South Carolina

H 4579 — Plug-In Solar Device Access Act

Deferred

Current Status

Last verified: March 2026

Legislative Status

In House Labor, Commerce and Industry Committee. No committee vote yet.

Legislation Progress

In Committee

30%

pipeline complete

Introduced

In Committee

Passed Committee

One Chamber

Both Chambers

Gov. Desk

Enacted

Passage Likelihood

30%

Bill in committee but no hearing yet. Republican trifecta and utility-heavy political environment make passage challenging in 2027.

Session Deadline

May 7, 2026

Legislative calendar cutoff

Expected Timeline

Committee vote needed by April to have any chance of floor passage before May 7. Passage in 2026 is unlikely without committee action soon.

South Carolina Solar Data

Avg. Electricity Rate13.6¢/kWh

TOU Peak Spread

4¢/kWh

Est. Annual Savings

~$185/yr

Last UpdatedMarch 2026

Calculate SC Savings

Get Notified

South Carolina Legislation Alert

Be the first to know when South Carolina's plug-in solar bill advances, passes, or is signed into law.

No spam — only legislation updates for South Carolina. Unsubscribe anytime.

Key Provisions

Would exempt certified plug-in solar devices from utility interconnection requirements.

What This Means for You

What You Can Do

If passed: self-install without Dominion Energy SC or Duke Energy Carolinas approval.

Current Limitations

Law not yet enacted. South Carolina utilities currently require interconnection agreements.

Official Bill Reference

In House Labor, Commerce and Industry Committee (2026)

View Full Bill Text — H 4579

Opens official state legislature website in a new tab.

South Carolina Solar Data

Avg. Electricity Rate13.6¢/kWh

TOU Peak Spread

4¢/kWh

Est. Annual Savings

~$185/yr

Last UpdatedMarch 2026

A 4¢/kWh TOU spread offers modest peak-shifting value. Battery storage adds some savings here, but the primary benefit is backup power during outages.

Calculate SC Savings

Get Notified

South Carolina Legislation Alert

Be the first to know when South Carolina's plug-in solar bill advances, passes, or is signed into law.

No spam — only legislation updates for South Carolina. Unsubscribe anytime.

This information is for educational purposes only. Laws change frequently. Consult a local attorney for legal advice specific to your situation.

South Carolina State Overview

Key data on solar potential, demographics, utilities, and incentives.

Solar Resource

Peak Sun Hours	5.24 hrs/day
Optimal Tilt	20°
Best Facing	Due South (180°)
Est. Annual Output (800W)	1,160 kWh/yr
Best Months	May-June

The PVWatts energy estimate is based on an hourly performance simulation using a typical-year weather file that represents a multi-year historical period for Columbia, SC for a Fixed (open rack) photovoltaic system.

Major Utilities

Dominion Energy South Carolina ~800,000 customers	Net metering
Santee Cooper ~212,597 customers	No net metering
Palmetto Electric Cooperative ~75,000 customers	Net metering

Population

5,370,577

Total Households

2,117,989

Owner-Occupied

1,522,834

Renter-Occupied

595,155

Single-Family Homes

1,485,569

Apartment Units (5+)

297,263

Median Income

$63,900

Median Home Value

$269,400

28% of South Carolina households are renter-occupied — approximately 595,155 households that could benefit from plug-in solar without owning their home.

South Carolina 25% state solar tax credit (capped at $3,500/year, $10,500 total over 3 years). Santee Cooper Rooftop Solar Rebate Program for Santee Cooper customers. Property tax exemption for renewable energy systems. The federal 30% ITC (Section 25D) expired December 31, 2025.

Program Links

South Carolina Solar Tax Credit — DSIRE25% state income tax credit on solar costs, capped at $3,500/year ($10,500 total over 3 years).

Santee Cooper — Rooftop Solar Rebate ProgramRebate program for Santee Cooper residential customers installing rooftop solar.

DSIRE — South Carolina Solar IncentivesFull list of South Carolina state and utility solar incentive programs.