SCE and G pitches plan to help low-income customers with bills

COLUMBIA, SOUTH CAROLINA - SCE&G wants state permission to use $3 million in tax credits to help poorer customers pay heating bills.

If the utility gets approval, money from those credits would be funneled through the governor's office to local community action agencies around the state, and from there to consumers.

Consumers then could apply for a one-time credit of $250 on natural gas bills, said SCE&G spokesman Eric Boomhower.

The utility will present the proposal to the S.C. Public Service Commission on Dec. 6, and if the agency gives approval that day, consumers could begin applying for the credit on Dec. 12, he said.

"The Public Service Commission challenged us to evaluate ways we could help our customers in relation to the unusually high gas prices we're all experiencing," said SCE&G president Neville Lorick. "These funds should help some of our most vulnerable customers stay warm."

SCE&G receives the tax credits at issue from the federal government for an environmental program. The company must get state permission to use the credits in new ways, because the PSC oversees the company's finances, said Marty Phalen, an SCE&G vice president.PSC spokesman Charlie Terreni said Tuesday that his agency welcomed customer-assistance efforts, but had not yet reviewed SCE&G's proposal.

"I would assume it would be given expedited consideration" by the PSC, Terreni said. "They will try to deal with it quickly."

To be eligible for the proposed heating help, a household's income would have to be no more than 175 percent of the federal poverty level. For a family of four, that's no more than $33,863, while for a lone individual it is no more than $16,748.

Consumers would not apply for the proposed financial assistance at SCE&G, but instead would apply at community action agencies, such as the Aiken/Barnwell/Lexington Counties Community Action Commission or Wateree Community Actions(which accepts applications from Richland County and other nearby counties). Consumers would have to bring their heating bills to agencies to get help, SCE&G said.