service Commission has scheduled customer public hearings in Docket No. 2023-388-E, involving Duke Energy Carolinas, LLC’s application for an increase in electric rates, adjustments in electric rate schedules and tariffs, and a request for an accounting order. These customer public hearings will take place in seven locations across the state. The dates and locations follow: 

• Monday, April 8th at 6 p.m. at Wade Hampton High School Auditorium (100 Pine Knoll Drive, Greenville, SC 29609)

• Thursday, April 11th at 6 p.m. at Greenwood 50 Performing Arts Center (1816 Cokesbury Road, Greenwood, SC 29649)

• Tuesday, April 16th at 6 p.m. at Seneca High School Auditorium (100 Bobcat Ridge, Seneca, SC 29678)

• Monday, April 22nd at 6 p.m. at Anderson County Council Chambers (101 South Main Street, Anderson, SC 29624)

• Tuesday, April 23rd at 6 p.m. at Spartanburg County Council Chambers (366 North Church Street, Suite 1000, Spartanburg, SC 29303)

• Thursday, April 25th at 6 p.m. at Lancaster County Council Chambers (101 North Main Street, Lancaster, SC 29720)

• Monday, May 20th at 5 p.m. (Virtual or In-Person) at the PSC Hearing Room (101 Executive Center Drive, Columbia, SC 29210)

The purpose of these customer public hearings is to gather consumer input regarding Duke Energy Carolinas, LLC’s application before the Commission, which can be reviewed at this link. All hearings will be held in person, but customers can testify virtually at the Monday, May 20th hearing at the PSC's offices. Preregistration is available--to preregister, do one of the following:

1. Fill out the survey at this link.
2. Email communications@psc.sc.gov.
3. Call 803.896.5133.

More details can be found in the Additional Notice of Customer Public Hearings at this link. For more information, please reach out to the Public Service Commission at contact@psc.sc.gov or at 803.896.5100.

Upcoming Events: March 2024

Each month, the Public Service Commission holds meetings, hearings, and other events related to the regulation of South Carolina's utilities at our offices. These events are livestreamed to the public and can be watched live at this link, or you can call in to the PSC's toll-free listen-only line at +1-855-797-9485 and enter the access code (2306 156 7308) to listen live. Please note that this listen line access code may be subject to change; consult the calendar at this link for the most current access code.

You can find out more about upcoming events scheduled at the Public Service Commission by clicking this link:

 March Livestreamed Events at the PSC

Stay informed with recent Public Information Notices (PINs) from the Public Service Commission at the links below:

• February 9th, 2024--PSC Schedules Public Hearing in Piedmont Natural Gas Company, Inc. Docket
• February 8th, 2024--PSC Schedules Allowable Ex Parte Communication Briefing for March 19th, 2024
• February 1st, 2024--Public Hearings for Duke Energy Carolinas, LLC in April and May
• January 17th, 2024--PSC Schedules Allowable Ex Parte Communication Briefing for January 24th, 2024
• January 12th, 2024--New Dialing Procedures for Customers with the South Carolina 864 Area Code and Details on the Upcoming 821 Area Code Overlay

The Public Service Commission has a YouTube page where we host video content, including instructional videos, past hearings and meetings, and messages from the Commission. Visit our page at this link to watch videos and learn more about topics crucial to the public's understanding of our work and capabilities.

The PSC doesn’t just livestream our meetings and briefings—we also record and archive our events through our partnership with SCETV so that you can revisit past events before the Commission. Check out the archive at the link below and watch events tracking back to 2018. 

Click to Watch the Commission's Livestream Archive

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 and LinkedIn: PSC Facebook; PSC LinkedIn; SC Utility Consumer Facebook; SC Utility Consumer LinkedIn.