In yesterday’s State newspaper:
Three Midlands office buildings in the Synergy Business Park have been sold.
“101 and 111 Executive Center Drive and 110 Centerview Drive were sold by GPT Properties Trust to BV DRP Synergy II Owner, LLC for $10,749,367” Read more here: https://www.thestate.com/news/local/article237288369.html#storylink=cpy
Of course, we know which one is the crown jewel of the trio of properties.
Matt Schellinger has ended his distinguished tenure as a Rates Analyst with the ORS. Matt was the consummate professional and a very effective witness at the Public Service Commission. I never worried about asking Matt and open ended question (unless I did not like the answer) because I knew he would tell it like it is. This made him a great ORS witness because it showed absolute confidence in his work. No announcement on Matt’s next move, but we wish him the best!
The Charlotte Observer reports Sen. Wes Climer plans to introduce two bills to regulate water utilities in the next session. Climer wants utilities to file plans similar to Integrated Resource Plans required of electrical utilities. A second bill Climer plans to introduce would preclude a water utility from earning a return on equity when there is a shortfall in service. The text of the bills is not available at this time. Climer said they will be pre-filled in December.
According to the Public Utilities Review Committee, the following candidates have filed to run for the Public Service Commission.
DISTRICT 1: Paul S. Gawrych (Mt. Pleasant)
John E. “Butch” Howard (Moncks Corner)
Alvin T. Johnson, Jr. (Charleston)
Harry B. Limehouse, III (Charleston)
George “Robert” Newman (Mt. Pleasant)
Lawrence D. Sullivan (Summerville)
Darryle B. Ware (Summerville)
Carolee “Carolyn” Williams (Charleston)
DISTRICT 3: Stephen M. “Mike” Caston (Clemson)
Kevin G. Evans (Salem)
Santana D. Freeman (Abbeville)
Comer H. “Randy” Randall (Clinton) (I)
DISTRICT 5: Luther P. Hendrix (Camden)
Headen B. Thomas (Rock Hill)
Stephen R. Thomas (Fort Mill)
Swain E. Whitfield (Winnsboro)
DISTRICT 7: John Q. Atkinson, Jr. (Marion)
Alys C. Lawson (Conway)
Bonnie D. Loomis (Murrells Inlet)
Thomas G. “Tee” Miller, Jr. (Georgetown)
Ted M. Vick (Pawleys Island)
There was a Supreme Court argument worth watching last week. The case involved an appeal of the Public Service Commission’s decision to adopt then SCE&G’s proposed capacity cost factor (zero) for solar energy in the company’s 2018 fuel cost case. OK, this may not be the most exciting issue for some of you, but the oral arguments were great! Blan Halman, Joseph S. Dowdy, and John Hoefer went mano a mano before a hot bench. The argument also shows how strange the customs and practices of the PSC seem to the outside world. It caused me to to take a fresh look at how to draft my next proposed order.
Senior Auditor Aisha Butler has left the Office of Regulatory Staff. Aisha was thorough and professional. She didn’t give anything up in her audits. But she was also so pleasant that my clients were never upset with her, even after receiving an initial AIR with over one hundred subsections. Aisha had a rare talent for maintaining a cheerful and positive attitude in an often stressful adversarial process. She will be missed, and we all wish her well in her future endeavors.
