Berkeley Electric Cooperative rates and average bills
Berkeley Electric Cooperative's 119,545 residential customers in South Carolina paid an average of 16.32¢ per kWh in 2025, for an average bill of $187.48 a month on 1,149 kWh.1 Over the last 12 months (Sep 2025–Aug 2026) the average was 16.69¢, and 15.81¢ in August 2026.2
EIA-861 2025 final (released October 7, 2026) and EIA's monthly utility survey through August 2026 (preliminary); next monthly update expected November 24, 2026. Averages are revenue divided by kWh, all charges included: not the rate printed in a tariff.
3 of 46 South Carolina counties served (EIA-861 2025)
Berkeley Electric Cooperative's average residential price of 16.32¢ per kWh in 2025 was close to Dominion Energy South Carolina's, but its members used more electricity, and their average bill of $187.48 a month was the highest of the state's 51 large utilities. Over the last 12 months (September 2025 to August 2026) that bill averaged $194.492.
What Berkeley Electric members paid per kWh
Berkeley Electric Cooperative is a member-owned cooperative serving 119,545 residential accounts in 2025, 4.7% of South Carolina's total. It is the only cooperative among the state's 51 utilities with 100,000 or more residential customers. The price people search for is, in EIA's data, an average: residential revenue divided by residential kWh. It folds in the monthly charge and any adjustments, leaves out most taxes, and is not a line on the cooperative's rate schedule.
- 2025, full year (EIA-861, final): 16.32¢ per kWh1, up from 14.93¢ per kWh3 in 2024.
- Last 12 months, September 2025 to August 2026 (EIA-861M, 2026 months preliminary): 16.69¢ per kWh.
- August 20264 alone (EIA-861M, preliminary): 15.81¢ per kWh2.
On the 2025 figure the cooperative ranked 11th highest of 26 South Carolina utilities with 10,000 or more residential customers, 7.9% above the South Carolina average. Nationally it was 69th highest of 177 large utilities, above the median of 15.07¢ per kWh1.
The highest average bill among South Carolina's large utilities
Price alone does not explain what members pay. A Berkeley Electric home used 1,149 kWh a month in 2025, against 1,067 kWh for South Carolina and 874 kWh5 for the US. Dominion Energy South Carolina's average price was almost the same (16.41¢ per kWh), but its homes used 1,032 kWh, and its average bill was $169.35 against the cooperative's $187.48. Duke Energy Progress homes used more power still (1,206 kWh) but paid a lower average price, for a bill of $169.911.
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.
Show the numbers
| Utility | average monthly residential bill |
|---|---|
| Santee Cooper (SC) | $123.85 |
| Duke Energy Carolinas (SC) | $141.55 |
| Dominion Energy South Carolina (SC) | $169.35 |
| Duke Energy Progress (SC) | $169.91 |
| Berkeley Electric Cooperative (SC) | $187.48 |
The statewide average bill in 2025 was $161.21, and the national one $150.685. EIA's figures do not say why Berkeley Electric homes use more; house size, heating type and the share of homes with electric water heating all affect it, and none is reported by utility.
2025: a bigger bill on almost unchanged use
From 2024 to 2025, use per home barely moved, from 1,140 kWh to 1,149 kWh a month. The average bill rose from $170.313 to $187.48 (+10.1%), so nearly all of the increase came from the higher average price (+9.3%). South Carolina's residential average rose 6.3%6 over the same two years. The state's large utilities split: Dominion Energy South Carolina (+12.5%) and Santee Cooper (+13.4%) rose, while Duke Energy Carolinas (−3.7%) and Duke Energy Progress (−5.3%1) fell.
The latest month runs against the trend
EIA's monthly survey gives a mixed signal for 2026. In August 20264 members paid an average of 15.81¢ per kWh, −1.6% against August 2025, while the other four large utilities were all higher than a year earlier: Dominion Energy South Carolina +5.3%, Duke Energy Progress +8.2%, Duke Energy Carolinas +7.4% and Santee Cooper +1.5%2.
Source: EIA-861M monthly sales and revenue by utility; EIA, Electric Power Monthly / EIA-861M sales and revenue by state. Residential revenue divided by kWh in each month, as reported to EIA's monthly survey (EIA-861M; months since January 2026 preliminary).
Show the numbers
| Month | Berkeley Electric Cooperative (¢/kWh) | kWh per customer | Bill per customer |
|---|---|---|---|
| January 2025 | 13.78¢ | 1,679 | $231.33 |
| February 2025 | 14.88¢ | 972 | $144.69 |
| March 2025 | 18.04¢ | 902 | $162.76 |
| April 2025 | 17.96¢ | 877 | $157.44 |
| May 2025 | 16.97¢ | 1,111 | $188.59 |
| June 2025 | 15.86¢ | 1,440 | $228.34 |
| July 2025 | 15.75¢ | 1,598 | $251.73 |
| August 2025 | 16.07¢ | 1,341 | $215.38 |
| September 2025 | 16.86¢ | 1,098 | $185.11 |
| October 2025 | 18.31¢ | 846 | $154.98 |
| November 2025 | 18.35¢ | 875 | $160.65 |
| December 2025 | 16.11¢ | 1,280 | $206.19 |
| January 2026 | 16.11¢ | 1,382 | $222.59 |
| February 2026 | 16.41¢ | 1,152 | $189.10 |
| March 2026 | 18.06¢ | 891 | $160.97 |
| April 2026 | 18.13¢ | 850 | $154.17 |
| May 2026 | 17.13¢ | 1,076 | $184.28 |
| June 2026 | 16.09¢ | 1,347 | $216.79 |
| July 2026 | 15.54¢ | 1,654 | $257.06 |
| August 2026 | 15.81¢ | 1,517 | $239.76 |
One month is a weak guide: its average per kWh moves with that month's use, because the fixed monthly charge is spread over more or fewer kWh, even when the rate schedule has not changed. The longer window points the other way: the 12 months from September 2025 to August 2026 averaged 16.69¢ per kWh2, above the 2025 figure of 16.32¢ per kWh1. All 2026 months are preliminary until EIA's final annual survey; the next monthly release, on November 24, 2026, adds September 2026.
July bills, October bills
Air conditioning sets the peak. NOAA's 2016 to 2025 normals give South Carolina 2,031 cooling degree days a year, 7th highest7 of the contiguous states and DC, and the cooperative's monthly survey data track that heat closely. Over the 12 months from September 2025 to August 2026, use per home ranged from 846 kWh in October 2025 to 1,654 kWh in July 2026, and the average bill in those two months from $154.98 to $257.062. Even the lowest month's bill was close to the statewide annual average of $161.215 for 2025.
Source: EIA-861M monthly sales and revenue by utility. kWh per residential customer in each month (EIA-861M; months since January 2026 preliminary). The table adds the average bill and price for the month.
Show the numbers
| Month | kWh per customer | Bill per customer | ¢/kWh |
|---|---|---|---|
| September 2025 | 1,098 | $185.11 | 16.86¢ |
| October 2025 | 846 | $154.98 | 18.31¢ |
| November 2025 | 875 | $160.65 | 18.35¢ |
| December 2025 | 1,280 | $206.19 | 16.11¢ |
| January 2026 | 1,382 | $222.59 | 16.11¢ |
| February 2026 | 1,152 | $189.10 | 16.41¢ |
| March 2026 | 891 | $160.97 | 18.06¢ |
| April 2026 | 850 | $154.17 | 18.13¢ |
| May 2026 | 1,076 | $184.28 | 17.13¢ |
| June 2026 | 1,347 | $216.79 | 16.09¢ |
| July 2026 | 1,654 | $257.06 | 15.54¢ |
| August 2026 | 1,517 | $239.76 | 15.81¢ |
A cooperative priced above other cooperatives
In 2025, Berkeley Electric's average was 15.7% above the national average for electric cooperatives, and above the 15.96¢ per kWh that South Carolina's cooperatives averaged together. The state's 18 cooperatives cover a wide range: the highest average among all utilities with 10,000 or more residential customers was another cooperative, Tri-County Electric Cooperative, at 19.94¢ per kWh, while the lowest, Greenwood CPW, a municipal utility, averaged 9.97¢ per kWh1.
Source: EIA-861 annual electric power industry report, 2025 final. Utilities with 10,000 or more bundled (full-service) residential customers. Revenue divided by kWh sold, all charges included, EIA-861 2025 final. Darker bars have their own page.
Show the numbers
| Utility | ¢/kWh |
|---|---|
| Greenwood CPW | 9.97¢ |
| City of Rock Hill | 12.34¢ |
| Easley Combined Utility System | 12.81¢ |
| Greer Commission of Public Wks | 12.81¢ |
| Santee Cooper | 12.91¢ |
| Duke Energy Carolinas | 13.47¢ |
| York Electric Cooperative | 13.68¢ |
| MPD Electric Cooperative | 13.73¢ |
| Horry Electric Cooperative | 13.83¢ |
| Duke Energy Progress | 14.09¢ |
| Palmetto Electric Cooperative | 14.39¢ |
| South Carolina average | 15.12¢ |
| Black River Electric Cooperative | 15.14¢ |
| City of Orangeburg | 15.18¢ |
| Fairfield Electric Cooperative | 15.60¢ |
| Laurens Electric Cooperative | 15.62¢ |
| Berkeley Electric Cooperative | 16.32¢ |
| Lynches River Electric Cooperative | 16.34¢ |
| Santee Electric Cooperative | 16.39¢ |
| Dominion Energy South Carolina | 16.41¢ |
| Mid-Carolina Electric Cooperative | 16.83¢ |
| Newberry Electric Cooperative | 17.06¢ |
| Broad River Electric Cooperative | 17.16¢ |
| Aiken Electric Cooperative | 17.51¢ |
| Edisto Electric Cooperative | 18.99¢ |
| Blue Ridge Electric Cooperative | 19.82¢ |
| Tri-County Electric Cooperative | 19.94¢ |
Rates are set by the cooperative itself. South Carolina's electric cooperative law exempts cooperatives from the jurisdiction and control of the Public Service Commission except for listed provisions (§ 33-49-50), and while the Office of Regulatory Staff may audit a cooperative's compliance, it may not disturb decisions the board of trustees makes in its business judgment (§ 33-49-150). The current residential schedules are published by the cooperative; the guide to rate increases explains how such decisions reach a bill.
Three Lowcountry counties, all shared
EIA's service-territory records list Berkeley Electric customers in 3 counties: Berkeley County, Charleston County and Dorchester County. None of the 38 is the cooperative's alone: in each of them EIA also records at least one other distribution utility, Santee Cooper among them in Berkeley County. A town name or ZIP code is no proof of being a member; whether an address is on the cooperative's lines is answered by its own service-area map. Members cannot buy power from someone else either, because the state has no residential retail choice (01 homes with a competitive supplier in 2025, per EIA).
Source: EIA-861 2025, service territory; Census Bureau, Cartographic boundary file, counties. EIA-861 2025 service territory: 3 counties. Counts whole counties even where the utility serves only part of one; check the utility's own service-area map for an address.
Show the numbers
| County | Other utilities reporting service |
|---|---|
| Berkeley County | Dominion Energy South Carolina, Santee Cooper, Edisto Electric Cooperative |
| Charleston County | Dominion Energy South Carolina |
| Dorchester County | Dominion Energy South Carolina, Edisto Electric Cooperative, Coastal Electric Cooperative |
Smart meters everywhere, time-of-use rarely
Advanced meters made up 100.0% of the cooperative's residential meters in 2025, yet only 693 residential customers, 0.6% of the total, were enrolled in time-varying pricing (time-of-use, as reported to EIA). Solar panels on members' roofs are more common than time-of-use plans. The cooperative reported 1,983 residential net-metering systems totalling 12.6 megawatts, or 16.6 per 1,000 residential customers; Dominion Energy South Carolina's ratio was 23.0 and Santee Cooper's 10.310. How a time-varying price shifts a bill is covered in the time-of-use guide, and how exported solar power is credited in net metering.
Shorter outages, slightly more of them
Counting every event, storms included, a member's lights were out for 114 minutes in total during 2025, fewer than the South Carolina average of 151 minutes. Leaving out major event days, as the IEEE 1366 standard allows, the figure drops to 93 minutes. Interruptions were a little more frequent than statewide, 1.38 per customer against 1.2511, so each one was, on average, shorter.
Business accounts and help with bills
Businesses on the cooperative's lines paid less per kWh than homes in 2025: 8.27¢ per kWh across 18,519 commercial accounts. Their bills were large, though, at $1,396.01 a month on average, more than twice South Carolina's commercial figure of $602.465. At a lower price per kWh than homes paid, a bill that size reflects heavy use per account. All 138,073 accounts together averaged 10.74¢ per kWh1.
For members who cannot cover a summer bill, the federal Low Income Home Energy Assistance Program is the main public source of help; South Carolina's fiscal year 2026 allocation was $49.4 million12. Prices and bills at every other provider in the state are on electricity in South Carolina.
Berkeley Electric Cooperative: common questions
What are Berkeley Electric Cooperative's rates per kWh?
EIA does not publish the rate schedule; it publishes what residential members paid on average, all charges included. That was 16.32¢ per kWh1 in 2025 (EIA-861, final), 16.69¢ per kWh over the last 12 months (September 2025 to August 2026) and 15.81¢ per kWh2 in August 20264 (preliminary). The energy charge and monthly charge on the cooperative's own schedule are different numbers.
What is the average Berkeley Electric bill?
$187.48 a month in 2025, for 1,149 kWh1 of use, and $194.49 over the last 12 months (September 2025 to August 2026). In July 2026 the average reached $257.06; in October 2025 it was $154.982.
Did Berkeley Electric Cooperative raise rates?
The residential average price rose 9.3% from 2024 to 2025, from 14.93¢ per kWh3 to 16.32¢ per kWh1, and the 12-month average to August 2026 (16.69¢ per kWh2) is higher still. EIA's averages show the size of the change, not which charges moved; the cooperative's board decides its rates.
Does the South Carolina Public Service Commission regulate Berkeley Electric's rates?
No. State law exempts electric cooperatives from the commission's jurisdiction except for listed provisions; the Office of Regulatory Staff can audit a cooperative but may not overturn its board's business decisions.
Related pages
Sources
- EIA-861 annual electric power industry report, 2025 final; table Sales_Ult_Cust_2025; 2025, final; released October 7, 2026. 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 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, 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, Historical state data, annual sales, revenue and customers; table HS861 2010-.xlsx; 2010-2025, final; released October 7, 2026. www.eia.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
- 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
- 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
- EIA-861 2025, reliability; table Reliability_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
How every figure is built: methodology. Found an error? Write to [email protected]; corrections are listed on the updates page.