Solar works in Myrtle Beach, but the rules are local. Most central Myrtle Beach homes in ZIP 29577 are served by Santee Cooper, the state-owned utility, which uses net billing, not one-to-one net metering. South Carolina power runs about 16 cents per kWh, and a typical 6 kW roof here makes roughly 8,900 kWh a year.
- Your utility is probably Santee Cooper, not Dominion or Duke. Central Myrtle Beach (ZIP 29577) is largely served by Santee Cooper, the state-owned utility, with Horry Electric Cooperative serving parts of Horry County, so confirm which one is on your bill (as of 2026).
- Santee Cooper uses net billing, not one-to-one net metering. Power you use on-site offsets at the full retail rate, but energy you export is credited at a lower rate set in the Distributed Generation Rider (as of 2026).
- South Carolina power costs about 16 cents per kWh. The state’s average residential price is roughly 16 cents per kWh (EIA, as of 2026), so sizing to your own usage matters more here than banking big exports.
- The Grand Strand has strong sun. A typical 6 kW roof in Myrtle Beach produces about 8,900 kWh a year (NREL PVWatts for ZIP 29577, as of 2026), better than most of the Mid-Atlantic.
- Coastal installs have extra steps. Plan for coastal wind-load engineering, salt-air-rated hardware, a Horry County or city permit, and any Grand Strand HOA covenants (as of 2026).
- The 30% federal homeowner credit (Section 25D) ended after December 31, 2025 (IRS, as of January 1, 2026), so a Myrtle Beach homeowner who buys solar in 2026 cannot claim it.
Myrtle Beach sits in a corner of South Carolina where the solar rules are set by a different kind of utility than most of the state. Central Myrtle Beach is largely served by Santee Cooper, the state-owned power company, while parts of Horry County fall under Horry Electric Cooperative, and neither is Dominion or Duke. That changes how your exported power is credited, how you should size a system, and what the coastal Grand Strand adds to the install. This page covers who your utility likely is, how Santee Cooper’s net billing works, what local sun and rates mean for payback, and the coastal details, then you can check your address in about a minute.
Who is your electric utility in Myrtle Beach: Santee Cooper or Horry Electric
The first thing to pin down in Myrtle Beach is who actually sells you power, because it decides your solar terms. Unlike Columbia and Charleston, which are Dominion Energy South Carolina territory, the Myrtle Beach and Horry County area is served by two different providers. Central Myrtle Beach, including much of ZIP 29577, is largely served by Santee Cooper, South Carolina’s state-owned electric and water utility, which runs a customer office right in the city (Santee Cooper, as of 2026). Outlying and unincorporated parts of Horry County, and some Myrtle Beach addresses, are served instead by Horry Electric Cooperative, a member-owned co-op (Electric Cooperatives of South Carolina, as of 2026).
Which one serves your home is address-specific, so check before you plan a system. Neither utility publishes a street-level boundary map, so the reliable move is to read the provider name on your current electric bill or call the utility. It matters because Santee Cooper and Horry Electric each set their own solar rules, and they are not the same as the Dominion net-metering terms you will read about on our Columbia and Charleston pages. For the statewide picture, see our South Carolina solar guide.
How Santee Cooper credits your solar: net billing, not net metering
Santee Cooper does not offer one-to-one net metering, and knowing that up front changes how you size a system. Under its published solar terms, energy your panels make and you use in the home offsets the power you would have bought at the full retail rate, but any surplus you export to the grid is credited at a separate, lower rate set in the Distributed Generation (DG) Rider, which is net billing rather than a full retail credit for exports (Santee Cooper Solar Customers, as of 2026). New residential solar rates took effect in April 2025: the DG Rider added a modified customer charge, removed the old metering and standby fees, and dropped the seasonal split so the export credit is more uniform across the year.
The practical takeaway is to size to your own daytime usage, not to overbuild for exports. Because exported kilowatt-hours earn less than the retail rate you avoid by using your own solar, a system matched to your household’s usage pays back better here than an oversized one that dumps a lot of cheap power back to the grid. Ask any installer to model your numbers on the current DG Rider rate and to show the self-consumption assumptions. To understand the mechanics in general, see how net metering credits your solar exports.
| What happens to your solar power | How Santee Cooper values it |
|---|---|
| Solar you use in the home as it is made | Offsets power at the full retail rate |
| Energy you export to the grid | Credited at the lower Distributed Generation Rider rate |
| Fixed monthly charge | A modified customer charge under the DG Rider (meter and standby fees removed, April 2025) |
If your home is on Horry Electric Cooperative instead, the co-op supports rooftop solar and offers a Residential Rooftop Solar Calculator for members, but it does not publish a classic one-to-one net metering tariff in public sources, so confirm the current export credit and interconnection terms directly with Horry Electric before you sign (as of 2026).
What Myrtle Beach sun and rates mean for your payback
The Grand Strand’s sun is a real advantage, and it is the number worth getting right. According to MySolarFY’s analysis (August 2026), a typical 6 kW rooftop system in Myrtle Beach (ZIP 29577) produces about 8,900 kWh a year, based on NREL PVWatts and the local coastal solar resource of roughly 5.25 sun-hours a day. That is stronger production than a comparable roof across most of the Mid-Atlantic, so a well-placed Myrtle Beach roof offsets a large share of a normal home’s use.
The rate side is where South Carolina differs from the Northeast. South Carolina’s average residential electricity price is about 16 cents per kWh (EIA, as of 2026), lower than the pricey Mid-Atlantic and New England markets. Cheaper power is good for your monthly bill, but it also means each exported kilowatt-hour is worth less, which is exactly why net billing and right-sizing matter more here than chasing a big export credit. Your own production, shading, and roof orientation drive the result, so estimate your specific roof with NREL’s free PVWatts calculator rather than a generic figure. To weigh the long-run numbers, see whether solar panels are worth it.
See what solar programs are available in your Myrtle Beach ZIP code
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Coastal and Horry County details that change a Myrtle Beach install
Building on the Grand Strand adds a few steps you will not see inland. Myrtle Beach is on the Atlantic coast in a high-wind, hurricane-exposed zone, so your racking and roof attachments have to be engineered to the local wind-load code, and a coastal install should use corrosion-resistant, salt-air-rated hardware. These are normal for an experienced coastal installer, but they are worth confirming in your quote.
Note: A Myrtle Beach solar project needs a building and electrical permit from the City of Myrtle Beach or Horry County, plus interconnection approval from your utility (Santee Cooper or Horry Electric). If your home is in one of the many Grand Strand HOA or planned communities, check your covenants for solar and roof-appearance rules before you sign, and ask your installer to handle the permit and interconnection paperwork (as of 2026).
| Myrtle Beach site factor | What to plan for |
|---|---|
| Coastal high-wind, hurricane zone | Racking and attachments engineered to the local wind-load code |
| Salt air near the ocean | Corrosion-resistant, salt-air-rated mounting and electrical hardware |
| City or Horry County permitting | A building and electrical permit plus utility interconnection approval |
| Grand Strand HOA or planned community | Check covenants for solar and roof-appearance rules before signing |
Incentives and the federal tax-credit change for Myrtle Beach
The federal homeowner credit is gone, so plan around what South Carolina and your utility offer instead. 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 Myrtle Beach 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 asking whether the 30% credit is going away; the accurate answer for 2026 is that the homeowner version already ended. For the full timeline, see what the federal solar tax-credit change means in 2026.
One federal exception 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 (IRS Clean Electricity Investment Credit, as of 2026). On a leased system 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.
On the state side, verify what is current before you count on it. South Carolina has offered a state solar tax credit and related incentives in past years, but eligibility and amounts change, so confirm what applies to your 2026 install (DSIRE South Carolina, as of 2026). Because state and utility incentives shift year to year, we keep the current statewide detail on our South Carolina solar guide rather than repeating it on every city page.
Paying for solar in Myrtle Beach: cash, loan, lease, or PPA
There is no single right way to pay for solar; the best fit depends on whether you want to own the system and keep its benefits, or avoid an up-front cost. A lease or PPA can mean no up-front cost for eligible homeowners, but it is a long-term agreement with monthly payments, and the panels are not free; the company that owns the system, not you, keeps any tax benefit. To decide, weigh how long you plan to stay in the home, which matters on the Grand Strand where second homes and rentals are common.
| Path | Up-front cost | Who owns the system | Best when |
|---|---|---|---|
| Cash purchase | Full system cost | You | You want the fastest payback and the most lifetime savings |
| Solar loan | Little to none, financed | You | You want ownership without paying cash up front |
| Lease or PPA | $0 up front where eligible | The third-party provider | You prefer no up-front cost and a simpler, fixed monthly bill |
How to choose a solar installer in Myrtle Beach
Rather than chasing a “best installer” list, screen any company against objective criteria that matter on the coast:
- NABCEP certification, the industry’s professional standard for PV installers.
- A valid South Carolina contractor and electrical license for the work.
- Real coastal experience, including wind-load engineering and salt-air-rated hardware for a Grand Strand roof.
- Direct experience with Santee Cooper or Horry Electric interconnection and the current Distributed Generation Rider, so the paperwork and export credit are set up right.
- A written production estimate and a transparent quote that models your bill on the current utility rate, not an old figure. For a checklist, see the right questions to ask a solar installer.
MySolarFY matches you with licensed installers that serve your area so you can compare real local quotes side by side, with no obligation.
Frequently asked questions
Who is my electric utility for solar in Myrtle Beach? Most homes in central Myrtle Beach, including much of ZIP 29577, are served by Santee Cooper, South Carolina’s state-owned utility, while parts of Horry County and some Myrtle Beach addresses are served by Horry Electric Cooperative (Santee Cooper; Electric Cooperatives of South Carolina, as of 2026). It is not Dominion or Duke territory. Because there is no public street-level boundary map, check the provider name on your electric bill, since your utility sets your solar credit terms.
Does Santee Cooper offer net metering? No, Santee Cooper does not offer one-to-one net metering. Solar you use in your home offsets power at the full retail rate, but energy you export to the grid is credited at a lower rate set in its Distributed Generation Rider, which is net billing (Santee Cooper Solar Customers, as of 2026). New residential solar rates took effect in April 2025, removing the old meter and standby fees and adding a modified customer charge. The takeaway is to size your system to your own usage rather than overbuilding for exports.
How much power will solar make in Myrtle Beach? A typical 6 kW rooftop system in Myrtle Beach (ZIP 29577) produces about 8,900 kWh a year, based on NREL PVWatts and a local solar resource of roughly 5.25 sun-hours a day (MySolarFY analysis, August 2026). That is stronger production than most of the Mid-Atlantic. Your actual output depends on roof pitch, shading, and orientation, so estimate your specific roof with the free PVWatts calculator before you size a system.
What does solar cost, and did the federal tax credit change? Costs depend on system size, roof, and how you pay, and South Carolina’s roughly 16 cents per kWh rate (EIA, as of 2026) sets how much each kilowatt-hour is worth. On the federal side, the 30% Residential Clean Energy Credit (Section 25D) ended for systems placed in service after December 31, 2025, so a homeowner who buys in 2026 cannot claim it (IRS, as of 2026). A separate commercial credit, Section 48E, can apply to leased and PPA systems, but the owner claims it, not the homeowner.
What is different about a coastal solar install on the Grand Strand? Myrtle Beach is in a high-wind, hurricane-exposed coastal zone, so your racking and roof attachments must be engineered to the local wind-load code, and a coastal install should use corrosion-resistant, salt-air-rated hardware. You will also need a City of Myrtle Beach or Horry County building and electrical permit, utility interconnection approval, and, in many Grand Strand communities, HOA sign-off. An experienced coastal installer handles these as a matter of course, so confirm them in your quote (as of 2026).
Is solar worth it in Myrtle Beach in 2026? For many owner-occupied Grand Strand homes with good sun, it can be, but the math is local. The Grand Strand’s strong production helps, while South Carolina’s lower power rate and Santee Cooper’s net-billing export credit mean the best returns come from sizing to your own usage rather than exporting a lot. Savings depend on your roof, usage, utility, and how you pay, so get a written estimate modeled on your current Santee Cooper or Horry Electric rate before you decide.
Reviewed by the MySolarFY team. Figures were verified as of August 2026 against the linked EIA (South Carolina residential rate), NREL PVWatts (ZIP 29577 production), Santee Cooper (Distributed Generation Rider), Horry Electric Cooperative, and IRS sources; utility service area, the DG Rider export rate, Horry Electric’s terms, and any South Carolina state incentive can change, so confirm current terms with your utility and the state before you decide. MySolarFY does not provide tax or financial advice; consult a licensed professional about your own situation. Learn more about the MySolarFY team and how we work.
MySolarFY is a free service that matches homeowners with licensed solar installers. We are not an installer, financing company, or government program. “No up-front cost” refers to qualifying lease or PPA financing, where eligible homeowners may have no out-of-pocket cost at installation. Lease and PPA terms typically run 20 to 25 years, may include an annual price escalator, and total payments may exceed the cost of a cash purchase; on a lease or PPA any tax benefit goes to the company that owns the system, not the homeowner. Homeowners do not get the federal residential credit that ended after December 31, 2025. Solar panels are not free and monthly payments apply. Eligibility, savings, incentives, and rates vary and are not guaranteed. See our full disclaimer.
