Electric Utility Affordability Crisis Brewing in South Carolina - CleanTechnica

The article highlights an emerging electric utility affordability crisis in South Carolina, driven largely by rising energy demand from data centers and costly utility infrastructure projects. A recent executive order by former President Donald Trump threatens to block state-level consumer protections related to artificial intelligence infrastructure, including large load tariffs that require tech companies to share the financial burden of increased electricity usage. The Sierra Club, involved in settlements with Duke Energy, emphasizes that these tariffs are crucial for protecting residential and traditional business customers from excessive utility rate hikes. South Carolina utilities Dominion and Santee Cooper have filed for a proposed Canadys gas plant, with costs doubling from $2.5 billion to $5 billion due to supply chain issues and plant expansion. This plant is expected to serve new data centers, and regulators may decide on its approval by mid-2026. Dominion also plans a rate increase in early 2026. The Sierra Club urges the Public Service Commission (PSC) to rigorously scrutinize the Canadys project and insists that any approval should be