Data centers in South Carolina

South Carolina's state owned utility, Santee Cooper, created a special experimental rate for very large customers of 50 megawatts or more, covering incoming data centers as well as some large manufacturers. Its board approved the rate in spring 2025 on a four year experimental basis; it requires large customers to sign 15 year contracts and lets Santee Cooper charge more during peak demand periods. Separately, Santee Cooper has proposed general residential increases of about 4.7 percent in 2027 and 4.6 percent in 2028 as it prepares for over a gigawatt of new large load demand by 2030.

Dominion Energy South Carolina filed for a 12.73 percent increase on January 2, 2026, which as filed would have added about 19.98 dollars to a typical 1000 kWh residential bill. A settlement cut that to a 7.62 percent increase, just under 12 dollars a month, which took effect July 1, 2026. The case is tied to Dominion's plans, alongside Santee Cooper, for a large new gas plant expected to help serve growing data center demand in the state.

Duke Energy Carolinas filed for a South Carolina rate increase on July 1, 2025 that as filed would have raised a typical residential bill by about 10.38 dollars a month, roughly 7.6 percent. Regulators approved a much smaller settlement, about a 0.6 percent increase that raised the typical 148 dollar monthly bill by 84 cents starting in early 2026, and set Duke's allowed return on equity at 9.99 percent instead of the 10.85 percent Duke wanted. The settlement also pushed Duke to look at ways of protecting customers from costs tied to growing data center demand.

Duke Energy Progress filed for a 74.8 million dollar increase on June 12, 2025, about 12.1 percent overall, which as filed would have added roughly 21.66 dollars a month to a typical residential bill using 1000 kWh. After a settlement with the state consumer advocate and other groups, regulators approved closer to an 8 percent increase, adding about 11.23 dollars a month, effective February 1, 2026.