After Republican letter, majority of Congress oppose FCC plan - The Hill's Hillicon Valley

After Republican letter, majority of Congress oppose FCC plan - The Hill's Hillicon Valley:

By Sara Jerome - 05/28/10 12:27 PM ET

"A majority of lawmakers have lined up against the FCC's plan to wield greater power over broadband companies. A group of 171 House Republicans on Friday joined Democratic critics in opposing the Federal Communications Commission’s plan to classify broadband as a telecommunication service, which they suggested was a power grab."

SCE&G seeks nuclear plant related rate hike - WIS News 10 - Columbia, South Carolina |

SCE&G seeks nuclear plant related rate hike - WIS News 10 - Columbia, South Carolina |:

"South Carolina Electric & Gas Co. said in a news release Friday that the rate increase, set to take effect in October, will add about $3.33 to the monthly bill of a customer using 1,000 kilowatt hours of electricity each month."

Graham’s hopes fade on climate - TheHill.com

Graham’s hopes fade on climate - TheHill.com:
By Alexander Bolton

"He doesn’t think the signs look good given the fallout from the oil spill in the Gulf of Mexico.
“Why would a person who really believes in drilling put a bill on the floor right now to expand drilling and revenue sharing, knowing it can’t get 50 votes?” Graham said. “The resistance to drilling has hardened on the Democratic side, so we [Republicans have] got more votes to make up.”

Graham predicts that 10 to 12 Democrats will oppose the drilling provision he originally negotiated in the energy bill, undermining the reason he joined talks in the first place: to reduce the nation’s dependence on foreign oil."

Santee Cooper to buy landfill gas; Google to buy carbon offsets

South Carolina's Media Engine for Economic Growth - SCBIZ: "MONCKS CORNER -- Later this year, Santee Cooper plans to start converting methane gas from the Berkeley County landfill into electricity.

Google, which has a data center nearby in Berkeley County, will help finance the project by buying the carbon offsets that it creates through 2013.

Officials with those entities announced the joint project Wednesday afternoon."

South Carolina's Media Engine for Economic Growth - SCBIZ

South Carolina's Media Engine for Economic Growth - SCBIZ:

Andy Owens

"CHARLESTON -- Millions of dollars could come to Charleston over the next three years under a pilot program that gives the city up to $1 million upfront to make homes and businesses more energy efficient.

Charleston Mayor Joe Riley and representatives of local, state and national organizations including the U.S. Department of Energy, S.C. Energy Office, Coastal Conservation League, Southeast Energy Efficiency Alliance, Trident Technical College and The Sustainability Institute announced the joint effort Tuesday in Charleston City Council Chambers.

Charleston is one of several cities across the country using $400 million in federal stimulus money to increase energy efficiency and green jobs in 25 different projects. Communities in eight Southeastern states are sharing in $20 million administered by the Southeast Energy Efficiency Alliance for the program dubbed Retrofit Ramp-Up."

ECT.coop Co-op Fundraiser Tops $1 Million

ECT.coop Co-op Fundraiser Tops $1 Million:

"The annual Blue Ridge Fest at Blue Ridge Electric Cooperative has become the co-op’s signature community event, drawing classic car fans from throughout the southeastern United States.

“This was our 13th annual Blue Ridge Fest and in the first 12 years [that] we raised over $950,000.” said Liza Holder, the marketing coordinator at the Pickens-based co-op. “A lot of people came out this year and helped us break thru the $1 million milestone.”"

Stormy debate over greenhouse gases - Dianna Heitz - POLITICO.com

Stormy debate over greenhouse gases - Dianna Heitz - POLITICO.com:
By DIANNA HEITZ | 5/26/10 5:04 AM EDT
"The disapproval resolution, introduced by Sen. Lisa Murkowski (R-Alaska), has 41 co-sponsors, including Democrats Ben Nelson of Nebraska, Mary Landrieu of Louisiana and Blanche Lincoln of Arkansas. Other co-sponsors include Saxby Chambliss (R-Ga.), Sam Brownback (R-Kan.) and Judd Gregg (R-N.H.).

The resolution, which is part of the Congressional Review Act, cannot be filibustered or amended. It also would need approval in the House and a presidential signature to go into effect. To pass the Senate, it needs only 51 votes."

SCE&G argues for rate hike - Business - TheState.com

SCE&G argues for rate hike - Business - TheState.com:

"The state agency, which represents consumers in utility cases, and several customers opposed to the rate increase have reached a series of agreements with the company calling for SCE&G to give residential and small customers $25 million in credits over the first year of the rate increase.

A second credit — $48 million — would go to all customers and would be spread over two years.
Those credits would delay the full impact of the proposed 4.88 percent rate increase until July 2012, SCE&G’s lead attorney Chad Burgess told the Public Service Commission on Monday.
If the company’s request is approved, a customer using 1,000 kilowatt hours of electricity would pay $5.79 more a month."

MediaPost Publications AT&T Shrugs Off FCC Scrutiny, Hikes Early-Termination Fees 05/24/2010

MediaPost Publications AT&T Shrugs Off FCC Scrutiny, Hikes Early-Termination Fees 05/24/2010:

"It looks as if AT&T is daring the Federal Communications Commission to take stronger action on early-termination fees. In a letter to customers dated May 21, the carrier said it planned to raise the ETF on smartphones and netbooks from $175 to $325 starting June 1.
In the same announcement, AT&T conversely said it also plans to lower the ETF on basic and quick messaging phones to $150 from $175. Both changes apply only to new and renewing subscribers rather than current ones."

Congress to Review Telecommunications Law - NYTimes.com

Congress to Review Telecommunications Law - NYTimes.com:

Edward Wyatt

"Senator John D. Rockefeller IV of West Virginia, chairman of the Senate Commerce, Science and Transportation Committee, and Representative Henry A. Waxman of California, chairman of the House Committee on Energy and Commerce, said in a joint statement that they would hold meetings in June to examine how the Communications Act meets the current needs of consumers, the telecommunications industry and the Federal Communications Commission."

SCE&G argues for rate hike - Business - TheState.com

SCE&G argues for rate hike - Business - TheState.com:

"Over the past month or so, the Cayce-based company has cut that request by half to get more in line with the rate recommended by the state Office of Regulatory Staff.
The state agency, which represents consumers in utility cases, and several customers opposed to the rate increase have reached a series of agreements with the company calling for SCE&G to give residential and small customers $25 million in credits over the first year of the rate increase.
A second credit — $48 million — would go to all customers and would be spread over two years.
Those credits would delay the full impact of the proposed 4.88 percent rate increase until July 2012, SCE&G’s lead attorney Chad Burgess told the Public Service Commission on Monday.
If the company’s request is approved, a customer using 1,000 kilowatt hours of electricity would pay $5.79 more a month."

SCE&G customers blast rate hike - Local / Metro - TheState.com

SCE&G customers blast rate hike - Local / Metro - TheState.com:

By JEFF WILKINSON - jwilkinson@thestate.com

"Before the public hearing on Monday, the utility announced that it had also agreed to limit its ability to raise rates again before June 2012.
The latest stipulation won over six of nine interveners, which are utility users who represent large groups of people or large companies. The six are the South Carolina Energy Users Committee, Wal-Mart Stores East LP, Sam’s East Inc., The Women’s Shelter, the Federal Executive Agencies and Frank Knapp Jr."

The Post and Courier - SCE&G readies case for rate hike - Charleston SC - postandcourier.com

The Post and Courier - SCE&G readies case for rate hike - Charleston SC - postandcourier.com:

Warren Wise

"If approved, the latest proposal would cost a household using 1,000 kilowatt hours of electricity about $5.79 a month, or $69.48, extra each year, when it is fully in place over the next two years starting in July. The original request would have cost customers about $140 over 12 months.

Rates would go up 2.5 percent in July, 1.2 percent in July 2011 and 1.18 percent in July 2012.

The proposed rate schedule includes about $25 million collected from customers during this past winter that would go back to them and another $48 million in tax credits.

The increased power costs would come on top of an already approved average annual spike of 2 percent over the next decade to pay the $10 billion cost of two new nuclear reactors north of Columbia."