South Carolina electricity rates
As of May 2026, the average residential electricity rate in South Carolina is 16.18 cents per kilowatt-hour, 12.3% below the U.S. average of 18.44¢. That is the 27th highest rate of the 50 states and the District of Columbia.
- Year over year
- ▲ +5.0% from 15.41¢ in May 2025
- Vs. U.S. average
- -12.3% U.S. average 18.44¢
- National rank
- #27 of 51 · #25 cheapest
- Supply market
- Southeast (non-RTO) Regulated monopoly
Why South Carolina pays what it pays
South Carolina's rate story is inseparable from the V.C. Summer expansion, two nuclear units abandoned mid-construction after billions had been spent. The political and legal aftermath reshaped the state's utility landscape, forced the sale of the utility responsible, and left an unresolved question about how much of the cost ratepayers ultimately bear. Legislation reduced the burden substantially, but not to zero.
Beyond that, the fundamentals are good. The existing V.C. Summer unit and the Oconee station supply low-cost nuclear energy, and the state has a growing solar fleet. South Carolina's rate sits below the national average despite the stranded-cost overhang.
Delivery costs are moderate. Coastal storm exposure adds hardening spending, but the state's distribution network is comparatively young thanks to steady population growth.
Where South Carolina power comes from
South Carolina generated 105 TWh in 2025, the 15th largest output of any state. Nuclear supplied 54.2% of it, enough that the price of that fuel largely sets the price of electricity here. Renewables accounted for 7%, against 23.8% nationally, which ranks South Carolina #44 of 51.
- Nuclear 54.2% 57 TWh
- Natural gas 21.5% 22 TWh
- Coal 17.4% 18 TWh
- Solar 3.2% 3 TWh
- Hydroelectric 2.4% 2 TWh
- Wood and biomass 1.5% 2 TWh
Source: U.S. Energy Information Administration, Electric Power Operational Data, net generation, all sectors. Net generation across all sectors. Nuclear counts as carbon-free but not renewable, so the two shares differ.
How South Carolina compares
South Carolina ranks #27 of 51 jurisdictions by residential price, making it the 25th cheapest. Within the South Atlantic division, 3 of 8 neighbouring states are cheaper.
| State | ¢/kWh | YoY | Rank |
|---|---|---|---|
| North Carolina | 15.09 | +5.4% | #35 |
| Florida | 15.17 | +1.3% | #33 |
| Georgia | 15.84 | +5.7% | #30 |
| South Carolina | 16.18 | +5.0% | #27 |
| West Virginia | 16.80 | +3.8% | #23 |
| Virginia | 17.61 | +15.4% | #21 |
| Delaware | 19.38 | +6.9% | #19 |
| Maryland | 21.77 | +14.6% | #15 |
| District of Columbia | 25.40 | +24.3% | #10 |
Source: U.S. Energy Information Administration, Electric Power Monthly, Table 5.6.A: Average Price of Electricity to Ultimate Customers by End-Use Sector, by State. Data period May 2026. Retrieved 2026-08-19.
What South Carolina households actually pay
South Carolina looks cheaper on paper than it is in practice. It has the 25th cheapest rate in the country but only the 15th highest bill from the bottom, because households there use 1,061 kWh a month against a national average of 871. See how every state compares on bills.
Estimate your South Carolina bill
Multiply your own usage by the May 2026 state average. Enter the kilowatt-hours from your last statement. This is a supply-and-delivery blended average, not a utility quote.
Rate used: …. U.S. average 18.44¢/kWh, May 2026. Source: U.S. Energy Information Administration, Electric Power Monthly Table 5.6.A.
Heating in South Carolina: gas, heat pump or resistance
Residential natural gas in South Carolina averaged $16.91 per thousand cubic feet in 2024, about $1.63 per therm, against a national average of $14.50. Put on the same scale as the state's electricity rate, the cost of delivering one million BTU of heat works out as follows.
In South Carolina, a heat pump is cheaper to run than a gas furnace by about $2.31 per million BTU at these assumptions. Over a 60 million BTU heating season that is roughly $139, before counting the cooling a heat pump also provides.
Gas price: U.S. Energy Information Administration, Natural Gas Prices, price delivered to residential consumers, 2024. Assumptions are adjustable in the heating cost guide, and every state is compared on the gas price page.
What each South Carolina utility charges
The statewide average hides a wide spread. Across the 29 South Carolina utilities reporting to the EIA, rates run from 9.04¢ at Greenwood CPW to 20.05¢ at Sunrun Inc. . Together they serve 2.5 million residential customers.
| Utility | ¢/kWh | Bill | kWh | Customers |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Dominion Energy South Carolina, Inc | 14.59 | $151 | 1,032 | 696,385 |
| Duke Energy Carolinas, LLC | 13.99 | $144 | 1,026 | 568,586 |
| South Carolina Public Service Authority | 11.38 | $108 | 945 | 185,529 |
| Duke Energy Progress | 14.88 | $171 | 1,146 | 143,713 |
| Berkeley Electric Coop Inc | 14.93 | $170 | 1,140 | 115,117 |
| Horry Electric Coop Inc | 13.23 | $140 | 1,060 | 86,726 |
| Palmetto Electric Coop Inc | 12.79 | $154 | 1,203 | 68,338 |
| Blue Ridge Electric Coop Inc | 18.94 | $189 | 1,000 | 67,553 |
| York Electric Coop Inc | 12.65 | $137 | 1,080 | 65,244 |
| Laurens Electric Coop, Inc | 14.66 | $156 | 1,065 | 58,438 |
| Mid-Carolina Electric Coop Inc | 14.88 | $171 | 1,146 | 56,463 |
| Aiken Electric Coop Inc | 15.53 | $170 | 1,097 | 49,460 |
| City of Rock Hill | 12.55 | $103 | 824 | 36,492 |
| Santee Electric Coop, Inc | 14.74 | $184 | 1,251 | 35,235 |
| Fairfield Electric Coop, Inc | 14.35 | $164 | 1,141 | 32,397 |
| MPD Electric Cooperative | 10.94 | $144 | 1,312 | 31,874 |
| Black River Electric Coop, Inc | 13.47 | $169 | 1,258 | 30,610 |
| Greer Commission of Public Wks | 11.80 | $97 | 820 | 24,893 |
| Broad River Electric Coop, Inc | 15.91 | $168 | 1,055 | 23,140 |
| Lynches River Elec Coop, Inc | 15.71 | $161 | 1,022 | 21,363 |
| City of Orangeburg | 15.49 | $165 | 1,064 | 20,639 |
| Tri-County Electric Coop, Inc (SC) | 18.51 | $203 | 1,099 | 17,672 |
| Easley Combined Utility System | 12.81 | $125 | 975 | 15,772 |
| Edisto Electric Coop, Inc | 16.40 | $200 | 1,219 | 15,421 |
| Newberry Electric Coop, Inc | 16.32 | $163 | 998 | 12,970 |
Showing the 25 largest of 29. Utilities with fewer than 1,000 residential customers are not published.
Source: U.S. Energy Information Administration, Form EIA-861 annual electric power industry report, 2024.
Who sells electricity in South Carolina
Dominion Energy South Carolina, formerly SCANA's SCE&G and acquired after the nuclear failure, serves the Columbia and Charleston areas. Duke Energy Carolinas and Duke Energy Progress serve the north. Santee Cooper, a state-owned utility, generates and serves both directly and through the state's electric co-operatives.
There is no residential retail choice. The Public Service Commission of South Carolina regulates the investor-owned utilities. Santee Cooper is governed by a board and overseen by the legislature.
South Carolina sits in The Southeast. Vertically integrated utilities, no retail choice, moderate rates and the highest household consumption in the country. Read the regional analysis.
What you can actually do about it
Santee Cooper's own future has been debated repeatedly in the legislature, and its rate path is set politically rather than through a conventional rate case. Co-op members buying Santee Cooper power are affected by those decisions without being party to them.
South Carolina's summer peak is severe, and most utilities offer summer-differentiated rates. Pre-cooling and thermostat setbacks move more money here than in most states.
Closest states by price
These jurisdictions charge within a fraction of a cent of South Carolina, which is useful if you are comparing a move or a multi-state operating cost.
South Carolina electricity rates: common questions
What is the average electricity rate in South Carolina?
The average residential electricity rate in South Carolina is 16.18 cents per kilowatt-hour as of May 2026, according to the U.S. Energy Information Administration. That is -12.3% relative to the national average of 18.44¢/kWh.
How much is the average monthly electric bill in South Carolina?
The average South Carolina household paid $164 a month across the twelve months to May 2026, using an average of 1,061 kWh. That is +5.7% against the U.S. average bill of $155, and it ranks 15th highest of the 51 jurisdictions. Your own bill depends on the size of your home, your heating and cooling equipment and your rate schedule.
Why is the South Carolina bill ranking different from its rate ranking?
A bill is the rate multiplied by usage, and usage varies between states more than price does. South Carolina ranks #27 of 51 on price but 15th on the actual bill, because households there use about 1,061 kWh a month against a national average of 871. Climate and heating fuel drive most of that difference.
Have electricity rates in South Carolina gone up?
South Carolina rates rose 5% over the year to May 2026, from 15.41¢ in May 2025 to 16.18¢.
Can I choose my electricity supplier in South Carolina?
Regulated monopoly. South Carolina households buy both supply and delivery from their local regulated utility or co-operative; there is no competitive residential supplier market.