Why is your SC power bill so high? What’s causing the spike and what you can do
You might want to take a seat when you open your power bill this month.
The numbers Columbia residents have seen on their bills have popped some eyes, with many people on social media complaining about steep increases in what they would normally see in a month.
“I’ve seen various posts but I do not believe for one second that one month of cold weather would merit a $500 Dominion bill for a 1,600 sq. ft. house,” complained one customer of the South Carolina utility giant on Facebook. “Even in states that are much colder the electric bill is much lower!”
But Dominion Energy, which powers most of the Midlands, told The State that a spike in power bills is reflective of the spike in power usage when big events like January’s cold snap and snowstorms strike the region.
“With temperatures recently plunging to near-historic lows and heating systems working around the clock to keep homes and businesses warm, some customers are seeing higher-than-typical energy bills following the recent winter storms across our service territory,” Dominion Media Relations Director Rhonda O’Banion said in a statement to The State. “On average, heating systems represent about 50% of energy costs, and during extreme temperatures, that can increase even more.”
That can be true even if customers don’t turn up the heat in response to chilly weather.
“Cold weather can increase energy usage even when household routines and thermostat settings have not changed,” O’Banion said. “During periods of extreme cold, the heat pump’s auxiliary or emergency heat may activate more often without anyone changing the thermostat, which means using more energy than standard electric heat.”
Conor Harrison is an associate professor of economic geography at the University of South Carolina who studies energy and utility policy. He said utilities have to juggle three requirements to decide how much money they need to take in; the capital costs for all of the necessary equipment involved in power generation, the operating costs to cover everything needed to keep transmissions flowing, and finally the rate of return their shareholders will receive, which is usually subject to regulation.
“There’s a basic math problem you can do, which is something like the capital cost times the rate of return plus operating cost, and you divide that up based on kilowatt hours and what how much energy they expect to be sold — in a very simplified form,” Harrison said.
Also, he said, “It’s generally pretty hot here, so getting a higher bill in the winter probably stands out more.”
But lurking under the weather is that utilities have sought to raise their rates, largely because the need for system modifications and the threat of extreme weather, Harrison said. He pointed out that utilities in the Carolinas are still recovering from the damage done by Hurricane Helene in 2024.
Dominion currently has an application before the S.C. Public Services Commission for an 11.47% increase for the more than 820,000 residential customers Dominion serves across the Palmetto State, citing exactly those concerns. If approved, the change would mean the average resident would see an almost $20 increase on their bill, and go into effect in July 2026.
The application comes even after Dominion had a similar rate increase approved in 2024. A report by the state Office of Regulatory Staff found that the average monthly residential bill for 1,000 kilowatts increased from $132 in 2024 to $157 in 2025.
Company President Keller Kissam told The State in January that the increase is necessary if Dominion is going to reliably be able to keep the lights on during future weather events.
“Customers cannot be in the dark,” Kissam said. “A hurricane can come in and put people in the dark, but we can’t have it because we have not planned, invested and constructed the necessary resources to meet the demand placed upon the system each day.”
Dominion said the rate increase would raise $322 million to go toward a $1.4 billion investment put back into the electric system since 2023.
“This request is reasonable and necessary considering the cost of providing electric service to an expanding customer base at the level of excellent operational performance our customers count on every day,” O’Banion said in a statement.
Dominion offers customers saving tips on their website, such as keeping your thermostat set to no more than 68 degrees in the winter and only adjusting temperatures by a degree or two at a time to avoid activating auxiliary heat. Check air filters monthly, caulk and weather strip around seams where air could escape, and adjust the blinds so natural sunlight can heat homes during the day. Payment plans are also available to reduce the stress on a household budget.
Harrison said most older homes are energy inefficient and need modern weatherization to stop heat from escaping in the wintertime.
“The number one thing is to increase insulation in their attics, because that’s where most of the heating and cooling is lost,” he said. “You can also look for leaks and drafts in the house. If it’s cold at the door, see if it’s leaking.”
Most utilities can offer customers an energy audit, and the federal government offers weatherization assistance for lower-income households. Users can also keep track of their usage rates over time on their bills.
Managing bills might become even tougher in the future, Harrison warns, because the growth of artificial intelligence will mean higher energy demand from data centers, potentially throwing a curveball into predicting what demand could be in the future.
“The size and scope of what they’re talking about is like adding another 800,000 customers onto the grid,” Harrison said. “Tell me that’s not going to have impacts.”
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