Pollution suit: SCE&G to pay feds $3.8 million - Local / Metro - TheState.com

Sammy Fretwell

"Contamination at the aquarium and visitors’ center sites came from land SCE&G or its predecessor companies have owned since before the Civil War. First used for a manufactured gas plant between 1855 and 1910, the property today houses a 32-year-old electrical substation.
Through the years, the power company and its predecessors produced a mix of hazardous substances that were piped, dumped and released to what today is occupied by the visitor’s center and aquarium, according to legal documents filed in federal court. Volatile organic compounds, cyanide and arsenic are among the toxins that washed off the SCE&G property, a federal lawsuit against SCE&G said."

SC lawmaker: Utility execs don't deserve a raise - State & Regional - Wire - TheState.com

By SEANNA ADCOX - Associated Press

"Rep. Jim Merrill said he will seek to rescind raises approved for Santee Cooper executives and bar them from getting a raise in any year that state employees don't get a cost-of-living increase."

Downside to Duke Energy From Increasing Environmental Regulations - NASDAQ.com

With a view on reducing pollution, regulators are planning to tighten many of the clean air and clean water regulations. As a result of these initiatives, the costs for utilities are expected to increase as they will have to make a lot of changes to their operations in order to produce and deliver cleaner power. In addition, utility revenues have been slow to recover as power prices have remained low with people and businesses using less electricity, a continuation of tends seen during the recent downturn."