2017 South Carolina Code of Laws
Title 58 - Public Utilities, Services and Carriers
CHAPTER 3 - PUBLIC SERVICE COMMISSION
Section 58-3-140. Powers to regulate public utilities.
(A) Except as otherwise provided in Chapter 9 of this title, the commission is vested with power and jurisdiction to supervise and regulate the rates and service of every public utility in this State and to fix just and reasonable standards, classifications, regulations, practices, and measurements of service to be furnished, imposed, or observed, and followed by every public utility in this State.
(B) The commission must develop and publish a policy manual which must set forth guidelines for the administration of the commission. All procedures must incorporate state requirements and good management practices to ensure the efficient and economical utilization of resources.
(C) The commission must facilitate access to its general rate request orders in contested matters involving more than one hundred thousand dollars by publishing an order guide which indexes and cross-references orders by subject matter and case name. The order guide must be made available for public inspection.
(D) The commission must promulgate regulations to require the direct testimony of witnesses appearing on behalf of utilities and of witnesses appearing on behalf of persons having formal intervenor status, such testimony to be reduced to writing and prefiled with the commission in advance of any hearing.
(E) Nothing in this section may be interpreted to repeal or modify specific exclusions from the commission's jurisdiction pursuant to Title 58 or any other title.
(F) When required to be filed, tariffs must be filed with the office of the chief clerk of the commission and, on that same day, provided to the Executive Director of the Office of Regulatory Staff.
HISTORY: 1962 Code Section 58-1; 1952 Code Section 58-1; 1942 Code Section 8204; 1932 Code Section 8248; 1922 (32) 956; 1935 (39) 25; 1983 Act No. 138, Section 7, eff June 15, 1983; 2004 Act No. 175, Section 4, eff January 1, 2005.
