Issue Position: Energy & Utilities

Issue Position

South Carolina was recently ranked 7th in the nation of the states with the highest utility rates.

The catastrophic VC Summer Nuclear Plant situation that left taxpayers holding the bag is just the tip of the iceberg.

South Carolina has allowed a monopoly on energy and it's costing the people. Competition is not allowed where it matters most, in their wallet. Without competition and the natural price controls that competition brings, South Carolina ratepayers are paying some of the highest rates in the country. This is not an area where we want to be #1..

To put it in perspective, a small business from Georgia opened a location in South Carolina. Their utility bill was $12,000 the first month. Back in Georgia, they were paying $6,000 per month for the same square footage and usage.

The high utility rates impacts individuals and households as well. A study released in 2018 found that South Carolinians pay an average of $473.78 per month on utilities, ranking the state at no. 7 of the most expensive utilities in the United States.

For South Carolinians to have lower more competitive costs in energy and utilities, we must break the monopoly and allow for open free markets and competitive rates.

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