Your electric utility in Charleston is Dominion Energy South Carolina. A standard 6 kW roof here produces about 8,725 kWh a year (NREL PVWatts, ZIP 29401), and South Carolina power runs near 16.18 cents per kWh (EIA, May 2026). New solar homes bill under Dominion’s Solar Choice tariff, not one-to-one retail net metering. The 30% federal homeowner credit ended December 31, 2025.
Reviewed by the MySolarFY Editorial Team, August 2026. Figures verified against the linked EIA, NREL PVWatts, Dominion Energy, City of Charleston, Charleston County, DSIRE, and IRS sources; see our data and methodology.
If you are weighing rooftop solar in Charleston, the numbers that matter are local: your utility is Dominion Energy South Carolina, your coast is a high-wind salt-air environment, and a downtown roof sits in a historic-review district. This page covers what a Charleston system produces, how Dominion credits the power you send back under Solar Choice, the coastal permitting and equipment steps that Charleston adds on top of the statewide rules, and what still pays in 2026 now that the federal homeowner credit is gone. Then you can check your own address in about a minute. Updated for August 2026.
What Charleston homeowners should know first (2026)
In short: your utility is Dominion Energy South Carolina, a typical roof makes about 8,725 kWh a year, and new solar homes bill under the Solar Choice tariff rather than one-to-one net metering. The table and notes below break down each local detail with its source.
| Detail | Charleston, SC |
|---|---|
| Electric utility | Dominion Energy South Carolina |
| 6 kW production (ZIP 29401) | About 8,725 kWh a year (NREL PVWatts v8, as of August 2026) |
| Residential rate | About 16.18 cents per kWh statewide (EIA, May 2026) |
| Export credit | Solar Choice time-of-use tariff, annual avoided-cost cash-out, not one-to-one retail |
| Permitting | City building permit; Board of Architectural Review in historic districts |
| Federal 25D credit | Ended for systems placed in service after December 31, 2025 (IRS) |
- Your utility is Dominion Energy South Carolina, and a Charleston roof is a strong producer. A standard 6 kW system at a downtown Charleston ZIP (29401) is modeled to produce about 8,725 kWh a year on a solar resource of roughly 5.33 kWh per square meter per day (NREL PVWatts v8, as of August 2026).
- South Carolina power is not cheap, which is what makes solar pay. Residential electricity in the state averaged about 16.18 cents per kWh (EIA retail sales, residential, May 2026), close to the national average, so every kilowatt-hour your roof makes offsets a grid one.
- New solar customers bill under Solar Choice, not one-to-one net metering. Dominion moved new residential solar customers onto its Solar Choice tariff under South Carolina Act 62, a time-of-use structure that credits exports and cashes out leftover credits once a year at avoided cost, not full retail (Dominion Energy Solar for Your Home, as of August 2026).
- The coast adds two steps: salt air and high wind. Charleston County reviews rooftop solar for wind load under IRC and ASCE 7, and coastal areas within a mile of the shoreline fall in a high-wind design zone, so hardware and racking are engineered and often marine-grade (Charleston County residential solar form, as of August 2026).
- Downtown and historic homes need architectural review. The City of Charleston requires a building permit for solar, and in a designated historic district you also need a Certificate of Appropriateness from the Board of Architectural Review for panels visible from the public right of way (City of Charleston Board of Architectural Review, as of August 2026).
- The 30% federal homeowner credit (Section 25D) ended after December 31, 2025 (IRS Residential Clean Energy Credit, as of 2026), so a Charleston homeowner who buys solar in 2026 cannot claim it.
Why your Charleston rate and roof make solar worth it
The reason solar pays in Charleston is the price of the power it replaces, times how much sun the Lowcountry gets. South Carolina residential electricity averaged about 16.18 cents per kWh (EIA retail sales, residential, May 2026), and Dominion delivery charges are part of what you offset. For the exact cents on your own bill, read the supply and delivery lines on your Dominion statement, since both reset on a schedule.
Your production is what turns that rate into savings. Our own MySolarFY analysis estimates that a standard 6 kW rooftop system at a downtown Charleston ZIP code (29401) produces about 8,725 kWh a year, worth roughly $1,410 in electricity at South Carolina’s average residential rate, as of August 2026 (production from NREL PVWatts v8; rate from EIA). Output scales with system size, so an 8 kW system lands in the 11,000 to 12,000 kWh a year range, but your real number depends on roof pitch, shading, and orientation. Estimate your own roof with NREL’s free PVWatts calculator before you size a system, because that figure drives your Solar Choice credits.
Here is our own back-of-envelope estimate for a Charleston roof, with every input shown. This is a modeled figure to size the opportunity, not a quote or a guarantee; your real bill credit depends on your usage, your system size, and how Solar Choice times your exports.
| MySolarFY estimate (6 kW, Charleston, August 2026) | Value | Input / source |
|---|---|---|
| Modeled annual production | About 8,725 kWh | 6 kW system, ZIP 29401 (NREL PVWatts v8) |
| Average residential rate | 16.18 cents per kWh | EIA retail sales, SC residential (May 2026) |
| First-year production value | About $1,410 | 8,725 kWh times 16.18 cents (MySolarFY calculation) |
| Real-world adjustment | Varies | Solar Choice times exports and cashes out surplus at avoided cost, so a portion is credited below retail |
See what solar programs are available in your Charleston ZIP code
Solar incentives, Solar Choice credits, installer availability, and electric rates change by utility and location. Enter your ZIP and we will match you with licensed installers who serve your area.
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How Dominion Energy South Carolina credits your solar: Solar Choice
Net metering is the engine of your savings, and in Dominion territory new customers are on Solar Choice, not the old one-to-one rate. Under Solar Choice, a rider to the residential time-of-use rate created under South Carolina Act 62, your exports first offset your usage within each time-of-use period, extra credit carries forward month to month, and any leftover balance is paid out once a year in November at Dominion’s avoided-cost rate rather than full retail (Dominion Energy Solar for Your Home, as of August 2026). Customers who enrolled before June 1, 2021 may keep one-to-one net metering under grandfathering dates set by Act 62.
Because the credit is time-of-use, sizing a system close to your annual usage and running big loads during solar hours matters more here than under a flat retail rate. We keep the full Solar Choice tariff mechanics, the monthly minimum bill, and interconnection steps on our Dominion Energy South Carolina solar guide, and the general how-it-works on our net metering explainer, so this page does not repeat them.
Coastal Charleston: salt air, hurricane wind code, and historic review
Charleston adds three coastal steps most inland towns skip. Plan for them early, because they shape both your equipment and your timeline.
| Coastal step | What to know | Source |
|---|---|---|
| Salt-air corrosion | Salt-laden coastal air corrodes racking, fasteners, and module frames faster, so ask for corrosion-resistant, coastal or marine-rated hardware and warranties | Coastal PV best practice |
| Hurricane wind load | Rooftop panels and mounts are engineered to IRC and ASCE 7 wind loads; coastal areas within a mile of the shoreline fall in a high-wind design zone (roughly 150 to 160 mph basic design wind speed) | Charleston County |
| Building permit | The City of Charleston requires a residential building permit with structural and electrical review, an engineer letter, and a one-line diagram | City Permit Center |
| Historic review (BAR) | In a designated historic district you also need a Certificate of Appropriateness from the Board of Architectural Review for panels visible from a public way | City of Charleston BAR |
A good local installer handles the permit package, the wind-load engineering, and the BAR application for you. When you compare quotes, ask each installer how they handle salt-air corrosion and, if your home is downtown or in a historic district, whether they have taken systems through the Board of Architectural Review before.
What the federal tax-credit change means for Charleston
The federal homeowner credit is gone, but the local economics are not. The 30% federal Residential Clean Energy Credit (Section 25D) ended for systems placed in service after December 31, 2025, under the One Big Beautiful Bill Act, so a Charleston homeowner who buys solar with cash or a loan in 2026 cannot claim it (IRS Residential Clean Energy Credit, as of 2026). You will still see installer pages mention a 30% federal credit; that credit ended after December 31, 2025, so treat any such reference as out of date. Dominion’s Solar Choice credits and South Carolina’s property-tax treatment were not affected. For the full timeline, see what the federal solar tax credit change means in 2026.
One federal credit still exists, and it is not yours to claim. A separate commercial credit, Section 48E, is claimed by the business that owns a leased or PPA system, not by the homeowner. On a leased or PPA system in Charleston you do not file for a federal credit yourself; the company that owns the panels does. The 25D homeowner credit, by contrast, ended after December 31, 2025.
What South Carolina still offers Charleston homeowners
South Carolina keeps two homeowner-friendly rules worth knowing. First, the state exempts the added value of a small residential solar system (generally under 20 kW AC, owned or leased) from your property-tax assessment, so going solar does not raise your property tax on the system value (DSIRE South Carolina, as of August 2026). Second, South Carolina has offered a state solar income tax credit; amounts and eligibility change, so verify the current credit with the South Carolina Department of Revenue or a licensed tax professional before you count on it. We keep the statewide incentive detail on our South Carolina solar guide rather than repeating it here.
Frequently asked questions
Is solar worth it in Charleston, South Carolina?
For many Charleston homes, yes. A 6 kW roof produces about 8,725 kWh a year (NREL PVWatts, ZIP 29401, as of August 2026), and at South Carolina rates near 16.18 cents per kWh that offsets a real share of your bill. The math now rests on your Dominion Solar Choice credits and your usage, since the federal homeowner credit ended after December 31, 2025.
Who is the electric utility for solar in Charleston?
Dominion Energy South Carolina serves the Charleston area. New residential solar customers bill under its Solar Choice tariff.
Do I need a permit or historic review for solar in Charleston?
Yes. The City of Charleston requires a building permit with structural and electrical review. If your home is in a designated historic district, you also need a Certificate of Appropriateness from the Board of Architectural Review for panels visible from a public way.
Does Dominion still offer one-to-one net metering in South Carolina?
Not for new customers. New residential solar customers are on Solar Choice, a time-of-use tariff that cashes out leftover credits once a year at avoided cost, not full retail. Some customers who enrolled before June 1, 2021 keep one-to-one net metering under Act 62 grandfathering.
What happened to the 30% federal solar tax credit?
No. The 30% federal Residential Clean Energy Credit (Section 25D) ended for systems placed in service after December 31, 2025, so a Charleston homeowner buying solar in 2026 cannot claim it.
Figures on this page were verified against the linked EIA, NREL PVWatts, Dominion Energy South Carolina, City of Charleston, Charleston County, DSIRE, and IRS sources as of August 2026; Solar Choice tariff terms, rates, and permitting timelines can change, so confirm current terms with Dominion Energy and the City of Charleston before you decide. MySolarFY does not provide tax or financial advice; consult a licensed professional about your own situation. Learn more about how MySolarFY works.
