COLUMBIA, S.C. (WACH, AP) -- South Carolina Electric & Gas has filed its annual review with state regulators to raise rates to pay for two new nuclear reactors near Columbia.
The company filed its request last week with the state Public Service Commission to raise residential rates 2.8 percent. That would mean another $3.50 for a customer using 1,000 kilowatt hours a month for a total bill of $130. Business, government and other customers would see varying increases of more than 2 percent.
The requested increase is in addition to a 2 percent increase Columbia City Council voted for SCE&G's franchise fee to help fund the Central Midlands Regional Transit Authority's bus system.
In 2009, regulators said the company could raise electricity rates an average of 2 percent a year for 10 years to prepay financing for the $10 billion nuclear reactors it is building in Jenkinsville with state-owned utility Santee Cooper. The increases still have to go through an annual review process.
SCE&G has said it will save $1 billion by increasing rates now instead of waiting until the first reactor comes online in 2016.
(The Associated Press contributed to this report.)
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