Duke Energy Carolinas electricity rates
Investor-owned utility · South Carolina
Duke Energy Carolinas is a for-profit, investor-owned utility regulated by the state utility commission, serving 582,062 homes in South Carolina. Its residential customers pay an average of 13.97¢/kWh including fixed and delivery charges, 22% less than the U.S. average.
Rate basis: EIA-861M monthly utility data, 12 months ending 2026-07.
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Duke Energy Carolinas bill estimates
| Monthly use | At average all-in rate | Base tariff charges* |
|---|---|---|
| 500 kWh | $69.85 | $77.78 |
| 1,000 kWh | $139.70 | $141.56 |
| 1,500 kWh | $209.55 | $205.34 |
| 2,000 kWh | $279.40 | $269.12 |
*RS (Residential Service) (effective 2026-01-01, $14.00/month customer charge), energy and fixed charges from the OpenEI Utility Rate Database. Riders, fuel adjustments and taxes are often billed separately, so real bills usually land closer to the all-in column. Calculate your bill.
Duke Energy Carolinas residential rate plans
| Plan | Effective | Customer charge | Energy charges |
|---|---|---|---|
| RS (Residential Service) | 2026-01-01 | $14.00 | 12.76¢ |
| Residential Service (RES-55) Single Phasetime-of-use | 2026-02-01 | $11.78 | 15.2¢ (12am–12am) — summer weekdays |
| Residential Service (RES-55) Three Phasetime-of-use | 2026-02-01 | $20.78 | 15.2¢ (12am–12am) — summer weekdays |
| Residential Service Time-of-Use with Critical Peak Pricing(R-TOU-CPP) Three Phasetime-of-use | 2026-02-01 | $23.63 | 13.5¢ (12am–1am, 6am–6pm, 9pm–12am) · 29.7¢ (6pm–9pm) · 9.5¢ (1am–6am) — summer weekdays |
| Residential Service Time-of-Use with Critical Peak Pricing(R-TOU-CPP) Single Phasetime-of-use | 2026-02-01 | $14.63 | 13.5¢ (12am–1am, 6am–6pm, 9pm–12am) · 29.7¢ (6pm–9pm) · 9.5¢ (1am–6am) — summer weekdays |
| Residential Service Solar Time-of-Use (R-STOU) Single Phasetime-of-use | 2026-02-01 | $14.63 | 13.8¢ (6am–6pm, 9pm–12am) · 21.2¢ (6pm–9pm) · 10.8¢ (12am–6am) — summer weekdays |
| Residential Service Solar Time-of-Use (R-STOU) Three Phasetime-of-use | 2026-02-01 | $23.63 | 13.8¢ (6am–6pm, 9pm–12am) · 21.2¢ (6pm–9pm) · 10.8¢ (12am–6am) — summer weekdays |
| Residential Service Time-of-Use (R-TOUD-55) Three Phasetime-of-use | 2026-02-01 | $23.63 | 9.8¢ (12am–1am, 6am–11am, 4pm–6pm, 9pm–12am) · 20.6¢ (6pm–9pm) · 7.0¢ (1am–6am, 11am–4pm) — summer weekdays |
| Residential Service Time-of-Use (R-TOUD-55) Single Phasetime-of-use | 2026-02-01 | $14.63 | 9.8¢ (12am–1am, 6am–11am, 4pm–6pm, 9pm–12am) · 20.6¢ (6pm–9pm) · 7.0¢ (1am–6am, 11am–4pm) — summer weekdays |
| ES (Residential Service Energy Star, Standard) | 2026-01-01 | $14.00 | 12.14¢ |
| Residential - RS (SC) | 2025-10-31 | $11.96 | 13.44¢ first 1,000 kWh, 14.17¢ after |
| Residential Service Energy Star Standard ES | 2025-10-31 | $11.96 | 12.72¢ first 1,000 kWh, 13.41¢ after |
| Residential Electric Water Heating and Space Conditioning - RE | 2025-10-31 | $11.96 | 12.41¢ first 1,000 kWh, 13.09¢ after |
| Residential Service Energy Star All-Electric ES | 2025-10-31 | $11.96 | 11.74¢ first 1,000 kWh, 12.38¢ after |
Source: OpenEI U.S. Utility Rate Database. Rates change. Check the linked tariff or your bill for current figures.
Duke Energy Carolinas rate history
2015–2025: +21% change in the average residential rate (11.10¢ → 13.47¢). Annual EIA-861 data.
Outages & reliability
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Reliability history
| 2025 | Duke Energy Carolinas | South Carolina avg | U.S. avg |
|---|---|---|---|
| Outage minutes per customer (SAIDI) | 220 | 151 | 266 |
| Outages per customer (SAIFI) | 1.26 | 1.16 | 1.34 |
| Average restoration time (CAIDI) | 2 hr 54 min | — | — |
| Outage minutes excluding major storms | 141 | 102 | 121 |
Outages in counties served (2025)
From ORNL EAGLE-I, which tracks customers without power every 15 minutes. These counts cover every utility in each county. Weighted across Duke Energy Carolinas's counties, customers averaged 3 hr 42 min without power.
| County | Outage min/customer | Days with outages | Peak customers out | Worst day |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| McCormick | 1,519 | 48 | 3,697 | 2025-06-08 |
| Saluda | 1,005 | 60 | 12,782 | 2025-06-08 |
| Newberry | 441 | 76 | 9,480 | 2025-06-08 |
| Oconee | 411 | 91 | 13,276 | 2025-06-15 |
| Abbeville | 401 | 56 | 2,853 | 2025-06-08 |
| Greenwood | 375 | 30 | 8,322 | 2025-06-08 |
| Edgefield | 333 | 72 | 6,362 | 2025-06-08 |
| Anderson | 317 | 67 | 15,348 | 2025-06-08 |
| Fairfield | 286 | 46 | 2,423 | 2025-06-26 |
| Chester | 224 | 49 | 3,109 | 2025-09-16 |
| Greenville | 215 | 58 | 18,955 | 2025-06-08 |
| Spartanburg | 192 | 66 | 7,579 | 2025-07-31 |
| Lancaster | 184 | 52 | 5,861 | 2025-07-22 |
| Pickens | 170 | 65 | 7,958 | 2025-06-18 |
| Laurens | 157 | 37 | 8,421 | 2025-06-08 |
| Cherokee | 141 | 45 | 5,450 | 2025-11-08 |
| Kershaw | 128 | 45 | 4,356 | 2025-06-20 |
| Union | 110 | 24 | 1,822 | 2025-10-04 |
| York | 102 | 49 | 4,971 | 2025-08-05 |
Duke Energy Carolinas service area
Duke Energy Carolinas serves 19 counties in South Carolina and 195 ZIP codes.
Abbeville, Anderson, Cherokee, Chester, Edgefield, Fairfield, Greenville, Greenwood, Kershaw, Lancaster, Laurens, McCormick, Newberry, Oconee, Pickens, Saluda, Spartanburg, Union, York
Cities: Rock Hill, Greenville, Spartanburg, Greer, Anderson, Mauldin, Greenwood, Taylors, Easley, Simpsonville, Wade Hampton, Clemson, Berea, Gantt, Five Forks, Fort Mill, Gaffney, Parker, Newberry, Tega Cay, Laurens, Lancaster, Lake Wylie, Clinton, Fountain Inn, Seneca, Boiling Springs, Union, York, Sans Souci, Powdersville, Camden, Welcome, Centerville, Valley Falls, Homeland Park, Clover, Chester, Batesburg-Leesville, Abbeville
Programs, smart meters & solar
| Smart meters (AMI) for homes | 100% |
| Customers with daily usage data online | 582,062 |
| Time-based rate programs | Time-of-use rates, Critical peak pricing |
| Homes on time-based rates | 3,403 |
| Net-metered solar homes | 12,791 |
| Homes in demand response (e.g. thermostat rebates) | 70,276 |
| Residential efficiency incentives paid (2025) | $12,288,000 |
| Residential energy saved by programs | 134,431 MWh |
Duke Energy Carolinas at a glance
| Ownership | Investor-owned utility |
| Services | — |
| Commercial rate | 10.12¢/kWh |
| Industrial rate | 6.82¢/kWh |
| Retail revenue (2025) | $2,117,564,500 |
| Electricity sold (2025) | 21,635,887 MWh |
| Balancing authority | DUK |
| EIA utility ID | 5416 |
Other utilities in South Carolina
Frequently asked questions
What is Duke Energy Carolinas's electricity rate?
Duke Energy Carolinas residential customers pay an average of 13.97¢ per kWh, all charges included (EIA-861M monthly utility data, 12 months ending 2026-07). That's 11% below the South Carolina average of 15.64¢ and 22% below the U.S. average.
What is the average Duke Energy Carolinas electric bill?
About $147 a month. The average Duke Energy Carolinas home uses 1,051 kWh a month. At 1,000 kWh the bill would be about $140.
How many customers does Duke Energy Carolinas have?
Duke Energy Carolinas serves 582,062 residential customers and 687,542 customers in total in South Carolina, across 19 counties.
How reliable is Duke Energy Carolinas?
In 2025, the average Duke Energy Carolinas customer was without power for 3 hr 40 min (SAIDI) over 1.26 interruptions (SAIFI), including major storms. Excluding major event days it was 2 hr 21 min. The South Carolina average was 2 hr 31 min and the U.S. average 4 hr 26 min.
Does Duke Energy Carolinas offer time-of-use rates?
Yes. The OpenEI rate database lists 8 time-of-use residential plans, including Residential Service (RES-55) Single Phase. Running big appliances off-peak can cut their cost. Pick the plan in the calculator above to see by how much.
Does Duke Energy Carolinas offer net metering for solar?
Duke Energy Carolinas had 12,791 residential net-metered customers in 2025 with 102.2 MW of capacity. Estimate solar savings at this utility's rate.
Sources: EIA-861 2025 and EIA-861M (through July 2026), OpenEI URDB, ORNL EAGLE-I, U.S. Census. Methodology. Spot an error? Rates change often, so confirm with Duke Energy Carolinas before making decisions.