Jet-setting SC Public Service Commissioners come at a high cost.

The US Department of Energy reimbursed Commissioner Swain Whitfield $5,971.41 for a trip to China and Japan.

Whitfield and Commissioner Butch Howard listed the highest number of trips – 46 – from 2014 to 2018.

Most of them were reimbursements as speakers.

Besides National Association of Regulatory Utility Commissioners conferences, Whitfield took 2 American Gas Association-reimbursed trips to New York.

Howard took 2 National Association of Water Companies-reimbursed trips to Seattle and Phoenix, plus 3 trips to Toronto, Chicago and Palo Alto, CA, all reimbursed by the Electric Power Research Institute.

Howard is a member of EPRI’s Advisory Council.

EPRI said, “12 state public utilities commissioners serve on EPRI’s Advisory Council and are selected by the president of NARUC, not EPRI.

“EPRI does not view having commissioners on its advisory council as a conflict.”

Whitfield, Howard and 2 other commissioners, O’Neal Hamilton and chair Randy Randall, reported these trips and costs on their Statements of Economic Interest:

• Howard: 25, $34,725

• Whitfield: 21, $28,222

• Randall: 14, $17,132

• Hamilton: 4, $3,756

The commissioners were provided 153 meals costing $6,435 with Howard reporting nearly half of it.

The PURC last month qualified Randall for another 4-year term but found Whitfield not qualified.

Howard and Hamilton are not seeking re-election.

An election by the Legislature set for this week was delayed after the PURC failed to nominate any candidates for the 4 seats.

Howard dropped out of his race and Whitfield was not re-qualified, but with Randall they plan to attend NARUC’s “Winter Policy Summit” in Washington.

Howard also is scheduled to attend an EPRI meeting March 24-26 in Winter Park, Florida; a New Mexico State University “Current Issues” event April 5-8 in Santa Fe; and a NAWC “Commissioner Water Policy Forum” April 27-29 in Charleston.

What they say about PSC trips

• Office of Regulatory staff Director Nanette Edwards: ORS does not accept anything of value from a regulated entity. ORS has never been a member of NARUC, and we became a member of the national association of consumer advocates July 1 2019.

• Office of Regulatory staff Public Information Director Ron Aiken: The ORS travel budget – $26,000 over 12 years for an average of about $2,100 a year – is actually incredibly small compared to most state agencies. We only book rooms at GSA rates.

• PSC Information Director Rob Bockman: Commissioners’ service includes training and educational opportunities to ensure they’re informed and capable.

• Tom Clements, intervenor on the nuclear project with Friends of the Earth: When observing the proceedings on the nuclear debacle, it was clear the entire PSC was in the pocket of SCE&G. Unfortunately, it’s no surprise at all that the most biased, anti-ratepayer commissioners took trips not paid for by the PSC.

The saddest part is that if these trips were indeed for training courses, all they learned was how to stick it harder to the ratepayer. It will be good to see more commissioners responsible for the nuclear reactor debacle leave the commission.