Issue Position: Standing Up for Ratepayers

Issue Position

South Carolina's bright economic future and continued job growth require an abundant supply of clean and affordable energy. Without it, we are at a competitive disadvantage.

However, South Carolinians have paid billions to finance the construction of nuclear reactors that may never be completed and now face the prospect of being charged even more to pay off billions of dollars in debt for SCE&G and Santee Cooper.

I want to get the nuclear plants built -- or get the people their money back.

SCE&G must immediately stop charging customers the approximately $37 million per month from ratepayers for the abandoned project and begin refunding the money ratepayers have already paid.

The sale of the State's public utility Santee Cooper, which is currently saddled with $4.3 billion in debt from the project, is the only feasible solution to protect their customers from bearing the cost of this debt through rate increases.

Furthermore, I have instructed the General Assembly to send me a bill that replaces the Base Load Review Act and prevents ratepayers from being charged in the future. Anything less, and I will veto it.

I will never stop fighting for South Carolina ratepayers.

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