South Carolina Code 58-33-185. Additional requirements regarding acquisition of a major utility facility
(B)(1) In acting upon any petition by the Public Service Authority pursuant to this section, the Public Service Authority must prove by a preponderance of the evidence that the proposed transaction constitutes a more cost-effective means for serving direct serve and wholesale customers than other feasibly available long-term power supply alternatives and provides less ratepayer risk while maintaining safe and reliable electric service than other feasibly available long-term power supply alternatives. The commission shall consider any previous analysis performed pursuant to § 58-37-40 in acting upon any petition by the Public Service Authority pursuant to this section. The commission shall also take into account the Public Service Authority’s arrangements with other electric utilities for interchange of power, pooling of plants, purchase of power and other alternative methods for providing reliable, efficient, and economical electric service.
Terms Used In South Carolina Code 58-33-185
- commission: means Public Service Commission. See South Carolina Code 58-33-20
- Contract: A legal written agreement that becomes binding when signed.
- Discovery: Lawyers' examination, before trial, of facts and documents in possession of the opponents to help the lawyers prepare for trial.
- Evidence: Information presented in testimony or in documents that is used to persuade the fact finder (judge or jury) to decide the case for one side or the other.
- Jurisdiction: (1) The legal authority of a court to hear and decide a case. Concurrent jurisdiction exists when two courts have simultaneous responsibility for the same case. (2) The geographic area over which the court has authority to decide cases.
- major utility facility: means :
(a) electric generating plant and associated facilities designed for, or capable of, operation at a capacity of more than seventy-five megawatts. See South Carolina Code 58-33-20 - Testimony: Evidence presented orally by witnesses during trials or before grand juries.
- utility: means any person engaged in the generating, distributing, sale, delivery, or furnishing of electricity for public use. See South Carolina Code 58-33-20
(2) Available long-term power supply alternatives may include, but not be limited to, power purchase agreements of a different duration than proposed, competitive procurement of renewable energy, joint dispatch agreements, market purchases from an existing regional transmission organization, joining or creating a new regional transmission organization, using best available technology for energy generation, transmission, storage and distribution, or any combination thereof.
(C) Application for the approval of the commission shall be made by the Public Service Authority and shall contain a concise statement of the proposed action, the reasons therefor, and such other information as may be required by the commission.
(D) Upon the receipt of an application, the commission shall promptly fix a date for the commencement of a public hearing, not less than sixty nor more than ninety days after the receipt, and shall conclude the proceedings as expeditiously as practicable. The commission shall establish notice requirements and proceedings shall include an opportunity for intervention, discovery, filed comments or testimony, and an evidentiary hearing.
(E) The commission shall render a decision upon the record either granting or denying the application as filed, or granting it upon such terms, conditions or modifications as the commission may deem appropriate.
(F)(1) The commission may not grant approval unless it shall find and determine that the Public Service Authority satisfied all requirements of this section and the proposed transaction is in the best interests of the retail and wholesale customers of the Public Service Authority.
(2) The commission also may require compliance with any provision of Article 3, Chapter 33 of Title 58 that the commission determines necessary to grant approval.