South Carolina electricity rates and bills
Homes in South Carolina paid an average of 15.77¢ per kWh over the last 12 months (Sep 2025–Aug 2026), 12.6% below the US average of 18.04¢; 15.76¢ in August 2026 alone.1 The average residential bill was $161.21 a month in 2025, for 1,067 kWh.2
EIA monthly data through August 2026 (preliminary, released October 23, 2026); annual data for 2025 are final. Next monthly update expected November 24, 2026. Average revenue per kWh includes fixed charges and riders; it is not a tariff rate.
South region, South Atlantic division
South Carolina homes paid 15.77¢ per kWh over the last 12 months, 12.6% below the US average1 but above both of the state's neighbors. The bigger difference is inside the state: from 2024 to 2025 the average price rose 12.5% for Dominion Energy South Carolina customers and 13.4%3 for Santee Cooper's, while it fell at both Duke Energy companies.
Cheaper than the US, dearer than North Carolina and Georgia
Over the 12 months from September 2025 to August 2026, South Carolina's residential customers paid an average of 15.77¢ per kWh, all charges included. That is 2.27¢ per kWh less than the US average, and it puts the state 26th highest1 among the 50 states and DC. Average revenue per kWh is what customers paid in total divided by what they used; it is not the price printed on any one rate schedule.
The comparison closer to home runs the other way. South Carolina borders only two states, and both paid less over the same 12 months: North Carolina 14.79¢ per kWh and Georgia 15.17¢ per kWh1. The 2025 bill follows the same order, $161.21 a month in South Carolina against $146.14 in North Carolina and $158.702 in Georgia.
| United States | 18.04¢ | 18.16¢ | $150.68 | 874 | 41.8% |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| South Carolina | 15.77¢ | 15.76¢ | $161.21 | 1,067 | 69.6% |
| Georgia | 15.17¢ | 15.90¢ | $158.70 | 1,077 | 57.3% |
| North Carolina | 14.79¢ | 14.95¢ | $146.14 | 1,044 | 66.1% |
Source: EIA, Electric Power Monthly / EIA-861M sales and revenue by state; EIA-861 2025, average monthly bill by state; Census Bureau, American Community Survey 2025 1-year estimates, house heating fuel, table B25040. Residential ¢/kWh, 12 months: 2025-09 to 2026-08; Residential ¢/kWh, latest month: 2026-08; Monthly bill, 2025: 2025; kWh a month, 2025: 2025; Electric main heat: 2025.
In the single month of August 2026, the residential average was 15.76¢ per kWh, +4.0% against August 2025; monthly figures for 2026 are preliminary. The 12-month average was +5.5% against the previous 12 months, a smaller increase than the national +6.5%1.
In 2025 the utility decided whether prices rose or fell
The statewide average hides utilities moving in opposite directions. From 2024 to 2025, the average residential price rose 12.5% at Dominion Energy South Carolina, to 16.41¢ per kWh, and 13.4% at Santee Cooper, to 12.91¢ per kWh. Over the same period it fell 3.7% at Duke Energy Carolinas, to 13.47¢ per kWh, and 5.3% at Duke Energy Progress, to 14.09¢ per kWh. Berkeley Electric Cooperative, the largest co-op, rose 9.3% to 16.32¢ per kWh3.
Source: EIA-861 annual electric power industry report, 2025 final. EIA-861 2025 final. Average revenue per kWh is all charges divided by kWh; it is not a tariff rate.
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| Utility | average residential price (bundled customers) |
|---|---|
| Santee Cooper (SC) | 12.91¢ |
| Duke Energy Carolinas (SC) | 13.47¢ |
| Duke Energy Progress (SC) | 14.09¢ |
| Berkeley Electric Cooperative (SC) | 16.32¢ |
| Dominion Energy South Carolina (SC) | 16.41¢ |
Bills moved with prices. Dominion's average residential bill went from $150.60 in 2024 to $169.35 in 2025 and Santee Cooper's from $107.52 to $123.85, while Duke Energy Carolinas' slipped from $143.515 to $141.55. Duke Energy Progress customers paid a lower price per kWh than Dominion's but a similar bill, $169.91, because they used 1,206 kWh3 a month on average.
EIA's monthly sample shows the gap continuing. Over the 12 months from September 2025 to August 2026, Dominion customers paid an average of 17.21¢ per kWh, against 14.07¢ per kWh at Duke Energy Carolinas and 14.07¢ per kWh6 at Santee Cooper; the 2026 months are preliminary. Each utility page has its own history, seasonal bill and outage record.
Which company serves your address
Nobody in South Carolina picks an electricity supplier: EIA counted 0.0% of residential customers buying from a competitive supplier in 2025. The territory map decides. Dominion Energy South Carolina delivers to 27.9% of the state's residential customers. It is the company many residents still call SCE&G: South Carolina Electric & Gas filed under that name until March 2019 and has filed as Dominion Energy South Carolina since, according to its SEC EDGAR company record. Next come Duke Energy Carolinas (22.8%), the state-owned Santee Cooper (7.4%), Duke Energy Progress (5.6%) and Berkeley Electric Cooperative (4.7%3). The two Duke companies belong to Duke Energy; Dominion's South Carolina utility is part of Dominion Energy.
EIA lists 46 distribution utilities in the state: 4 investor-owned, 18 electric cooperatives and 7 public power systems, from city utilities to Santee Cooper. The investor-owned utilities' rates are approved by the Public Service Commission of South Carolina; cooperatives are owned by their members. By ownership, 2025 averages ran from 12.90¢ per kWh for public power to 14.96¢ per kWh for the investor-owned utilities and 15.96¢ per kWh3 for the cooperatives.
Source: EIA-861 annual electric power industry report, 2025 final. Bundled (full-service) residential revenue divided by kWh, summed over every utility of each type (EIA-861 2025). Small utilities filing the short form report no residential split and are not included.
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| Type | ¢/kWh | Residential customers |
|---|---|---|
| Investor-owned utilities | 14.96¢ | 1,443,586 |
| Electric cooperatives | 15.96¢ | 806,913 |
| Public power (municipal, districts, state) | 12.90¢ | 303,515 |
Among the 26 utilities with 10,000 or more residential customers, 2025 averages ranged from 9.97¢ per kWh at Greenwood CPW to 19.94¢ per kWh at Tri-County Electric Cooperative, a spread of 9.97¢ per kWh3. Service areas interlock: in 46 of the state's 46 counties, two or more distribution utilities report customers, and Newberry County has 87. A county or city name is not enough to tell which one serves a street; each utility's own service map decides by address.
Source: EIA-861 2025, service territory; Census Bureau, Cartographic boundary file, counties. Counties where each utility reports serving customers (EIA-861 service territory, 2025). A utility often serves only part of a county, and several can share one: the map shows where each one is present, not street-level boundaries. Point at a county for every utility listed there.
Show the numbers
| County | Utilities reporting service |
|---|---|
| Abbeville County | Dominion Energy South Carolina, Duke Energy Carolinas, Laurens Electric Cooperative, Little River Electric Cooperative, City of Abbeville, City of Due West |
| Aiken County | Dominion Energy South Carolina, Mid-Carolina Electric Cooperative, Aiken Electric Cooperative |
| Allendale County | Dominion Energy South Carolina, Palmetto Electric Cooperative, Edisto Electric Cooperative |
| Anderson County | Duke Energy Carolinas, Blue Ridge Electric Cooperative, Laurens Electric Cooperative, Little River Electric Cooperative |
| Bamberg County | Dominion Energy South Carolina, Edisto Electric Cooperative, Coastal Electric Cooperative, Bamberg Board of Public Works |
| Barnwell County | Dominion Energy South Carolina, Aiken Electric Cooperative, Edisto Electric Cooperative |
| Beaufort County | Dominion Energy South Carolina, Palmetto Electric Cooperative |
| Berkeley County | Dominion Energy South Carolina, Santee Cooper, Berkeley Electric Cooperative, Edisto Electric Cooperative |
| Calhoun County | Dominion Energy South Carolina, Aiken Electric Cooperative, Tri-County Electric Cooperative |
| Charleston County | Dominion Energy South Carolina, Berkeley Electric Cooperative |
| Cherokee County | Duke Energy Carolinas, York Electric Cooperative, Broad River Electric Cooperative, City of Gaffney, Lockhart Power Co |
| Chester County | Duke Energy Carolinas, York Electric Cooperative, Fairfield Electric Cooperative, Lockhart Power Co |
| Chesterfield County | Duke Energy Progress, MPD Electric Cooperative, Lynches River Electric Cooperative |
| Clarendon County | Duke Energy Progress, Santee Electric Cooperative, Black River Electric Cooperative |
| Colleton County | Dominion Energy South Carolina, Edisto Electric Cooperative, Coastal Electric Cooperative |
| Darlington County | Duke Energy Progress, MPD Electric Cooperative |
| Dillon County | Duke Energy Progress, MPD Electric Cooperative |
| Dorchester County | Dominion Energy South Carolina, Berkeley Electric Cooperative, Edisto Electric Cooperative, Coastal Electric Cooperative |
| Edgefield County | Dominion Energy South Carolina, Duke Energy Carolinas, Aiken Electric Cooperative |
| Fairfield County | Dominion Energy South Carolina, Duke Energy Carolinas, Fairfield Electric Cooperative, Newberry Electric Cooperative, Town of Winnsboro |
| Florence County | Duke Energy Progress, Santee Electric Cooperative, MPD Electric Cooperative |
| Georgetown County | Santee Cooper, Duke Energy Progress, Santee Electric Cooperative, City of Georgetown |
| Greenville County | Duke Energy Carolinas, Blue Ridge Electric Cooperative, Laurens Electric Cooperative, Greer Commission of Public Wks |
| Greenwood County | Dominion Energy South Carolina, Duke Energy Carolinas, Aiken Electric Cooperative, Little River Electric Cooperative, Greenwood CPW |
| Hampton County | Dominion Energy South Carolina, Palmetto Electric Cooperative, Edisto Electric Cooperative |
| Horry County | Santee Cooper, Duke Energy Progress, Horry Electric Cooperative |
| Jasper County | Dominion Energy South Carolina, Palmetto Electric Cooperative |
| Kershaw County | Duke Energy Carolinas, Duke Energy Progress, Fairfield Electric Cooperative, Black River Electric Cooperative, Lynches River Electric Cooperative, Tri-County Electric Cooperative, City of Camden |
| Lancaster County | Duke Energy Carolinas, York Electric Cooperative, Lynches River Electric Cooperative |
| Laurens County | Duke Energy Carolinas, Laurens Electric Cooperative, Newberry Electric Cooperative, City of Laurens, Clinton Combined Utility Sys |
| Lee County | Duke Energy Progress, MPD Electric Cooperative, Black River Electric Cooperative, City of Camden |
| Lexington County | Dominion Energy South Carolina, Mid-Carolina Electric Cooperative, Aiken Electric Cooperative, Tri-County Electric Cooperative, Newberry Electric Cooperative |
| Marion County | Duke Energy Progress, MPD Electric Cooperative |
| Marlboro County | Duke Energy Progress, MPD Electric Cooperative, City of Bennettsville |
| McCormick County | Dominion Energy South Carolina, Duke Energy Carolinas, Aiken Electric Cooperative, Little River Electric Cooperative, Town of McCormick |
| Newberry County | Dominion Energy South Carolina, Duke Energy Carolinas, Laurens Electric Cooperative, Mid-Carolina Electric Cooperative, Broad River Electric Cooperative, Newberry Electric Cooperative, City of Newberry, Town of Prosperity |
| Oconee County | Duke Energy Carolinas, Blue Ridge Electric Cooperative, City of Seneca, City of Westminster, Haywood Electric Membership Corporation |
| Orangeburg County | Dominion Energy South Carolina, Aiken Electric Cooperative, City of Orangeburg, Tri-County Electric Cooperative, Edisto Electric Cooperative |
| Pickens County | Duke Energy Carolinas, Blue Ridge Electric Cooperative, Easley Combined Utility System |
| Richland County | Dominion Energy South Carolina, Mid-Carolina Electric Cooperative, Fairfield Electric Cooperative, Tri-County Electric Cooperative |
| Saluda County | Dominion Energy South Carolina, Duke Energy Carolinas, Mid-Carolina Electric Cooperative, Aiken Electric Cooperative |
| Spartanburg County | Duke Energy Carolinas, Blue Ridge Electric Cooperative, Laurens Electric Cooperative, Broad River Electric Cooperative, Greer Commission of Public Wks, Lockhart Power Co |
| Sumter County | Duke Energy Progress, Black River Electric Cooperative, Tri-County Electric Cooperative, City of Camden |
| Union County | Dominion Energy South Carolina, Duke Energy Carolinas, Laurens Electric Cooperative, Broad River Electric Cooperative, City of Union, Lockhart Power Co |
| Williamsburg County | Duke Energy Progress, Santee Electric Cooperative |
| York County | Duke Energy Carolinas, York Electric Cooperative, City of Rock Hill, Fairfield Electric Cooperative, Broad River Electric Cooperative, Lockhart Power Co |
| Dominion Energy South Carolina | Investor-owned | 712,679 | 16.41¢ | $169.35 | 1,032 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Duke Energy Carolinas | Investor-owned | 582,062 | 13.47¢ | $141.55 | 1,051 |
| Santee Cooper | State authority | 188,962 | 12.91¢ | $123.85 | 959 |
| Duke Energy Progress | Investor-owned | 143,884 | 14.09¢ | $169.91 | 1,206 |
| Berkeley Electric Cooperative | Cooperative | 119,545 | 16.32¢ | $187.48 | 1,149 |
| Horry Electric Cooperative | Cooperative | 91,545 | 13.83¢ | $148.23 | 1,072 |
| Palmetto Electric Cooperative | Cooperative | 69,848 | 14.39¢ | $174.22 | 1,210 |
| Blue Ridge Electric Cooperative | Cooperative | 68,647 | 19.82¢ | $197.98 | 999 |
| York Electric Cooperative | Cooperative | 66,369 | 13.68¢ | $148.29 | 1,084 |
| Laurens Electric Cooperative | Cooperative | 59,786 | 15.62¢ | $167.25 | 1,071 |
| Mid-Carolina Electric Cooperative | Cooperative | 57,067 | 16.83¢ | $194.86 | 1,158 |
| Aiken Electric Cooperative | Cooperative | 50,850 | 17.51¢ | $192.47 | 1,099 |
| City of Rock Hill | Municipal | 36,786 | 12.34¢ | $102.79 | 833 |
| Santee Electric Cooperative | Cooperative | 35,356 | 16.39¢ | $211.26 | 1,289 |
| Fairfield Electric Cooperative | Cooperative | 33,071 | 15.60¢ | $180.63 | 1,158 |
| MPD Electric Cooperative | Cooperative | 32,130 | 13.73¢ | $180.11 | 1,312 |
| Black River Electric Cooperative | Cooperative | 30,874 | 15.14¢ | $195.19 | 1,289 |
| Broad River Electric Cooperative | Cooperative | 23,660 | 17.16¢ | $184.82 | 1,077 |
| Greer Commission of Public Wks | Municipal | 23,192 | 12.81¢ | $115.08 | 898 |
| Lynches River Electric Cooperative | Cooperative | 21,730 | 16.34¢ | $174.12 | 1,066 |
| City of Orangeburg | Municipal | 20,682 | 15.18¢ | $163.78 | 1,079 |
| Tri-County Electric Cooperative | Cooperative | 17,670 | 19.94¢ | $225.50 | 1,131 |
| Easley Combined Utility System | Municipal | 16,019 | 12.81¢ | $125.61 | 980 |
| Little River Electric Cooperative | Cooperative | 15,581 all | 18.17¢ all customers | – | – |
| Edisto Electric Cooperative | Cooperative | 15,540 | 18.99¢ | $227.93 | 1,200 |
| Newberry Electric Cooperative | Cooperative | 13,215 | 17.06¢ | $172.19 | 1,010 |
| Coastal Electric Cooperative | Cooperative | 12,337 all | 17.02¢ all customers | – | – |
| City of Camden | Municipal | 11,760 all | 17.71¢ all customers | – | – |
| Greenwood CPW | Municipal | 11,676 | 9.97¢ | $82.83 | 831 |
| City of Seneca | Municipal | 8,294 all | 13.00¢ all customers | – | – |
| City of Union | Municipal | 6,985 all | 14.59¢ all customers | – | – |
| City of Gaffney | Municipal | 6,198 | 12.32¢ | $121.01 | 982 |
| City of Laurens | Municipal | 5,512 all | 12.48¢ all customers | – | – |
| City of Newberry | Municipal | 5,458 all | 15.63¢ all customers | – | – |
| City of Georgetown | Municipal | 5,241 all | 11.18¢ all customers | – | – |
| Lockhart Power Co | Investor-owned | 4,961 | 14.23¢ | $158.31 | 1,113 |
| City of Bennettsville | Municipal | 4,772 all | 12.91¢ all customers | – | – |
| Clinton Combined Utility Sys | Municipal | 4,504 all | 15.50¢ all customers | – | – |
| City of Abbeville | Municipal | 3,563 all | 15.10¢ all customers | – | – |
| Town of Winnsboro | Municipal | 3,161 all | 15.25¢ all customers | – | – |
| Bamberg Board of Public Works | Municipal | 1,783 all | 13.13¢ all customers | – | – |
| City of Westminster | Municipal | 1,532 all | 16.80¢ all customers | – | – |
| Town of McCormick | Municipal | 1,066 all | 17.32¢ all customers | – | – |
Source: EIA-861 annual electric power industry report, 2025 final. EIA-861 2025 final; utilities with 1,000 or more residential customers. Price, bill and kWh are for bundled (full-service) residential customers: revenue divided by kWh, all charges included. Small utilities that file EIA's short form report all customers together (marked "all customers").
Why South Carolina bills run above the US average
The average South Carolina home used 1,067 kWh a month in 2025, tied for 12th highest among the states, against 874 kWh nationally. That is why a below-average price still produced a bill $10.53 more a month than the US average, 13th highest in the country, up 7.8%2 on 2024.
Two climate facts sit behind the usage. The state averaged 2,031 cooling degree days a year over 2016 to 2025 (7th highest among the states with data), and 69.6% of homes heated mainly with electricity in 2025, 2nd highest in the country against 41.8%4 nationally. Winters are mild (2,381 heating degree days, 7th lowest9), and statewide use peaks in summer.
Over the last 12 months, statewide use per home peaked at 1,499 kWh in July 2026 and fell to 770 kWh in April 2026, 1.9 times as much at the peak. The average price per kWh was highest in April 2026 (17.06¢ per kWh) and lowest in December 2025 (14.94¢ per kWh): fixed monthly charges weigh more on each kWh when use is low. In August 2026 the average bill was $226.29 for 1,436 kWh1.
Source: EIA, Electric Power Monthly / EIA-861M sales and revenue by state. Residential kWh sold per customer in each month. The table adds that month's average residential price. Monthly EIA data through August 2026 (released October 23, 2026); months since January 2026 are preliminary.
Show the numbers
| Month | kWh per customer | Residential ¢/kWh |
|---|---|---|
| September 2025 | 1,015 | 15.51¢ |
| October 2025 | 824 | 15.82¢ |
| November 2025 | 822 | 15.68¢ |
| December 2025 | 1,121 | 14.94¢ |
| January 2026 | 1,282 | 15.41¢ |
| February 2026 | 1,134 | 16.15¢ |
| March 2026 | 821 | 16.46¢ |
| April 2026 | 770 | 17.06¢ |
| May 2026 | 915 | 16.18¢ |
| June 2026 | 1,195 | 15.55¢ |
| July 2026 | 1,499 | 15.47¢ |
| August 2026 | 1,436 | 15.76¢ |
Not every territory peaks in summer. Duke Energy Progress customers used the most in January 2026 (1,742 kWh), while Dominion's peak came in July 2026 (1,534 kWh6).
Households' own reports confirm the pattern. In the Census Bureau's 2025 survey, the median monthly electricity bill was about $189 (9th highest among the states), and 30.5% of households paying for electricity reported $250 or more (margin of error ±0.7 percentage points), +3.4 percentage points on 2024; the change between the two survey years is not tested for significance. Only 15.0%10 reported less than $100. These are recalled bills including taxes, so they differ from EIA's averages.
Source: Census Bureau, American Community Survey 2025 1-year estimates, table B25132. Households charged for electricity, by the cost they reported for the previous month (American Community Survey 2025, 1-year). Interviews run all year, so this is a typical month, recalled by the household; households whose electricity is included in rent are left out.
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| Under $50 | $50–99 | $100–149 | $150–199 | $200–249 | $250 or more | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| South Carolina | 1.9% | 13.1% | 20.0% | 19.1% | 15.4% | 30.5% |
| United States | 5.2% | 17.9% | 20.7% | 16.7% | 13.0% | 26.6% |
More than half nuclear
Nuclear plants generated 54.5% of South Carolina's electricity in 2025, the 2nd highest share among the states, against 17.7% nationally. Natural gas supplied 21.8% and coal 17.5%, down 5.9 percentage points since 2015. Solar grew from 0.0% in 2015 to 3.1%; the state had no measurable wind generation, and all renewables together made 6.3%, 7th lowest11.
Source: EIA, Net generation by state by type of producer by energy source. Nuclear share of net generation by all power plants in the state (EIA-923), 2025.
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| State | Nuclear share |
|---|---|
| New Hampshire | 57.1% |
| South Carolina | 54.5% |
| Illinois | 50.9% |
| New Jersey | 45.8% |
| Maryland | 39.3% |
| Tennessee | 38.9% |
| Connecticut | 38.2% |
| Georgia | 35.2% |
| North Carolina | 32.0% |
| Pennsylvania | 30.5% |
| Alabama | 29.8% |
| Arizona | 26.9% |
| United States | 17.7% |
The state's plants produced 103.9 terawatt-hours in 2025, the equivalent of 122%11 of its retail electricity sales. A generation mix describes where power is made, not what any one utility's customers pay: utilities buy and sell across state lines, and their rates also recover the cost of building and running the grid.
A slower climb since 2015
South Carolina's annual residential price was 7.69¢ per kWh in 2001, below the national 8.58¢ per kWh12. By 2015 the two had nearly met, 12.57¢ per kWh against 12.65¢ per kWh. Since then the state's price has risen 20.3%, the 11th lowest increase among the states, while the US average rose 36.2%; in 2025 South Carolina stood at 15.12¢ per kWh and the US at 17.23¢ per kWh. The annual price rose in 22 of the years since 2002 and last fell in 202013.
Source: EIA, Historical state data, annual sales, revenue and customers; EIA, Historical state data, monthly sales and revenue 1990-2009. Average revenue per kWh (all charges, nominal dollars), each calendar year: 2010 onward EIA-861 final annual data, 2001–2009 the sum of the monthly survey.
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| Period | South Carolina (¢/kWh) | United States (¢/kWh) |
|---|---|---|
| 2001 | 7.69¢ | 8.58¢ |
| 2002 | 7.72¢ | 8.44¢ |
| 2003 | 8.01¢ | 8.72¢ |
| 2004 | 8.12¢ | 8.95¢ |
| 2005 | 8.67¢ | 9.45¢ |
| 2006 | 9.03¢ | 10.40¢ |
| 2007 | 9.19¢ | 10.65¢ |
| 2008 | 9.89¢ | 11.26¢ |
| 2009 | 10.44¢ | 11.51¢ |
| 2010 | 10.50¢ | 11.54¢ |
| 2011 | 11.05¢ | 11.72¢ |
| 2012 | 11.77¢ | 11.88¢ |
| 2013 | 11.99¢ | 12.13¢ |
| 2014 | 12.45¢ | 12.52¢ |
| 2015 | 12.57¢ | 12.65¢ |
| 2016 | 12.65¢ | 12.55¢ |
| 2017 | 13.02¢ | 12.89¢ |
| 2018 | 12.44¢ | 12.87¢ |
| 2019 | 12.99¢ | 13.01¢ |
| 2020 | 12.78¢ | 13.15¢ |
| 2021 | 12.86¢ | 13.66¢ |
| 2022 | 13.59¢ | 15.04¢ |
| 2023 | 13.68¢ | 16.00¢ |
| 2024 | 14.23¢ | 16.48¢ |
| 2025 | 15.12¢ | 17.23¢ |
Businesses pay less per kWh than homes, as almost everywhere. Over the last 12 months commercial customers averaged 11.68¢ per kWh and industrial customers 7.66¢ per kWh, 14.0% below the US average. The industrial price rose faster than the residential one, +7.1%1 against the previous 12 months. Because South Carolina's industrial customers are large users, their average bill in 2025 was $42,287.08 a month, 6th highest2 among the states.
Outages, meters, rooftop solar and help with bills
South Carolina customers averaged 151 minutes without power in 2025 including major storms, 10th lowest among the states, and 104 minutes excluding them, with 1.25 interruptions per customer. The figures vary by utility: Santee Cooper reported 43 minutes, Duke Energy Carolinas 220 minutes14. The power outages ranking compares every state.
Smart meters were in place for 92.9% of residential customers in 2025, and 7.7% were enrolled in time-varying pricing such as time-of-use rates, 14th highest among the states. EIA counted 41,365 residential net-metered solar installations, 15.7 per 1,000 customers against 38.115 nationally; the net metering guide explains how bill credits work.
South Carolina received $49.4 million from the federal Low Income Home Energy Assistance Program for fiscal 2026, and $44.8 million in the first release for fiscal 2027. That is $21.50 per occupied home, 8th lowest16 among the states. Applications go through local community action agencies; the help paying your electric bill guide covers LIHEAP and the utilities' own programs.
| Abbeville County | 6 | Dominion Energy South Carolina, Duke Energy Carolinas, Laurens Electric Cooperative, Little River Electric Cooperative, City of Abbeville, City of Due West |
|---|---|---|
| Aiken County | 3 | Dominion Energy South Carolina, Mid-Carolina Electric Cooperative, Aiken Electric Cooperative |
| Allendale County | 3 | Dominion Energy South Carolina, Palmetto Electric Cooperative, Edisto Electric Cooperative |
| Anderson County | 4 | Duke Energy Carolinas, Blue Ridge Electric Cooperative, Laurens Electric Cooperative, Little River Electric Cooperative |
| Bamberg County | 4 | Dominion Energy South Carolina, Edisto Electric Cooperative, Coastal Electric Cooperative, Bamberg Board of Public Works |
| Barnwell County | 3 | Dominion Energy South Carolina, Aiken Electric Cooperative, Edisto Electric Cooperative |
| Beaufort County | 2 | Dominion Energy South Carolina, Palmetto Electric Cooperative |
| Berkeley County | 4 | Dominion Energy South Carolina, Santee Cooper, Berkeley Electric Cooperative, Edisto Electric Cooperative |
| Calhoun County | 3 | Dominion Energy South Carolina, Aiken Electric Cooperative, Tri-County Electric Cooperative |
| Charleston County | 2 | Dominion Energy South Carolina, Berkeley Electric Cooperative |
| Cherokee County | 5 | Duke Energy Carolinas, York Electric Cooperative, Broad River Electric Cooperative, City of Gaffney, Lockhart Power Co |
| Chester County | 4 | Duke Energy Carolinas, York Electric Cooperative, Fairfield Electric Cooperative, Lockhart Power Co |
| Chesterfield County | 3 | Duke Energy Progress, MPD Electric Cooperative, Lynches River Electric Cooperative |
| Clarendon County | 3 | Duke Energy Progress, Santee Electric Cooperative, Black River Electric Cooperative |
| Colleton County | 3 | Dominion Energy South Carolina, Edisto Electric Cooperative, Coastal Electric Cooperative |
| Darlington County | 2 | Duke Energy Progress, MPD Electric Cooperative |
| Dillon County | 2 | Duke Energy Progress, MPD Electric Cooperative |
| Dorchester County | 4 | Dominion Energy South Carolina, Berkeley Electric Cooperative, Edisto Electric Cooperative, Coastal Electric Cooperative |
| Edgefield County | 3 | Dominion Energy South Carolina, Duke Energy Carolinas, Aiken Electric Cooperative |
| Fairfield County | 5 | Dominion Energy South Carolina, Duke Energy Carolinas, Fairfield Electric Cooperative, Newberry Electric Cooperative, Town of Winnsboro |
| Florence County | 3 | Duke Energy Progress, Santee Electric Cooperative, MPD Electric Cooperative |
| Georgetown County | 4 | Santee Cooper, Duke Energy Progress, Santee Electric Cooperative, City of Georgetown |
| Greenville County | 4 | Duke Energy Carolinas, Blue Ridge Electric Cooperative, Laurens Electric Cooperative, Greer Commission of Public Wks |
| Greenwood County | 5 | Dominion Energy South Carolina, Duke Energy Carolinas, Aiken Electric Cooperative, Little River Electric Cooperative, Greenwood CPW |
| Hampton County | 3 | Dominion Energy South Carolina, Palmetto Electric Cooperative, Edisto Electric Cooperative |
| Horry County | 3 | Santee Cooper, Duke Energy Progress, Horry Electric Cooperative |
| Jasper County | 2 | Dominion Energy South Carolina, Palmetto Electric Cooperative |
| Kershaw County | 7 | Duke Energy Carolinas, Duke Energy Progress, Fairfield Electric Cooperative, Black River Electric Cooperative, Lynches River Electric Cooperative, Tri-County Electric Cooperative, City of Camden |
| Lancaster County | 3 | Duke Energy Carolinas, York Electric Cooperative, Lynches River Electric Cooperative |
| Laurens County | 5 | Duke Energy Carolinas, Laurens Electric Cooperative, Newberry Electric Cooperative, City of Laurens, Clinton Combined Utility Sys |
| Lee County | 4 | Duke Energy Progress, MPD Electric Cooperative, Black River Electric Cooperative, City of Camden |
| Lexington County | 5 | Dominion Energy South Carolina, Mid-Carolina Electric Cooperative, Aiken Electric Cooperative, Tri-County Electric Cooperative, Newberry Electric Cooperative |
| Marion County | 2 | Duke Energy Progress, MPD Electric Cooperative |
| Marlboro County | 3 | Duke Energy Progress, MPD Electric Cooperative, City of Bennettsville |
| McCormick County | 5 | Dominion Energy South Carolina, Duke Energy Carolinas, Aiken Electric Cooperative, Little River Electric Cooperative, Town of McCormick |
| Newberry County | 8 | Dominion Energy South Carolina, Duke Energy Carolinas, Laurens Electric Cooperative, Mid-Carolina Electric Cooperative, Broad River Electric Cooperative, Newberry Electric Cooperative, City of Newberry, Town of Prosperity |
| Oconee County | 5 | Duke Energy Carolinas, Blue Ridge Electric Cooperative, City of Seneca, City of Westminster, Haywood Electric Membership Corporation |
| Orangeburg County | 5 | Dominion Energy South Carolina, Aiken Electric Cooperative, City of Orangeburg, Tri-County Electric Cooperative, Edisto Electric Cooperative |
| Pickens County | 3 | Duke Energy Carolinas, Blue Ridge Electric Cooperative, Easley Combined Utility System |
| Richland County | 4 | Dominion Energy South Carolina, Mid-Carolina Electric Cooperative, Fairfield Electric Cooperative, Tri-County Electric Cooperative |
| Saluda County | 4 | Dominion Energy South Carolina, Duke Energy Carolinas, Mid-Carolina Electric Cooperative, Aiken Electric Cooperative |
| Spartanburg County | 6 | Duke Energy Carolinas, Blue Ridge Electric Cooperative, Laurens Electric Cooperative, Broad River Electric Cooperative, Greer Commission of Public Wks, Lockhart Power Co |
| Sumter County | 4 | Duke Energy Progress, Black River Electric Cooperative, Tri-County Electric Cooperative, City of Camden |
| Union County | 6 | Dominion Energy South Carolina, Duke Energy Carolinas, Laurens Electric Cooperative, Broad River Electric Cooperative, City of Union, Lockhart Power Co |
| Williamsburg County | 2 | Duke Energy Progress, Santee Electric Cooperative |
| York County | 6 | Duke Energy Carolinas, York Electric Cooperative, City of Rock Hill, Fairfield Electric Cooperative, Broad River Electric Cooperative, Lockhart Power Co |
Source: EIA-861 2025, service territory. Distribution utilities that report customers in the county (EIA-861 2025 service territory), largest first. Several utilities can serve parts of the same county; for a specific address, the utilities' own service-area maps decide.
South Carolina electricity: common questions
What is the average cost of electricity in South Carolina?
South Carolina homes paid an average of 15.77¢ per kWh over the 12 months from September 2025 to August 2026, counting energy, delivery, fixed charges and fuel riders but not most taxes. The average was 15.76¢ per kWh in August 20261 alone (preliminary) and 15.12¢ per kWh13 for the year 2025. These are averages of what customers paid, not a tariff: your utility's rate schedule sets your own price.
What is the average monthly electric bill in South Carolina?
EIA puts the 2025 residential average at $161.21 a month for 1,067 kWh, $10.53 more a month than the US average2. Over the 12 months from September 2025 to August 2026 the computed average was $168.681. Households in the Census Bureau's 2025 survey reported a median bill of about $18910, an estimate that includes taxes.
Is South Carolina Electric & Gas (SCE&G) the same as Dominion Energy?
Yes. The company that filed as South Carolina Electric & Gas until March 2019 now operates as Dominion Energy South Carolina, according to its SEC filings. It delivered electricity to 27.9%3 of the state's residential customers in 2025, more than any other utility.
Can I choose my electricity provider in South Carolina?
No. South Carolina has no residential retail choice: EIA counted 03 competitive suppliers with residential customers in 2025. Your provider is the investor-owned utility, cooperative, city utility or Santee Cooper whose territory includes your address.
More on electricity in and around South Carolina
Utility pages: Dominion Energy South Carolina, Duke Energy Carolinas, Santee Cooper, Duke Energy Progress and Berkeley Electric Cooperative.
Neighboring states: Georgia and North Carolina. Put South Carolina side by side with another state in the comparison tool, or estimate a bill with your own kWh in the bill calculator.
| Ranking | Value | Rank |
|---|---|---|
| Cheapest electricity by state | 15.77¢ | 26th of 51 (1 = lowest) |
| Average electric bill by state | $161.21 | 13th of 51 |
| Average electricity usage by state | 1,067 | tied 13th of 51 |
| Electricity price increases by state | +5.5% | tied 31st of 51 |
| Commercial electricity rates by state | 11.68¢ | tied 20th of 51 (1 = lowest) |
| Industrial electricity rates by state | 7.66¢ | 12th of 51 (1 = lowest) |
| Power outages by state | 151 | 42nd of 51 |
| Renewable electricity by state | 6.3% | 45th of 51 |
| Rooftop solar on net metering by state | 15.7 | 28th of 51 |
Sources
- EIA, Electric Power Monthly / EIA-861M sales and revenue by state; table sales_revenue.xlsx (EPM Table 5.6.A); January 2001 to 2026-08; months since January 2026 preliminary; released October 23, 2026. www.eia.gov
- EIA-861 2025, average monthly bill by state; table Average_Bill_2025; 2025, final; released October 7, 2026. www.eia.gov
- EIA-861 annual electric power industry report, 2025 final; table Sales_Ult_Cust_2025; 2025, final; released October 7, 2026. www.eia.gov
- Census Bureau, American Community Survey 2025 1-year estimates, house heating fuel, table B25040; 2025; released October 29, 2026. data.census.gov
- EIA-861 annual electric power industry report, 2024 final; table Sales_Ult_Cust_2024; 2024, final (file updated December 3, 2025); released December 3, 2025. www.eia.gov
- EIA-861M monthly sales and revenue by utility; table sales_ult_cust_2025 and _2026; released October 23, 2026. www.eia.gov
- EIA-861 2025, service territory; table Service_Territory_2025; 2025, final; released October 7, 2026. www.eia.gov
- Census Bureau, Cartographic boundary file, counties; table cb_2025_us_county_5m; cb_2021_us_county_5m; 2025 (2021 for Connecticut). www.census.gov
- NOAA, Climate Prediction Center population-weighted degree days by state; table daily state files, base 65°F; 2016-2025 annual sums; 1981-2010 CPC normals; released November 13, 2026. ftp.cpc.ncep.noaa.gov
- Census Bureau, American Community Survey 2025 1-year estimates, table B25132; 2025; released October 29, 2026. data.census.gov
- EIA, Net generation by state by type of producer by energy source; table annual_generation_state.xlsx; 1990-2025; released September 14, 2026. www.eia.gov
- EIA, Historical state data, monthly sales and revenue 1990-2009; table HS861M 1990-2009.xlsx; 1990-2009, final. www.eia.gov
- EIA, Historical state data, annual sales, revenue and customers; table HS861 2010-.xlsx; 2010-2025, final; released October 7, 2026. www.eia.gov
- EIA-861 2025, reliability; table Reliability_2025; 2025, final; released October 7, 2026. www.eia.gov
- EIA-861 2025, advanced meters, dynamic pricing and net metering; table Advanced_Meters, Dynamic_Pricing, Net_Metering 2025; 2025, final; released October 7, 2026. www.eia.gov
- HHS, LIHEAP funding releases to states; table FY2027 first release; FY2026 final; FY2027 first release (October 9, 2026); FY2026 total; released October 9, 2026. acf.gov
Margins of error (±) are at the 90% confidence level. A difference is called significant only when it passes the Census Bureau's test at that level. How every figure is built: methodology. Found an error? Write to [email protected]; corrections are listed on the updates page.