Electricity rates — South Carolina
A household in South Carolina using 1,000 kWh a month pays about $1,372.20 a year on the cheapest of 16 generally available plans — Residential Rate - Single Phase from Horry Electric Coop Inc, in effect since July 2024. Rates checked September 23, 2026. A further 7 restricted and 10 older schedules are priced further down but not ranked.
Cheapest 25 of 33 priced plans, 1,000 kWh/mo
| Plan | Per year | vs cheapest | Effective |
|---|---|---|---|
| Residential Service All Energy Time-of-Use (R-TOUE-38) Single PhaseProgress Energy Carolinas Inc (South Carolina)time-of-use · in effect since July 2016 · older schedule, not ranked | $1,166.57 | −$205.63 | 9.7¢ |
| Residential Demand - Single PhaseHorry Electric Coop Incdemand charge · in effect since October 2013 · older schedule, not ranked | $1,181.79 | −$190.41 | 9.8¢ |
| Residential Service All Energy Time-of-Use (R-TOUE-38) Three PhaseProgress Energy Carolinas Inc (South Carolina)time-of-use · in effect since July 2016 · older schedule, not ranked | $1,274.57 | −$97.63 | 10.6¢ |
| Residential Rate - Single Phase✓ cheapestHorry Electric Coop Incdemand charge · in effect since July 2024 | $1,372.20 | — | 11.4¢ |
| Net Metering - ResidentialHorry Electric Coop Inctime-of-use · demand charge · in effect since October 2013 · needs on-site generation | $1,381.17 | +$8.97 | 11.5¢ |
| ResidentialPalmetto Electric Coop Incflat rate · in effect since October 2012 · older schedule, not ranked | $1,432.80 | +$60.60 | 11.9¢ |
| Whole House TODBerkeley Electric Coop Inctime-of-use · in effect since August 2014 · older schedule, not ranked | $1,434.00 | +$61.80 | 12.0¢ |
| Residential Time of DayBerkeley Electric Coop Incflat rate · in effect since January 2025 | $1,493.10 | +$120.90 | 12.4¢ |
| Residential Service Time-of-Use (R-TOUD-55) Single PhaseProgress Energy Carolinas Inc (South Carolina)time-of-use · demand charge · in effect since February 2026 | $1,510.30 | +$138.10 | 12.6¢ |
| RESIDENTIAL TRANSITION ADJUSTMENT SCHEDULE RTA-17South Carolina Pub Serv Authpriced by season · in effect since April 2017 · older schedule, not ranked | $1,510.40 | +$138.20 | 12.6¢ |
| Residential Pre-PayHorry Electric Coop Incpriced by season · tiered · in effect since October 2013 · older schedule, not ranked | $1,540.80 | +$168.60 | 12.8¢ |
| Residential Demand - Multi-PhaseHorry Electric Coop Incdemand charge · in effect since October 2013 · older schedule, not ranked | $1,541.79 | +$169.59 | 12.8¢ |
| Residential Service Energy Star All-Electric ESDuke Energy Carolinas, LLC (South Carolina)tiered · in effect since November 2025 · needs an all-electric home | $1,552.20 | +$180.00 | 12.9¢ |
| Residential Service Time-of-Use (R-TOUD-55) Three PhaseProgress Energy Carolinas Inc (South Carolina)time-of-use · demand charge · in effect since February 2026 | $1,601.64 | +$229.44 | 13.3¢ |
| Residential Electric Water Heating and Space Conditioning - REDuke Energy Carolinas, LLC (South Carolina)tiered · in effect since November 2025 · needs electric heating | $1,633.08 | +$260.88 | 13.6¢ |
| 3 Phase Residential RateHorry Electric Coop Incpriced by season · tiered · in effect since October 2013 · older schedule, not ranked | $1,660.80 | +$288.60 | 13.8¢ |
| Residential Service Energy Star Standard ESDuke Energy Carolinas, LLC (South Carolina)tiered · in effect since November 2025 · needs qualifying appliances | $1,669.80 | +$297.60 | 13.9¢ |
| Residential - RS (SC)Duke Energy Carolinas, LLC (South Carolina)tiered · in effect since November 2025 | $1,756.80 | +$384.60 | 14.6¢ |
| RESIDENTIAL GENERAL SERVICE SCHEDULE RG-25South Carolina Pub Serv Authdemand charge · in effect since April 2025 | $1,758.91 | +$386.71 | 14.7¢ |
| Residential Service RB; Closed RateDuke Energy Carolinas, LLC (South Carolina)tiered · in effect since January 2024 · closed to new customers | $1,765.68 | +$393.48 | 14.7¢ |
| 7 (Residential Service Time-Of-Use Demand)South Carolina Electric&Gas Cotime-of-use · demand charge · in effect since September 2024 | $1,826.92 | +$454.72 | 15.2¢ |
| ResidentialBerkeley Electric Coop Incpriced by season · in effect since January 2017 · older schedule, not ranked | $1,828.32 | +$456.12 | 15.2¢ |
| Residential Service Time-of-Use with Critical Peak Pricing(R-TOU-CPP) Single PhaseProgress Energy Carolinas Inc (South Carolina)time-of-use · in effect since February 2026 | $1,845.50 | +$473.30 | 15.4¢ |
| 5 (Residential Service Time-Of-Use)South Carolina Electric&Gas Cotime-of-use · in effect since September 2024 | $1,868.55 | +$496.35 | 15.6¢ |
| Residential Service Solar Time-of-Use (R-STOU) Single PhaseProgress Energy Carolinas Inc (South Carolina)time-of-use · demand charge · in effect since February 2026 · needs on-site generation | $1,870.67 | +$498.47 | 15.6¢ |
8 further schedules are published and priced but not listed here — mostly regional and seasonal variants of the plans above. The dearest of them costs $2,238.56 a year at this usage.
Cost across usage levels
The cheapest plan at each consumption level, showing whether the ranking holds as usage changes.
- 500 kWh/mo — cheapest $842.89 (Residential Service Time-of-Use (R-TOUD-55) Single Phase), dearest $1,173.24, a $330.35 spread
- 1,000 kWh/mo — cheapest $1,372.20 (Residential Rate - Single Phase), dearest $2,238.56, a $866.36 spread
- 2,000 kWh/mo — cheapest $2,397.60 (Residential Rate - Single Phase), dearest $4,387.46, a $1,989.86 spread
What a typical bill costs
At 1,000 kWh a month the 16 generally available plans here run from $1,372.20 on Residential Rate - Single Phase to $2,238.56 on 8 (Residential Service), with a median of $1,857.03.
Effective rates, bill divided by kilowatt-hours, span 11.4¢ to 18.7¢ per kWh at that usage.
What households in South Carolina pay, by EIA's count
Over the 12 months to June 2026, residential electricity in South Carolina averaged 15.6¢ per kWh, the 26th-highest of the 50 states and DC and 13% below the US average of 17.9¢. It sits between Oregon (15.5¢) and Texas (15.9¢).
EIA lists 29 utilities serving homes in South Carolina. By homes served, the largest 5 are Dominion Energy South Carolina, Inc (696,385), Duke Energy Carolinas, LLC (568,586), South Carolina Public Service Authority (185,529), Duke Energy Progress - (NC) (143,713), and Berkeley Electric Coop Inc (115,117). Member-owned cooperatives supply about 31% and state-owned utilities supply about 7% of its households.
Over five years they rose 22.6%, well behind the US's 34.7%.
South Carolina homes used the most electricity in July and the least in April (2021–2025): a summer peak, 1.9 times the lightest month. October was the dearest month per kWh, 12% above January.
The utilities with a ranked plan on this page serve about 70% of South Carolina's households: South Carolina Electric&Gas Co (696,385), Duke Energy Carolinas, LLC (South Carolina) (568,586), South Carolina Pub Serv Auth (185,529), Progress Energy Carolinas Inc (South Carolina) (143,713) and 2 more. Their median plan at 1,000 kWh a month works out to 15.5¢ per kWh, about the same as EIA's average, which is why this page compares that median with other states'.
| Average price, 12 months to June 2026 | 15.6¢ |
|---|---|
| Among the 50 states and DC | 26 of 51, 1 = lowest |
| US average, same months | 17.9¢ |
| Change on the 12 months before | ↑ +6.1% |
| Change over five years | ↑ +22.6% (US ↑ +34.7%) |
| Average price in 2001 | 7.7¢ |
| Households, 2024 | 2,574,218 |
| Average use per home | 1,054 kWh a month (US 872) |
| Average bill per home | $149.95 a month (US $143.64) |
Every year’s figure
| Year | South Carolina | US |
|---|---|---|
| 2025 | 15.0¢ | 17.3¢ |
| 2024 | 14.2¢ | 16.5¢ |
| 2023 | 13.7¢ | 16.0¢ |
| 2022 | 13.6¢ | 15.0¢ |
| 2021 | 12.9¢ | 13.7¢ |
| 2020 | 12.8¢ | 13.2¢ |
| 2019 | 13.0¢ | 13.0¢ |
| 2018 | 12.4¢ | 12.9¢ |
| 2017 | 13.0¢ | 12.9¢ |
| 2016 | 12.7¢ | 12.5¢ |
| 2015 | 12.6¢ | 12.7¢ |
| 2014 | 12.5¢ | 12.5¢ |
| 2013 | 12.0¢ | 12.1¢ |
| 2012 | 11.8¢ | 11.9¢ |
| 2011 | 11.1¢ | 11.7¢ |
| 2010 | 10.5¢ | 11.5¢ |
| 2009 | 10.4¢ | 11.5¢ |
| 2008 | 9.9¢ | 11.3¢ |
| 2007 | 9.2¢ | 10.7¢ |
| 2006 | 9.0¢ | 10.4¢ |
| 2005 | 8.7¢ | 9.4¢ |
| 2004 | 8.1¢ | 8.9¢ |
| 2003 | 8.0¢ | 8.7¢ |
| 2002 | 7.7¢ | 8.4¢ |
| 2001 | 7.7¢ | 8.6¢ |
How South Carolina compares
At 1,000 kWh a month the median plan in South Carolina costs $1,857.03 a year: the 12th-lowest of the 29 states whose indexed plans stand for them, and 7% less than their median of $1,989.30. It sits between Florida ($1,800.58) and Minnesota ($1,940.27).
Its cheapest open plan, Residential Rate - Single Phase from Horry Electric Coop Inc at $1,372.20, is the 10th-lowest of the 29 states' cheapest plans.
The largest fixed charge on any plan here is $62.00 a month, the 7th-largest such charge of the 29 states.
In the guides: What published electricity plans cost, state by state · What a bill costs before a single kilowatt-hour
What each provider costs
6 utilities serve customers across South Carolina in this data. At 1,000 kWh a month the cheapest of them is Horry Electric Coop Inc at $1,372.20 a year on Residential Rate - Single Phase; the dearest is South Carolina Electric&Gas Co at $1,826.92.
That is $454.72 a year between the best each provider offers.
Cheapest available plan by provider: Horry Electric Coop Inc $1,372.20; Berkeley Electric Coop Inc $1,493.10; Progress Energy Carolinas Inc (South Carolina) $1,510.30; Duke Energy Carolinas, LLC (South Carolina) $1,756.80; South Carolina Pub Serv Auth $1,758.91; South Carolina Electric&Gas Co $1,826.92.
How the answer changes with usage
The cheapest plan in South Carolina changes with consumption. At 500 kWh a month Residential Service Time-of-Use (R-TOUD-55) Single Phase wins at $842.89 a year; at 2,000 kWh Residential Rate - Single Phase wins at $2,397.60.
The penalty for a poor choice grows with usage: $330.35 a year at 500 kWh against $1,989.86 at 2,000 kWh.
How these plans are structured
Of 34 priceable plans: 11 tiered, 14 time-of-use, 8 priced by season, 11 with demand charges, 3 flat-rate.
Fixed monthly charges run from $8.00 to $62.00.
Who provides these plans
These plans come from 7 utilities: Berkeley Electric Coop Inc, Duke Energy Carolinas, LLC (South Carolina), Horry Electric Coop Inc, Palmetto Electric Coop Inc, Progress Energy Carolinas Inc (South Carolina), South Carolina Electric&Gas Co, South Carolina Pub Serv Auth.
The largest saving available here
Moving from 8 (Residential Service) to Residential Rate - Single Phase saves $866.36 a year at 1,000 kWh a month, with no change in consumption.
What this does not cover
14 of these plans price by the hour, so their figures are marked lower confidence.
New to these terms? The methodology page explains tiered bands, time-of-use periods and fixed charges, and sets out exactly what the rate engine assumes.
Estimate — your actual bill may differ.
Tariff structures from NREL/OpenEI Utility Rate Database (CC0 1.0), retrieved September 23, 2026.
State prices from U.S. Energy Information Administration, electricity retail sales, South Carolina, retrieved September 23, 2026; households and utilities from U.S. Energy Information Administration, Form EIA-861, 2024 (Sales_Ult_Cust_2024.xlsx), retrieved September 23, 2026. US Government public domain.