Duke Energy Carolinas in South Carolina: rates per kWh and bills
Duke Energy Carolinas's 582,062 residential customers in South Carolina paid an average of 13.47¢ per kWh in 2025, for an average bill of $141.55 a month on 1,051 kWh.1 Over the last 12 months (Sep 2025–Aug 2026) the average was 14.07¢, and 14.57¢ 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.
19 of 46 South Carolina counties served (EIA-861 2025)
At 13.47¢ per kWh in 2025, the average residential price on Duke Energy Carolinas' South Carolina system was 10.9% below the South Carolina average, while Dominion Energy South Carolina's paid 16.41¢ per kWh1. The price is almost the same as across the state line in North Carolina, but the bills are not: South Carolina homes on the same company's system use more, and their peak comes in summer.
Duke Energy Carolinas' average price in South Carolina
Duke Energy Carolinas is South Carolina's second-largest utility by residential customers, with 582,062 homes on its wires in 2025, 22.8% of the state's total. Those customers paid an average of 13.47¢ per kWh that year, the 6th lowest of the 26 South Carolina utilities with 10,000 or more residential customers and 24.2% below the national average for investor-owned utilities. Nationally, among utilities with 100,000 or more residential customers, it ranked 50th lowest of 1771.
The price is an average, not a line on the tariff: residential revenue divided by residential kWh, so the monthly basic charge, the fuel component and riders are inside it, and most taxes are not. A household that uses little electricity pays more than this per kWh, and a large user pays less.
Source: EIA-861 annual electric power industry report, 2025 final. Utilities with 10,000 or more bundled (full-service) residential customers; the 15 lowest of 26 shown. 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¢ |
More recent figures come from EIA's monthly survey, which samples this utility every month. Over the 12 months from September 2025 to August 2026 its residential customers paid 14.07¢ per kWh, and in August 20263 alone 14.57¢ per kWh2. All 2026 months are preliminary.
Lower than Dominion, close to Santee Cooper
Most South Carolina homes are served by one of five utilities with 100,000 or more residential customers, which together cover 68.4% of the state's residential customers. In 2025 only the state-owned Santee Cooper, at 12.91¢ per kWh, averaged less than Duke Energy Carolinas' 13.47¢ per kWh. The sister company Duke Energy Progress averaged 14.09¢ per kWh, Berkeley Electric Cooperative 16.32¢ per kWh and Dominion Energy South Carolina, the largest, 16.41¢ per kWh1.
The two largest moved apart that year. Dominion's residential average rose 12.5% from 2024, while Duke Energy Carolinas' fell 3.7%1. In the 12 months from September 2025 to August 2026, Dominion's customers paid 17.21¢ per kWh, Duke Energy Carolinas' 14.07¢ per kWh and Santee Cooper's 14.07¢ per kWh2.
Bills are lower as well. Duke Energy Carolinas homes paid $141.55 a month on average in 2025 against $161.21 for South Carolina as a whole and $169.35 on Dominion, though their use, 1,051 kWh1 a month, was close to the state's 1,067 kWh4.
None of this is a choice a household can make. EIA's service-territory records place Duke Energy Carolinas in 19 South Carolina counties, from the Upstate, including Greenville and Anderson, east to Lancaster and Kershaw; in all 195 at least one other utility also reports customers. EIA has no prices by city or ZIP code, and Duke's own service-area map decides which utility serves an address.
Source: EIA-861 2025, service territory; Census Bureau, Cartographic boundary file, counties. EIA-861 2025 service territory: 19 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 |
|---|---|
| Abbeville County | Dominion Energy South Carolina, Laurens Electric Cooperative, Little River Electric Cooperative, City of Abbeville, City of Due West |
| Anderson County | Blue Ridge Electric Cooperative, Laurens Electric Cooperative, Little River Electric Cooperative |
| Cherokee County | York Electric Cooperative, Broad River Electric Cooperative, City of Gaffney, Lockhart Power Co |
| Chester County | York Electric Cooperative, Fairfield Electric Cooperative, Lockhart Power Co |
| Edgefield County | Dominion Energy South Carolina, Aiken Electric Cooperative |
| Fairfield County | Dominion Energy South Carolina, Fairfield Electric Cooperative, Newberry Electric Cooperative, Town of Winnsboro |
| Greenville County | Blue Ridge Electric Cooperative, Laurens Electric Cooperative, Greer Commission of Public Wks |
| Greenwood County | Dominion Energy South Carolina, Aiken Electric Cooperative, Little River Electric Cooperative, Greenwood CPW |
| Kershaw County | Duke Energy Progress, Fairfield Electric Cooperative, Black River Electric Cooperative, Lynches River Electric Cooperative, Tri-County Electric Cooperative, City of Camden |
| Lancaster County | York Electric Cooperative, Lynches River Electric Cooperative |
| Laurens County | Laurens Electric Cooperative, Newberry Electric Cooperative, City of Laurens, Clinton Combined Utility Sys |
| McCormick County | Dominion Energy South Carolina, Aiken Electric Cooperative, Little River Electric Cooperative, Town of McCormick |
| Newberry County | Dominion Energy South Carolina, Laurens Electric Cooperative, Mid-Carolina Electric Cooperative, Broad River Electric Cooperative, Newberry Electric Cooperative, City of Newberry, Town of Prosperity |
| Oconee County | Blue Ridge Electric Cooperative, City of Seneca, City of Westminster, Haywood Electric Membership Corporation |
| Pickens County | Blue Ridge Electric Cooperative, Easley Combined Utility System |
| Saluda County | Dominion Energy South Carolina, Mid-Carolina Electric Cooperative, Aiken Electric Cooperative |
| Spartanburg County | Blue Ridge Electric Cooperative, Laurens Electric Cooperative, Broad River Electric Cooperative, Greer Commission of Public Wks, Lockhart Power Co |
| Union County | Dominion Energy South Carolina, Laurens Electric Cooperative, Broad River Electric Cooperative, City of Union, Lockhart Power Co |
| York County | York Electric Cooperative, City of Rock Hill, Fairfield Electric Cooperative, Broad River Electric Cooperative, Lockhart Power Co |
One company, two states, two bill patterns
Duke Energy Carolinas serves both Carolinas, but each state's commission sets its own rates: the Public Service Commission of South Carolina here and the North Carolina Utilities Commission for Duke Energy Carolinas in North Carolina. In 2025 the average prices ended up close, 13.47¢ per kWh in South Carolina and 13.41¢ per kWh1 in North Carolina.
Bills differed more, because South Carolina homes used more: 1,051 kWh a month against 996 kWh, for average bills of $141.55 and $133.631 (2025).
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 use |
|---|---|
| Santee Cooper (SC) | 959 |
| Duke Energy Carolinas (NC) | 996 |
| Dominion Energy South Carolina (SC) | 1,032 |
| Duke Energy Carolinas (SC) | 1,051 |
| Duke Energy Progress (SC) | 1,206 |
The timing of the peak differs too. Over the 12 months from September 2025 to August 2026, use per home on the South Carolina side was highest in July 2026, at 1,446 kWh and an average bill of $202.09; on the North Carolina side the peak came in January 2026. The lowest month in South Carolina was October 2025: 756 kWh and $105.982. Electric heat is common all the same: 69.6% of South Carolina households heated mainly with electricity in the Census Bureau's 2025 survey, 2nd highest7 among the states (an estimate with a margin of error).
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 | 900 | $124.44 | 13.83¢ |
| October 2025 | 756 | $105.98 | 14.02¢ |
| November 2025 | 870 | $120.89 | 13.90¢ |
| December 2025 | 1,221 | $164.63 | 13.48¢ |
| January 2026 | 1,384 | $190.66 | 13.78¢ |
| February 2026 | 1,078 | $157.00 | 14.56¢ |
| March 2026 | 825 | $111.49 | 13.52¢ |
| April 2026 | 758 | $114.30 | 15.07¢ |
| May 2026 | 900 | $130.34 | 14.49¢ |
| June 2026 | 1,179 | $163.41 | 13.87¢ |
| July 2026 | 1,446 | $202.09 | 13.98¢ |
| August 2026 | 1,352 | $197.02 | 14.57¢ |
The 2024 rate order and the monthly data since
In annual terms, 2025 was cheaper per kWh than 2024: 13.47¢ per kWh against 13.99¢ per kWh. South Carolina homes on the system used a little more (1,051 kWh a month, up from 1,026 kWh8), so the bill fell by less than the price, −1.4% to $141.551.
EIA's preliminary 2026 months point the other way. The 12 months ending August 2026 averaged 14.07¢ per kWh, and August 20263 by itself came in at 14.57¢ per kWh, +7.4%2 on August 2025.
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 | Duke Energy Carolinas (¢/kWh) | kWh per customer | Bill per customer |
|---|---|---|---|
| January 2025 | 12.80¢ | 1,551 | $198.46 |
| February 2025 | 13.74¢ | 986 | $135.57 |
| March 2025 | 14.03¢ | 832 | $116.70 |
| April 2025 | 13.99¢ | 768 | $107.37 |
| May 2025 | 13.64¢ | 841 | $114.70 |
| June 2025 | 13.00¢ | 1,232 | $160.17 |
| July 2025 | 12.88¢ | 1,537 | $197.90 |
| August 2025 | 13.56¢ | 1,123 | $152.23 |
| September 2025 | 13.83¢ | 900 | $124.44 |
| October 2025 | 14.02¢ | 756 | $105.98 |
| November 2025 | 13.90¢ | 870 | $120.89 |
| December 2025 | 13.48¢ | 1,221 | $164.63 |
| January 2026 | 13.78¢ | 1,384 | $190.66 |
| February 2026 | 14.56¢ | 1,078 | $157.00 |
| March 2026 | 13.52¢ | 825 | $111.49 |
| April 2026 | 15.07¢ | 758 | $114.30 |
| May 2026 | 14.49¢ | 900 | $130.34 |
| June 2026 | 13.87¢ | 1,179 | $163.41 |
| July 2026 | 13.98¢ | 1,446 | $202.09 |
| August 2026 | 14.57¢ | 1,352 | $197.02 |
The current base rates come from a rate review Duke Energy Carolinas filed in January 2024. In July 2024 the Public Service Commission of South Carolina approved new rates based on a settlement with almost all parties, including the state's Office of Regulatory Staff, with residential increases beginning August 1, 2024 and a second step on August 1, 2026, according to Duke Energy's announcement of the order. The annual average still fell in 2025; EIA's data do not split it into base rates, fuel and riders, so they cannot show how much each part moved. The second step began in August 20263, the latest month in EIA's published data. Fuel costs are reviewed in separate proceedings, and the commission's dockets hold the current filings; the guide to rate increases explains how such cases reach a bill.
Outages: longer than the South Carolina average
In 2025, Duke Energy Carolinas' South Carolina customers were without power for an average of 220 minutes once major events are counted, more than the South Carolina average of 151 minutes. Without major event days the figure was 141 minutes, against 104 minutes statewide. The number of interruptions was close to the state's: 1.26 per customer, against 1.259. The figures follow the IEEE 1366 standard.
Source: EIA-861 2025, reliability. EIA-861 2025 final. Average revenue per kWh is all charges divided by kWh; it is not a tariff rate.
Show the numbers
| Utility | outage minutes per customer (all events) |
|---|---|
| Santee Cooper (SC) | 43 |
| Duke Energy Progress (SC) | 119 |
| Dominion Energy South Carolina (SC) | 131 |
| Duke Energy Carolinas (NC) | 216 |
| Duke Energy Carolinas (SC) | 220 |
Time-of-use, smart meters and solar
Smart meters are almost universal on the system (99.9% of residential meters in 2025), but time-based pricing is rare. Duke Energy Carolinas reported time-of-use and critical peak pricing programs in South Carolina with 3,403 residential customers enrolled, 0.6% of the total. Santee Cooper, by contrast, reported 100.0%10 of its residential customers on time-of-use. Which hours count as peak, and what they cost, is written in Duke's South Carolina rate schedules; our time-of-use guide works through the effect on a bill.
Rooftop solar reached 12,789 net-metered residential installations with 102.2 megawatts of capacity, 22.0 per 1,000 customers, against 23.010 on Dominion (2025).
Businesses, Duke Energy and help with bills
Business prices sit well below the residential one. In 2025, commercial accounts averaged 9.68¢ per kWh, and 1,464 industrial accounts 6.52¢ per kWh; spread over every one of its 687,542 South Carolina accounts, the figure was 9.79¢ per kWh1.
Duke Energy Carolinas is one of 8 Duke Energy utilities large enough for a page here; their residential averages in 2025 ranged from 13.41¢ per kWh to 18.36¢ per kWh1, and the Duke Energy page compares them.
For low-income households, South Carolina distributes federal Low Income Home Energy Assistance Program (LIHEAP) money; its fiscal year 2026 allocation came to $49.4 million11. The South Carolina page covers every utility in the state.
Questions about Duke Energy Carolinas rates in South Carolina
How much does Duke Energy Carolinas charge per kWh in South Carolina?
Its South Carolina residential customers paid an average of 13.47¢ per kWh1 in 2025, and 14.07¢ per kWh2 over the 12 months from September 2025 to August 2026 (2026 months preliminary). These are average revenue per kWh: everything billed, including the monthly basic charge, fuel and riders, divided by kWh. The energy charges printed on Duke's South Carolina rate schedules leave some of those items out, so they do not match this average.
What is the average Duke Energy Carolinas electric bill in South Carolina?
$141.55 a month in 2025 for 1,051 kWh1, below the South Carolina average bill of $161.214. Over the 12 months from September 2025 to August 2026 the average was $148.63, from $105.98 in October 2025 to $202.09 in July 20262.
Did Duke Energy Carolinas raise rates in South Carolina in 2026?
The rates approved by the Public Service Commission of South Carolina in July 2024 included a second residential step beginning August 1, 2026, according to Duke Energy's announcement of the order. In EIA's monthly data, the August 20263 residential average was 14.57¢ per kWh, +7.4%2 against the same month a year earlier (preliminary).
Can I choose another electricity provider instead of Duke in South Carolina?
No. South Carolina has no residential retail choice: EIA counted 0.0%1 of residential customers with a competitive supplier in 2025. The utility whose territory includes your address serves you.
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, 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 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
- 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-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.