ELECTRICITY FACTS

South Carolinians currently lack choices when it comes to their electricity and natural gas options — and it’s costing them in service, innovation, and the ability to take control of their energy use. Across the U.S., 19 states already allow retail choice, giving businesses the freedom to choose their energy provider based on cost, reliability, and other preferences.

Greater choice in energy markets gives consumers access to new, costsaving options that traditional monopoly utilities rarely offer. Choice drives innovation and encourages solutions built around customer needs — something South Carolina’s current system struggles to deliver.

Electricity bills in South Carolina have risen over the years, and energy demand continues to grow. South Carolina consumers deserve better.

Current Law

South Carolina’s current regulatory structure does not provide the kind of open electricity and natural gas retail competition seen in other states. Traditional utilities still control both the supply of energy and the delivery systems within their service territories.

While policymakers have discussed broader energy market reforms over the years, most consumers still receive their power from a single, vertically integrated utility. This leaves little room for competitive providers who could offer lowercost, cleaner, or more innovative energy options.

As a result, many consumers are unaware that alternative models even exist — and because competitive supply is not widely available, South Carolinians have never been given the opportunity to choose. Utilities continue to shape the system in ways that reinforce the status quo and limit the potential for meaningful competition.

The Problem

In South Carolina, traditional monopoly utilities maintain full control over electricity rates, supply, billing, customer service, and energy planning. Without retail competition, consumers have no ability to compare providers, explore innovative energy products, or benefit from marketdriven pricing.

Utilities remain at the center of every interaction — from how your energy is generated to how much you pay, even when more affordable alternatives exist. With one company controlling generation, delivery, and billing, consumers have no practical mechanism to push for change.

This setup stifles new technologies, slows investment in customerfocused solutions, and keeps Palmetto state ratepayers tied to a single provider, even when that provider doesn’t the options South Carolinians would choose for how they power their homes and businesses.

These systemic issues are exactly why advocacy efforts are growing — to ensure South Carolina consumers can eventually access the broader range of energy choices they deserve.