Interview: Erin Siebert Discusses Energy Affordability in South Carolina
South Carolina has some of the highest energy bills in the nation, and August is one of the hottest months of the year, resulting in increased electric usage and even higher bills. This month, we caught up with Erin Siebert, Energy Policy Associate, to discuss CVSC’s work to prioritize energy affordability in the regulatory space and at the Statehouse. We’ll need your help to ensure legislators pursue energy efficiency reforms and customer safeguards to lower energy bills and contribute to a cleaner, more sustainable energy future for South Carolina.
Q: Hi Erin! South Carolina households have some of the highest energy burdens in the country. Can you explain what that means and why it’s more important than ever that we prioritize affordable and clean energy solutions?
A: Yes, energy burden is simply what percentage of a household’s income is used to pay energy bills. As a ‘rule of thumb’, 6% of household income is generally considered the limit of what is affordable. The average for low-income households across South Carolina is 20%, with some areas exceeding 50%. This is a lot to pay for a basic function of everyday life, and leaves many people making difficult decisions between paying energy bills versus purchasing other necessities like food or medicine.
It’s important that we address this issue now because energy costs have been steadily increasing for most South Carolina households over the past three years and are very likely to rise even more sharply unless state lawmakers take action. State utilities are planning historic investments in new power plants to serve new electricity demand in South Carolina, and these costs will be passed along to existing power customers, like you and me. And after a sweeping energy bill became law earlier this year, big power companies in South Carolina are now allowed to automatically raise customer bills every year if their profits dip, circumventing the standard regulatory process. Without common sense guardrails and reforms to protect customers, South Carolinians will pay more than they should and more than many can afford.
Q: CVSC is tackling this issue from multiple angles, including at the Public Service Commission and at the Statehouse. What outcomes do you hope to achieve with each approach?
A: This is about making sure South Carolinians aren’t paying too much for their power bills while also protecting our environment. Waste—whether it’s overbuilding expensive, polluting power plants or doing too little to improve energy efficiency (where our state ranks last in the nation)—drives up costs for customers and harms the environment. Because monopoly utilities profit by selling more electricity, they have little incentive to help customers save. That’s why legislators must require utilities to meet reasonable energy efficiency standards so that all South Carolinians have meaningful opportunities to lower their bills, all while protecting our environment.
The Public Service Commission (PSC), on the other hand, is the state agency that regulates power companies, making decisions about utilities’ proposed rate hikes and long-term energy plans. At the PSC, we’re working to ensure new power plants, rate hikes, and profits are closely examined so energy stays reliable, affordable, and cleaner for the future. To do this, we rely on Commissioners to put South Carolinians first, so it’s very helpful when they hear from residents firsthand.
Q: This work is clearly crucial for the well-being of South Carolinians and our communities. How would energy efficiency programs and customer safeguards also protect South Carolina’s air, land, and water?
A: Fossil fuel power plants place heavy burdens on South Carolina’s air, land, and water. They release harmful pollutants into our air and soil, impact our lakes and rivers, and emit the heat-trapping gases driving climate change. Building and fueling these plants often requires cutting through ecosystems and private property for pipelines to bring in fossil fuels from out of state. Energy efficiency is the cheapest way to reduce these harms by reducing the need for new plants and pipelines. At the same time, customer safeguards ensure monopoly utilities aren’t overcharging customers for power plants they don’t need. In short, protecting customers also protects our environment.
Q: Wow, there’s a lot at stake here. Can you tell us how CVSC advocates can get involved, and why their help will be crucial?
A: As mentioned above, take action: Tell your legislators that your energy bill is too high! Legislators are juggling dozens of different issues every legislative session, but they need to hear from their constituents that they must make energy affordability a top priority for the 2026 legislative session. And since legislators don’t get many messages this time of year, reaching out now means we have a better chance of putting energy affordability at the top of their to-do list.
As we get closer to legislative session this fall, we’ll share additional events and opportunities to engage on this issue–so stay tuned!