South Carolina H 3309: Electrical Utilities

Bill Text

2025-2026 Bill 3309 Text of Previous Version (May. 01, 2025) - South Carolina Legislature Online 

South Carolina General Assembly
126th Session, 2025-2026

Bill 3309

Indicates Matter Stricken
Indicates New Matter

(Text matches printed bills. Document has been reformatted to meet World Wide Web specifications.)

Indicates Matter Stricken

Indicates New Matter

Amended - Not Printed 
Bill for the House

Amt. No. 1A (LC-3309.HA0110H.docx)

May 1, 2025

H. 3309

Introduced by Reps. G. M. Smith, Gatch, 
Herbkersman, Pope, B. Newton, Wooten, Robbins, Mitchell, Chapman, W. Newton, 
Taylor, Forrest, Hewitt, Kirby, Schuessler, Yow, Long, M. M. Smith, Hardee, 
Montgomery, Atkinson, Hixon, Ligon, Anderson, Weeks, Willis, Govan and Williams 

S. Printed 5/1/25--H.

Read the first time January 14, 2025

________

A bill

TO AMEND THE SOUTH CAROLINA CODE OF LAWS BY ENACTING THE 
"SOUTH CAROLINA ENERGY SECURITY ACT" BY AMENDING SECTION 58-3-20, RELATING TO 
THE MEMBERSHIP, ELECTION, AND QUALIFICATIONS OF THE PUBLIC SERVICE COMMISSION, 
SO AS TO CHANGE THE NUMBER OF COMMISSIONERS FROM SEVEN TO THREE TO BE ELECTED 
BY THE GENERAL ASSEMBLY FROM THE STATE AT LARGE; BY AMENDING SECTION 58-3-140, 
RELATING TO THE PUBLIC SERVICE COMMISSION'S POWERS TO REGULATE PUBLIC 
UTILITIES, SO AS TO ESTABLISH CONSIDERATIONS AND STATE POLICY FOR THE COMMISSION'S 
DECISION-MAKING PROCESS, TO ESTABLISH A SCHEDULE FOR CERTAIN TESTIMONY AND 
DISCOVERY IN CONTESTED PROCEEDINGS, TO PERMIT ELECTRICAL UTILITY CUSTOMERS TO 
ADDRESS THE COMMISSION AS PUBLIC WITNESSES, AND TO ESTABLISH REQUIREMENTS FOR 
AN INDEPENDENT THIRD-PARTY CONSULTANT HIRED BY THE COMMISSION; BY AMENDING 
SECTION 58-3-250, RELATING TO SERVICE OF ORDERS AND DECISIONS ON PARTIES, SO AS 
TO MAKE A TECHNICAL CHANGE; BY AMENDING SECTION 58-4-10, RELATING TO THE OFFICE 
OF REGULATORY STAFF AND ITS REPRESENTATION OF PUBLIC INTEREST BEFORE THE 
COMMISSION, SO AS TO ESTABLISH ITS CONSIDERATIONS FOR PUBLIC INTEREST; BY 
ADDING SECTION 58-4-150 SO AS TO REQUIRE THE OFFICE OF REGULATORY STAFF TO 
PREPARE A COMPREHENSIVE STATE ENERGY ASSESSMENT AND ACTION PLAN AND TO 
ESTABLISH REQUIREMENTS FOR THIS PLAN; BY ADDING CHAPTER 38 TO TITLE 58 SO AS TO 
ESTABLISH THE SOUTH CAROLINA ENERGY POLICY RESEARCH AND ECONOMIC DEVELOPMENT 
INSTITUTE; BY ADDING SECTION 58-33-195 SO AS TO ENCOURAGE DOMINION ENERGY, THE 
PUBLIC SERVICE AUTHORITY, DUKE ENERGY CAROLINAS, AND DUKE ENERGY PROGRESS TO 
EVALUATE CERTAIN ELECTRICAL GENERATION FACILITIES AND PROVIDE FOR 
CONSIDERATIONS RELATED TO THESE FACILITIES; BY ADDING SECTION 58-31-205 SO AS 
TO PERMIT THE PUBLIC SERVICE AUTHORITY TO JOINTLY OWN ELECTRICAL GENERATION AND 
TRANSMISSION FACILITIES WITH INVESTOR-OWNED ELECTRIC UTILITIES, AND TO PROVIDE 
REQUIREMENTS FOR JOINT OWNERSHIP; BY AMENDING ARTICLE 9 OF CHAPTER 7, TITLE 13, 
RELATING TO THE GOVERNOR'S NUCLEAR ADVISORY COUNCIL, SO AS TO ESTABLISH THE 
COUNCIL IN THE OFFICE OF REGULATORY STAFF, TO PROVIDE FOR ITS DUTIES AND 
MEMBERSHIP, AND TO PROVIDE FOR THE COUNCIL'S DIRECTOR; BY AMENDING SECTION 
37-6-604, RELATING TO THE CONSUMER ADVOCATE'S INTERVENTION ON MATTERS FILED AT 
THE COMMISSION, SO AS TO TRANSFER THESE DUTIES TO THE OFFICE OF REGULATORY 
STAFF; BY ADDING SECTION 58-33-196 SO AS TO ENCOURAGE CONSIDERATION OF 
DEPLOYMENT OF NUCLEAR FACILITIES AND TO PROVIDE RELATED REQUIREMENTS; BY ADDING 
SECTION 58-37-70 SO AS TO PERMIT A SMALL MODULAR NUCLEAR PILOT PROGRAM AND TO 
ESTABLISH REQUIREMENTS; BY ADDING ARTICLE 3 TO CHAPTER 37, TITLE 58 SO AS TO 
PROVIDE FOR STATE AGENCY REVIEW OF ENERGY INFRASTRUCTURE PROJECT APPLICATIONS 
AND TO PROVIDE A SUNSET, AND BY ADDING ARTICLE 1 TO CHAPTER 37 TO INCLUDE ALL 
OTHER SECTIONS OF CHAPTER 37; BY AMENDING SECTION 58-40-10, RELATING TO THE 
DEFINITION OF "CUSTOMER-GENERATOR," SO AS TO ESTABLISH CHARACTERISTICS FOR A 
"CUSTOMER-GENERATOR"; BY AMENDING SECTION 58-41-30, RELATING TO VOLUNTARY 
RENEWABLE ENERGY PROGRAMS, SO AS TO PROVIDE ADDITIONAL REQUIREMENTS AND 
CONSIDERATIONS FOR THESE PROGRAMS; BY AMENDING SECTION 58-41-10, RELATING TO 
DEFINITIONS, SO AS TO ADD THE DEFINITION OF "ENERGY STORAGE FACILITIES"; BY 
AMENDING SECTION 58-41-20, RELATING TO PROCEEDINGS FOR ELECTRICAL UTILITIES' 
AVOIDED COST METHODOLOGIES AND RELATED PROCESSES, SO AS TO AUTHORIZE 
COMPETITIVE PROCUREMENT PROGRAMS FOR RENEWABLE ENERGY, CAPACITY, AND STORAGE, 
TO PERMIT COMPETITIVE PROCUREMENT OF NEW RENEWABLE ENERGY CAPACITY AND 
ESTABLISH REQUIREMENTS FOR NON-COMPETITIVE PROCUREMENT PROGRAMS, AND TO DELETE 
LANGUAGE REGARDING THE COMMISSION HIRING THIRD-PARTY EXPERTS FOR THESE 
PROCEEDINGS; BY ADDING SECTION 58-41-25 SO AS TO PROVIDE FOR A PROCESS FOR 
COMPETITIVE PROCUREMENT OF RENEWABLE ENERGY FACILITIES; BY AMENDING SECTION 
58-33-20, RELATING TO DEFINITIONS, SO AS TO ADD THE DEFINITION "LIKE FACILITY" 
AND AMENDING THE DEFINITION OF "MAJOR UTILITY FACILITY"; BY AMENDING ARTICLE 3 
OF CHAPTER 33, TITLE 58, RELATING TO CERTIFICATION OF MAJOR UTILITY FACILITIES, 
SO AS TO PROVIDE F