Who will approve future electric rate hikes in SC? New utility regulators picked

The state regulators responsible for overseeing electricity, gas and water rate hikes will have two new members.

South Carolina lawmakers elected two new and two incumbent commissioners to the Public Service Commission on Wednesday. The remaining three commission seats were not up for reelection.

The Public Service Commission oversees the state’s utilities, including by approving new infrastructure projects and rate hikes. For example, the regulators will determine whether Dominion can raise more than 820,000 South Carolinians electric rates by about $20 a month this year. The approval of a $5 billion, 2,200 megawatt natural gas plant in Colleton County will also be in the hands of the seven-member commission.

The panel could also gain more oversight for the energy and water use of data centers, under a bill filed by state Sen. Luke Rankin, R-Horry, this year.

Commissioners representing the Lowcountry, Pee Dee and Upstate were up for reelection. Commissioners Carolee Williams, Mike Caston and Headen Thomas and Delton Powers ran to retain their seats until June 2028. Their terms expired June 2024.

Potential candidates for the Public Service Commission are screened by a commission before the entire General Assembly elects new members.

Here’s who won the PSC elections:

District 1: Challenger Eugene Hennelly

Challenger Eugene Hennelly was elected to represent the Lowcountry, including portions of Berkeley, Charleston, Beaufort and Colleton counties. Hennelly cofounded Nebula Energy, an energy infrastructure investment and asset management company and Orion Digital Infrastructure, which “develops and integrates” power and cooling solutions for digital infrastructure, including data centers.

Incumbent Williams withdrew from the election before lawmakers voted Wednesday. Candidates may withdraw before the vote when they don’t have enough support to win an election in the General Assembly.

Hennelly did not attend the election Wednesday due to the “imminent arrival” of his first child, said state Rep. Bill Herbkersman, R-Beaufort.

District 3: Incumbent Mike Caston

Caston defeated challenger Bjorn Brooks in a landslide vote. Caston represents portions of the Upstate and Midlands, including Oconee and Newberry counties.

Caston was first elected to the Public Service Commission in 2020. Caston operates a consulting firm part time and was previously an engineer, according to screening documents.

District 5: Challenger Swain Whitfield

Swain Whitfield beat incumbent Thomas to represent the fifth district, which includes York, Kershaw and Fairfield counties. Jim Reno, another challenger, withdrew before the vote.

Whitfield previously served on the PSC from 2008 to 2020 and was chairman of the commission for several years. In 2020, the Public Utilities Review Committee found him unqualified, so he was unable to run, according to screening documents. He is employed at an independent utility regulatory consultant.

District 7: Incumbent Delton Powers

Powers, the chairman of the commission, held on to his seat Wednesday. Two challengers withdrew before the vote.

Powers was first elected to represent the Pee Dee, including Horry County, in 2020. He previously owned a law firm and currently serves on the state Supreme Court Commission on Lawyer Conduct, according to screening documents.

This story was originally published March 4, 2026 at 2:28 PM.