South Carolina Nuclear Reactors: Utility Unlawfully Hiked Rates, Suit Says

COLUMBIA, SC — The board of the state-owned utility Santee Cooper unconstitutionally hiked rates to pay for a failed nuclear power plant project, two South Carolina power customers said in a lawsuit.

The lawsuit — obtained Saturday by The Associated Press — was filed Wednesday in Berkeley County, where Santee Cooper is located. The utility and South Carolina Electric & Gas Co. decided last month to scrap the the expansion of V.C. Summer Nuclear Station after jointly spending nearly $10 billion. (For more information on the failed nuclear reactors and other Columbia stories, subscribe to Patch to receive daily newsletters and breaking news alerts. If you have an iPhone, click here to get the free Patch iPhone app.)

The abrupt end left thousands jobless and brought a backlash from lawmakers and customers, who have spent about $2 billion on the project through rate hikes. Santee Cooper's customers paid more than half a billion of that.

The lawsuit is seeking class-action status. Santee Cooper didn't immediately return a message seeking comment.

By MEG KINNARD, Associated Press

Photo credit: Chuck Burton/Associated Press