Officials push for utility choice after study of S.C. power grid
COLUMBIA, S.C. (WIS) - Lawmakers and manufacturing advocates pushed for retail choice after discussing an independent study Tuesday morning.
The Palmetto Industrial Energy Association (PIEA) and State Senators Wes Climer, R-York, and Tom Fernandez, R-Dorchester, spoke from the steps of the State House at around 10:30 a.m.
On its website, PIEA describes itself as “a watchdog organization” that represents “large manufacturers” who are advocating for a strong industrial economy.
PIEA’s website states they are in favor of expanding the state’s natural gas and renewable energy capacities, lowering costs, advocating for free markets and allowing large industrial customers to generate and use their own power.
During the press conference, officials spoke in favor of retail choice, which would allow large manufacturers to purchase electricity from other suppliers besides their local utility or even generate it themselves.
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Proponents of retail choice argue the market structure fosters competition between providers, which leads to reduced costs for consumers, in addition to giving businesses more autonomy to select different power plans.
“South Carolina families and businesses deserve freedom and competition in the energy market,” said Fernandez. “Right now, large manufacturers, the companies that employ thousands of hardworking South Carolinians, are forced to buy power from single providers without the ability to negotiate better rates or find more affordable options. That’s not how a free market should work.”
Retail choice was designed to foster competition between suppliers in order to reduce prices. Currently, 19 other states implement a type of retail choice market structure.
Opponents of retail choice argue it creates volatility in the average retail price of electricity and imposes new costs when new billing procedures and metering systems are installed.
“South Carolina is at a critical crossroads when it comes to energy,” said Scott Elliott, general counsel for PIEA. “The gas supplies are not sufficient to meet the state’s needs, and today here we’re talking about the electricity capacity to meet the state’s needs. Dominion and Santee Cooper, in particular, are very short on capacity.”
Dominion Energy sent a statement that said:
“Dominion Energy does not believe deregulating the energy industry in South Carolina – in any form – is in the best interest of the state or our customers. The integrated, regulated energy market in South Carolina provides extensive ability and rigorous third-party oversight from state and federal regulators. This is critical to our ability to provide the reliable, affordable and increasingly clean energy that powers our customers every day. In doing so, Dominion Energy has an obligation to serve all customers in our service area – not just those who are profitable to serve. Unlike in a deregulated market, the rates we charge customers, including the company’s rate of return, are set by regulators after considering input from stakeholders. While deregulation makes many promises, several states have learned lessons when those promises have failed to materialize. Our focus is on further securing South Carolina’s energy grid by increasing generation capacity and modernizing our current generation fleet to meet all our customers’ needs.”
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