Piedmont Natural Gas Co. v. Hamm

Harwell, Justice:

Appellant Steven W. Hamm (consumer advocate) appeals the circuit court’s order directing respondent South Carolina Public Service Commission (Commission) to reopen the record in this case for the purpose of taking additional evidence to support the Commission’s prior approval of Piedmont Natural Gas Company’s (Piedmont) use of a retention factor to compute revenues. We reverse.

I. FACTS

On May 30, 1986, Piedmont filed an application with the Commission to increase certain rates and charges for its retail gas service. At the public hearing on that application, Piedmont asserted…