Columbia SC Energy Guide: Solar, Batteries, Backup and EV

In short: Columbia and Lexington homes get power from Dominion Energy South Carolina (about 14.6¢ per kWh in 2024) or from co-ops such as Mid-Carolina Electric (about 14.9¢). Both had calm normal days but long storm outages in 2024, when Hurricane Helene hit the Midlands hardest. Ice storms are the area’s top-rated hazard, so backup power comes first.

This page covers Columbia and Lexington in Richland and Lexington counties. For statewide rules, the 25% state solar tax credit and contractor licensing, see our South Carolina energy guide. Here we cover what is specific to the Midlands: the utilities, the storm record, the permit offices and what the numbers mean for each choice.

Columbia at a glance

• Dominion Energy South Carolina: serves Columbia and Lexington. Home price about 14.6¢ per kWh (2024 average). Outages in 2024: 81 minutes per customer on normal days, 1,908 minutes (about 32 hours) with major events (EIA-861).
• Mid-Carolina Electric Cooperative: serves members in Lexington and Richland counties. About 14.9¢ per kWh; 117 minutes of outages on normal days, 3,915 minutes (about 65 hours) with major events.
• Other co-ops in parts of the two counties: Aiken Electric, Tri-County Electric, Fairfield Electric and Newberry Electric (EIA service territories).
• Sun: 4.54 kWh per square meter per day (NASA POWER, 2001 to 2020). Our rough estimate: about 1,325 kWh a year per kW of panels.
• Top hazards: ice storms rated “very high” in both Richland and Lexington counties; hurricanes, lightning, strong wind and tornadoes “relatively high” in both, plus cold waves, inland flooding and winter weather in Richland (FEMA National Risk Index, December 2025).
• Public charging: Columbia had 167 public charging ports and Lexington 21 (AFDC Station Locator, October 3, 2026; public Level 2 and DC fast ports).

Your utility and what it means

Dominion Energy South Carolina. Columbia has no city-owned electric company, so your power comes from Dominion or a co-op. New solar customers take the “Solar Choice” rider to Dominion’s Rate 5 time-of-use plan (Public Service Commission tariff). Exports offset use in the same time period (on-peak against on-peak, off-peak against off-peak), extra credit rolls forward, and any credit left at the November bill is paid at Dominion’s lower avoided-cost rate. Expect a $13.50 monthly minimum bill and a 20 kW limit; a battery qualifies when it charges only from your panels. Summer on-peak on Rate 5 is 4 to 8 p.m.; Dominion’s new time periods from July 1, 2026 apply on weekends too, so read the current tariff before you size a system. For EVs, Dominion describes a “You Shift, You Save” time-of-use plan; we found no South Carolina charger rebate.

Mid-Carolina and the other co-ops. Cooperatives set their own solar, export and EV rules, separate from Dominion’s Solar Choice. We could not confirm Mid-Carolina’s current terms, so ask the co-op for its interconnection rules and how it credits exported power before you sign. Check your bill first: the utility named there sets your rules.

Backup power in Columbia

Hurricane Helene showed what a Midlands storm can do. On September 27, 2024, Dominion’s outages peaked at about 386,000 customers, and Dominion named the Midlands and the western part of its territory as the hardest hit; about 200,000 customers were back within 24 hours (Dominion Energy). Mid-Carolina’s 2024 total of about 65 hours per customer with storms counted, against two hours on normal days, tells the same story.

Inland, the other threat is ice. FEMA rates ice storms “very high” for both counties: heavy ice brings down limbs and lines, and a winter outage means no electric heat. That favors backup that can run for days:

• Short outages: a portable power station for phones, Wi-Fi, lights and medical devices.
• A day or two: a home battery on essential circuits; winter sun is weaker, so expect less solar recharging in an ice storm.
• Multi-day storms: a standby or portable generator; check whether it can run your heat pump or furnace blower.

See our backup power guide, size loads with the battery backup calculator and the generator sizing tool, and read generator installation. Run generators outdoors only, at least 20 feet from the house, exhaust away from openings, never in a garage (CPSC); keep battery-backed CO alarms on every level, and have a licensed electrician install a transfer switch or interlock.

Solar in Columbia

Columbia’s sun works out to about 1,325 kWh per kW of panels a year on our rough estimate, a little less than the coast. At Dominion’s 14.6¢ average, each kW could be worth up to about $190 a year if every kWh replaced power you would buy. That is an upper limit: Solar Choice values your exports by time period and pays leftover credit at a low rate once a year, so a system sized close to your own daytime and evening use tends to hold its value best.

The federal 30% credit ended for systems completed after 2025; South Carolina’s 25% income tax credit still applies (see the state page). Check your roof with the solar potential calculator, compare prices on solar cost, and see the steps on solar installation.

Home batteries in Columbia

A battery earns its keep here through storm and ice-storm backup, and by moving solar into Dominion’s evening on-peak hours. Dominion counted 648 batteries among its 16,090 home solar systems in 2024 (EIA-861), so experience varies: ask installers how many they have installed. We found no Dominion or Mid-Carolina battery rebate. More on battery installation and home battery cost.

EV charging in Columbia

Our estimate at Dominion’s 14.6¢ average and 30 kWh per 100 miles: about $4.40 per 100 miles, or about $525 for 12,000 miles a year; Mid-Carolina’s 14.9¢ gives nearly the same. Overnight charging on a time-of-use plan can cost less. A Level 2 charger needs a 240-volt circuit, a permit and a licensed electrician; see EV charger installation and the EV charging cost calculator.

Drive on another fuel? See every alternative fuel station in Columbia: hydrogen, propane, natural gas, E85 ethanol, biodiesel and renewable diesel.

Permits and inspections

• City of Columbia: the Planning and Development permit applications and checklists, including a solar panel installation checksheet; apply online or through the Development Center.
• Unincorporated Richland County: Richland County building permits; the county’s page says applications are made in person.
• Lexington County: Community Development building permits, with an online permit portal.
• Town of Lexington: if you are inside town limits, ask the town which office handles your permit before work starts.

Use a licensed installer or electrician (license lookup on the state page), who normally pulls permits and files the interconnection application with Dominion or your co-op. In HOA neighborhoods, check the covenants for solar panels and standby generators first.

Cities we cover

• Columbia
• Lexington

Get help in Columbia

Tell us about your project and we will connect you with a licensed, independent installer who serves the Columbia area. It is free, there is no obligation, and only the installer you choose gets your details. See how it works.

Columbia energy FAQ

Does the City of Columbia sell electricity?

No. Columbia has no city-owned electric utility in federal data. Homes in the area get power from Dominion Energy South Carolina or from an electric cooperative, mainly Mid-Carolina Electric, with Aiken, Tri-County, Fairfield and Newberry co-ops serving some outlying areas. Your bill shows which one, and that decides your solar and rate options.

How hard did Hurricane Helene hit Columbia’s power?

Hard. Dominion’s outages peaked at about 386,000 customers on September 27, 2024, with the Midlands among the hardest-hit areas, and about 200,000 were restored within a day. For 2024 as a whole, Dominion customers averaged about 32 hours without power counting major events, and Mid-Carolina members about 65 hours (EIA).

Is a generator or a battery better for Midlands ice storms?

For a multi-day ice storm, a generator usually wins, because it can keep heat and the fridge running as long as it has fuel, and winter sun is too weak to refill a battery quickly. A battery is quieter and better for short outages. Many homes pair the two; size either with our calculators first.

Do I need a permit for solar panels in Columbia?

Yes. The City of Columbia requires a permit for all regulated work and publishes a solar panel installation checksheet. Outside city limits, Richland County or Lexington County issues permits. Your licensed installer normally applies and arranges inspections, then files the utility’s interconnection application before the system is switched on.

Sources

U.S. Energy Information Administration, Form EIA-861 for 2024 (utility sales, reliability, service territories, net metering), read October 3, 2026. Public Service Commission of South Carolina eTariff: Dominion Energy South Carolina Rate 5 and Solar Choice rider. Dominion Energy newsroom, September 28, 2024. FEMA National Risk Index (December 2025). NASA POWER climatology, 2001 to 2020. City of Columbia, Richland County and Lexington County permit pages. CPSC generator safety guidance.