I received this document in the mail. What is this?

This is a notice of public hearings—an announcement of two dates that the Public Service Commission of South Carolina has reserved for you, as a consumer of Dominion Energy South Carolina, to speak about the company’s request for a rate increase. On January 5th from 1 p.m. to 6 p.m. or on January 7th from 6 p.m. to 9 p.m., you’ll be able to either testify via your phone or appear in person--whichever you’re most comfortable doing.

It’s not a bill, or a court summons, or a required appearance?

Not at all—this is not a bill or a jury duty notice or anything you must do or face penalties.

Okay, so I’m not in trouble?

Absolutely not. This isn’t even required of you, but an optional chance for you to speak before the Commission.

Speak about what?

You can speak about Dominion’s request for a 7.7% rate increase that’s before the Commission (which the Commission calls Docket No. 2020-125-E). In January, the Commission will begin hearings to determine the appropriateness of this request and will deliver their decision shortly thereafter.

If you’re just looking for the basics of the case, the Public Service Commission has you covered. Check out this link to download a summary of Dominion’s request and their application. You can also learn more from the Docket on the PSC’s Docket Management System, where you can find everything related to the case. It’s pretty advanced, but you won’t find a more comprehensive record of the Docket.

At the bottom, I see a chart that lists several dollar amounts. Do I have to pay this?

No—this is an example of how a potential rate increase would affect your bill. It’s just there to illustrate the proportionate increase in your bill if the PSC were to approve the utility provider’s request (based on a monthly usage of 1000 kWh/month).

That makes sense! I think I want to participate in the public hearings. How do I do that?

We’ve outlined the steps you’ll need to take to register at our blog here, but let us know if you have any questions by messaging us on Facebook or Twitter or emailing robert.bockman@psc.sc.gov. We look forward to hearing from you!

I don't want to testify. Can I still participate?

Absolutely! On the day of the hearings, you'll be able to watch the testimony of others through the Commission's livestream at this link. If you're on the go, you can also call the listening line at 1-800-908-8386 and hear from other ratepayers.