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TO REQUIRE THE SOUTH CAROLINA PUBLIC SERVICE AUTHORITY AND ELECTRIC COOPERATIVES TO PARTICIPATE IN A PUBLIC SERVICE COMMISSION DOCKET IN ACCORDANCE WITH THE OFFICE OF REGULATORY STAFF'S MOTION TO SOLICIT COMMENTS FROM UTILITIES AND STAKEHOLDERS REGARDING MEASURES TO MITIGATE IMPACTS OF THREATS TO SAFE AND RELIABLE UTILITY SERVICES; TO REQUIRE THE PUBLIC SERVICE AUTHORITY AND ELECTRIC COOPERATIVES TO COOPERATE WITH AND ASSIST THE OFFICE OF REGULATORY STAFF IN ITS REVIEW TO EVALUATE SOUTH CAROLINA'S POWER GRID; AND TO STRONGLY ENCOURAGE OTHER NONREGULATED UTILITIES TO PARTICIPATE IN THAT PUBLIC SERVICE COMMISSION DOCKET AND TO COOPERATE WITH AND ASSIST THE OFFICE OF REGULATORY STAFF IN ITS REVIEW TO EVALUATE SOUTH CAROLINA'S POWER GRID.
Whereas, citizens across the United States have followed the catastrophic disaster in Texas resulting from the recent winter storms and its electric grid's inability to provide electricity to Texans; and
Whereas, on February 22, 2021, the Office of Regulatory Staff (ORS) submitted a Motion to Solicit Comments from Utilities and Other Interested Stakeholders Regarding Measures to be Taken to Mitigate Impacts of Threats to Safe and Reliable Utility Service; and
Whereas, ORS' motion requested that the Public Service Commission (PSC) open a docket and require regulated electric and natural gas utilities, and allow the South Carolina Public Service Authority, the electric cooperatives, and other nonregulated utilities, to provide information to the Commission "regarding measures the utilities have taken and plan to take to mitigate the negative impacts of potential ice storms and other dangerous weather conditions and to ensure peak customer demands on the utility system can be met during extreme weather scenarios"; and
Whereas, the devastation and loss of human life in the wake of the disaster in Texas inspires the General Assembly to investigate South Carolina's infrastructure to ensure that electricity providers in this State have acceptable contingencies and abilities to meet the demands of our citizens and protect them from any similar catastrophic weather events. Now, therefore,
Be it enacted by the General Assembly of the State of South Carolina:
SECTION 1. (A)(1) The South Carolina Public Service Authority and the electric cooperatives must participate in a PSC docket that is opened in accordance with ORS' February 22, 2021, Motion to Solicit Comments from Utilities and Other Interested Stakeholders Regarding Measures to Mitigate Impacts of Threats to Safe and Reliable Utility Service.
(2) The South Carolina Public Service Authority and the electric cooperatives must cooperate with and assist the ORS in its task to review South Carolina's public and private power grid to evaluate its ability to withstand potential ice storms and other dangerous weather conditions; and
(3) Other nonregulated utilities are strongly encouraged to:
(a) participate in a PSC docket that is opened in accordance with ORS' February 22, 2021, Motion to Solicit Comments from Utilities and Other Interested Stakeholders Regarding Measures to Mitigate Impacts of Threats to Safe and Reliable Utility Service; and
(b) cooperate with and assist the ORS in its task to review South Carolina's public and private power grid to evaluate its ability to withstand potential ice storms and other dangerous weather conditions.
(B) Upon completion of its review, the ORS must provide a summary of its findings and any recommendations to the President of the Senate, the Speaker of the House of Representatives, and the Public Utilities Review Committee.
SECTION 2. This joint resolution takes effect upon approval by the Governor.
This web page was last updated on February 25, 2021 at 1:12 PM