A powerful trade group serves regulated monopolies and their regulators.

The National Association of Regulatory Utility Commissioners is an $11 million non-profit that says it is “dedicated to representing the state public service commissioners who regulate the utilities that provide essential services such as energy, telecommunications, power, water and transportation.”

It arranges seminars for Public Service Commissioners like the 7 in SC plus regulatory groups such as the Office of Regulatory Staff.

Besides Washington, D.C., 4 SC commissioners attended NARUC seminars to Clearwater and Orlando, FL, Baltimore, Boston, San Diego; and Scottsdale, AZ, according to their Statements of Economic Interest.

Event sponsors were the American Gas Association, Nuclear Energy Institute and the National Association of Water Companies.

On AGA’s board of directors sit vice presidents of Duke and Dominion Energy, which acquired SCANA, the holding company owners of SC Electric & Gas.

Former SCANA CEO Kevin Marsh also was a board member in recent years.

Duke and Dominion are regulated by the PSC.

Duke and Dominion also are represented on the Nuclear Energy Institute’s board of directors.

Blue Granite Water which the PSC regulates is a National Association of Water Companies’s member.

Howard, Whitfield, Hamilton and Randall each were treated from 2014 to 2018 to dinners listed at $35 or $50 – funded by the AGA and NAWC, their SEIs show.

PSC Chair Randall took NAWC-paid trips to Charlotte, Savannah, St. Louis, Seattle, New York, Scottsdale and Ft. Lauderdale.

Representatives of NAWC and AGA did not respond to written questions. NEI spokeswoman Mary Love referred questions to NARUC, Dominion and Duke.

Asked if the sponsorships created potential conflicts, the NARUC said: “Our meetings are educational and attendees include commissioners, members of federal government, consumers groups, researchers, industry and the press. Our topic selections and panelists are developed in a manner that provides constructive, useful content without causing a conflict of interest.”