State agency takes Duke customers’ testimony
The roadshow of the South Carolina Public Service Commission arrived last night in Seneca for the purpose of taking the temperature of Duke Energy customers when it comes to the utility company’s bid to win a rate increase impacting customers in Duke’s 18-county service territory across the state. Last night’s approximate 90-minute hearing in the Harry Hamilton Auditorium at Seneca High School took on the air of a quasi-judicial proceeding with the Duke retail customers taking an oath to tell the truth, as they know it. At the start, PSC chairwoman Florence Belser explained the proceeding would allow the commission to hear how the approximate 12.8% rate increase impacts the small residential customer. Duke officially filed for the increase in January, and the PSC is charged with rendering a decision by the 4th of July. Meantime, the Seneca hearing was one of seven such proceedings, with the next one to take place Monday, April 22 in Anderson.