Another electricity price hike

South Carolina Electric & Gas Co. is asking for a midyear rate increase to cover the rising costs of coal and natural gas. The Columbia utility usually requests fuel adjustment increases in May, and got a 1 percent hike this year. On Tuesday, SCE&G proposed a 6 percent increase in November and another 6 percent hike in January for residential customers. The $13.06 increase to monthly bills for the typical customers using 1,000 kilowatt hours would make the monthly bill $120.73 by January. SCE&G president Kevin Marsh says the price of coal has jumped from about $85 per ton in the spring to more than $150 ton now. Coal generates about 65 percent of SCE&G's power. Natural gas prices are up 60 percent. Natural gas is used for about 12 percent of the utility's power.

--Associated Press