Debate on county takeover of municipal water systems paused after municipalities and residents testify Lawmakers heard opposition from municipal officials and residents to House Bill 4,747, which would let counties acquire municipal water and sewer systems after a petition; debate was adjourned for further work after witnesses cited municipal autonomy, bond/rating risks, and documented local service problems in Summerton.

A heated debate on a controversial bill could reshape how water and sewer systems are managed in South Carolina, raising concerns about representation and service quality for countless residents.

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Utilities tell subcommittee long‑term contracts, deposits and curtailment protect ratepayers from speculative data‑center costs Dominion, Duke, Santee Cooper and electric cooperatives told the subcommittee they use long‑term contracts, upfront deposits and curtailment windows to prevent speculative developers from imposing generation and transmission costs on existing customers.

Utility giants are taking bold steps to protect ratepayers from hidden costs tied to data-center developments with long-term contracts and hefty deposits.

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#SC #EnergyPolicy #RatepayerProtection #CitizenPortal #SouthCarolinaUtilities #InfrastructureCosts

Subcommittee advances bill to protect critical‑service workers during declared emergencies House Bill 5,058 would criminalize harassment of utility and critical‑service workers during a governor-declared emergency and raise penalties for assaults; witnesses from electric cooperatives and utilities described threats to line crews during storm restoration and urged the bills passage.

A new bill aims to protect utility workers from harassment and threats during emergencies, after chilling accounts of line crews facing danger while restoring vital services.

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Santee Cooper leads RFP process for V.C. Summers project restart without investment risk Santee Cooper initiates RFP process to identify partners for V.C. Summers construction restart.

Santee Cooper is spearheading a bold initiative to restart the stalled V.C. Summer nuclear project, aiming to find investors without risking taxpayer funds.

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Jonathan Yarbrough highlights concerns over behind the meter energy management plan Yarbrough warns hiring new personnel will impact utility costs and rate payer expenses

Jonathan Yarbrough raises alarms over proposed legislation that could burden South Carolina ratepayers with skyrocketing utility costs due to a focus on behind-the-meter installations.

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#SC #GridProtection #RatepayerImpact #SouthCarolinaUtilities #CitizenPortal

Columbia Water director opposes House Bill 4168 restricting local water authority Columbia Water's Frank Eskridge urges rejection of House Bill 4168 for local utilities' autonomy.

House Bill 4168 could upend local control over water and sewer services in South Carolina, raising alarms about public health and environmental safety.

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#SC #LocalGovernance #PublicHealth #SouthCarolinaUtilities #WaterManagement #CitizenPortal