Santee Electric Cooperative
Santee Electric Cooperative is a private, member-owned not-for-profit electric distribution cooperative serving approximately 45,601 meters across four rural South Carolina counties over a 2,005-square-mile territory — the largest such cooperative east of the Mississippi River. It purchases wholesale electricity, distributes it through 5,888 miles of line, and offers Community Solar, Green Power, Help My House financing, and demand-response programs to its residential and commercial members.
- Company typePrivate
- Founded1952
- HeadquartersKingstree, United States
- Headcount51–100
- GTM typeB2C
- OfferingServices
What Santee Electric Cooperative does
Santee Electric Cooperative Inc. (SEC) is a private, member-owned, not-for-profit electric distribution cooperative incorporated under South Carolina law and headquartered at 424 Sumter Highway in Kingstree, SC. Founded in 1952, it distributes wholesale-purchased electricity across the largest service territory of any electric cooperative east of the Mississippi River (2,005 square miles), covering Clarendon, Florence, Georgetown, and Williamsburg Counties and serving approximately 45,601 meters via 5,888 miles of power line. The cooperative reaches members through five physical branch offices (Kingstree, Hemingway, Lake City, Manning, Georgetown), a SmartHub web/mobile platform, SMS-based outage reporting, phone support, and 24/7 payment kiosks.
The cooperative's core technology stack is conventional distribution infrastructure — substations, power lines, and smart-grid metering integrated with the SmartHub customer portal and real-time Outage Map. Renewable generation is sourced through a strategic partnership with Santee Cooper, which runs an 8.7 MW methane-to-energy plant fed by Horry County and Lee County landfills, equivalent in environmental impact to planting 47,000+ acres of trees. Adjacent product lines include Community Solar (20-year subscription blocks), Green Power ($3 per 100 kWh residential / $6 per 200 kWh commercial), Help My House (4% on-bill financing for energy efficiency), Beat the Peak (voluntary demand response), Power-On-Call (Generac generator financing up to $1,500 over 12 months at 0% interest), Illuma Knight security lighting, and AdvancePay prepaid billing. HomeServe is offered as an optional home protection plan add-on.
SEC operates on a cost-plus, not-for-profit basis: usage-based kWh billing from residential, commercial, and industrial members generates revenue that funds wholesale power, operations, and capital programs, with surpluses returned to members as Capital Credits ($2.2M returned in 2024). Go-to-market is direct-to-consumer member service, supported by Touchstone Energy Cooperatives branding, South Carolina Living magazine content, community programs (Bright Ideas grants, Washington Youth Tour, Operation Round-Up), and SC Power Team economic development partnerships. Robert G. Ardis III serves as President and CEO. The cooperative has no parent company, no PE/VC backers, and is governed by a member-elected Board of Trustees; the U.S. Department of Agriculture (via the Rural Utilities Service) is its primary infrastructure capital partner, including a $91M loan closed December 10, 2024 and a prior $13M RESP loan in 2017.
Santee Electric Cooperative firmographics
Firmographics- Name
- Santee Electric Cooperative
- Legal name
- Santee Electric Cooperative Inc.
- Website
- https://santee.org
- Company type
- Private
- Founded year
- 1952
- Operating status
- Operating
- Headcount range
- 51–100 employees
- Short description
- Santee Electric Cooperative is a private, member-owned not-for-profit electric distribution cooperative serving approximately 45,601 meters across four rural South Carolina counties over a 2,005-square-mile territory — the largest such cooperative east of the Mississippi River. It purchases wholesale electricity, distributes it through 5,888 miles of line, and offers Community Solar, Green Power, Help My House financing, and demand-response programs to its residential and commercial members.
- Ownership category
- akta.pro rank
Santee Electric Cooperative industry classification
Industry- Product category
- Electric Utility Distribution
- NAICS
- Electric Power Distribution (221122), Electric Power Transmission, Control, and Distribution (22112), Electric Power Generation, Transmission and Distribution (2211), Solar Electric Power Generation (221114)
- SIC
- Electric Services (4911), Electric, Gas & Sanitary Services (4900)
- akta.pro primary industry
- Electric Cooperatives (Rural/Member-Owned Utilities) (EUADABAC)
- akta.pro secondary industries
- Community Solar Development & Subscription Management (EUAMAJAA), Retail & Community PPAs (Community Solar/Shared Renewables) (EUAGADAC)
Keywords
Where Santee Electric Cooperative is headquartered
LocationHeadquarters
- HQ city
- Kingstree
- HQ country
- United States
- HQ region
- North America
Offices5 records
Markets served
Santee Electric Cooperative business model
Business model- GTM type
- B2C
- Offering type
- Services
- Cost components
- Operations, Infrastructure, Supply Chain, Personnel, Technology or R&D, Marketing or Sales
Revenue model
- Electricity Distribution: Santee Electric purchases electricity on a wholesale basis and distributes it to members, billing based on energy usage (kilowatt-hours). The cooperative operates on a not-for-profit basis, returning capital credits to members rather than distributing profits to shareholders.
- Green Power Program: Members can purchase renewable energy blocks at $3 per 100 kWh block for residential customers and $6 per 200 kWh block for commercial customers, supporting methane-based power generation.
- Community Solar: Members subscribe to solar energy blocks for a 20-year period, paying upfront costs plus monthly charges, receiving credits based on cents-per-kilowatt-hour production from the solar farm.
- Illuma Knight Security Lighting: Outdoor security lighting service where SEC furnishes, installs, operates and maintains lighting equipment for a fixed monthly fee added to electric bills.
- Power-On-Call Generator Financing: Emergency backup generator financing program providing up to $1,500 for purchases with no interest over 12 months with approved credit.
- Capital Credits: As a not-for-profit cooperative, revenues exceeding costs are returned to members as capital credits. In 2024, $2,200,000 was returned to members.
Pricing tiers
| Model | Billing | Price |
|---|---|---|
| Subscription | Monthly | Green Power Residential: $3 per 100 kWh block |
| Subscription | Monthly | Green Power Commercial: $6 per 200 kWh block |
| Subscription | Monthly | Community Solar: Variable subscription pricing |
| Transaction based/ take rate | Monthly | Power-On-Call Generator Financing: Up to $1,500, no interest, 12 months |
| Other | Monthly | Help My House: 4% interest loan for energy efficiency improvements |
Go-to-market motion1 record
Distribution channels4 records
Marketing channels7 records
Santee Electric Cooperative product offering
Product offeringCore offering
Santee Electric Cooperative is a member-owned, not-for-profit electric distribution utility that purchases electricity on a wholesale basis and distributes it to approximately 45,601 residential, commercial, and industrial members across Williamsburg, Georgetown, Clarendon, and Florence Counties in South Carolina via 5,888 miles of power line. In addition to core electric distribution, the cooperative offers renewable energy subscriptions (Green Power and Community Solar), energy efficiency programs with on-bill financing (Help My House), backup generator financing (Power-On-Call), security lighting (Illuma Knight), demand response (Beat the Peak), and prepaid billing (AdvancePay), all governed by member-elected Trustees under a capital credits refund model.
Product overview
Santee Electric Cooperative is a not-for-profit, member-owned electric utility serving nearly 45,000 meters across Williamsburg, Georgetown, Clarendon, and Florence Counties in South Carolina. The cooperative operates as a distribution utility, purchasing electricity on a wholesale basis and distributing it to members. Its core product is SmartHub, a customer-facing platform for account management, billing, and outage reporting. The cooperative complements its core electricity distribution with multiple energy-related programs: Green Power and Community Solar for renewable energy options; Help My House for energy efficiency improvements with on-bill financing; Power-On-Call for Generac generator financing; Illuma Knight for security lighting; Beat the Peak for demand response; and AdvancePay for prepaid billing. The cooperative leverages Touchstone Energy branding and partners with HomeServe for optional home protection plans.
Differentiator
Problem solved
Functional benefit
Products and services
- Electric Power Distribution Core electricity distribution service purchased on a wholesale basis and delivered to approximately 45,601 residential, commercial, and industrial meters across four South Carolina counties, billed by usage (kWh) with capital credits returned to members.
- SmartHub Web and mobile application enabling members to manage accounts, view and pay bills, report outages, and monitor energy usage; serves as the cooperative's primary self-service digital platform.
- Green Power Voluntary renewable energy subscription program where members purchase monthly blocks of landfill-methane-generated electricity; equivalent environmental benefit to planting 47,000+ acres of trees.
- Community Solar Solar energy subscription program where members subscribe to blocks of solar panel output from a shared solar farm for 20 years and receive credits on their electric bills without installing equipment on their property.
- Help My House Energy efficiency program offering free energy audits, approved contractor work, and 4% low-interest loans for home weatherization improvements with monthly payments included on the member's power bill; loan stays with the home when sold.
- Power-On-Call (Generac) Backup generator financing program offering up to $1,500 at 0% interest over 12 months on electric bills, plus member discounts on Generac 16kW-38kW air- and liquid-cooled emergency generators with transfer switches and 5-7 year warranties.
- Illuma Knight Security Lighting Outdoor security lighting service for residential driveways and yards as well as commercial parking areas; SEC furnishes, installs, operates, and maintains dusk-to-dawn lighting fixtures for a fixed monthly fee.
- Beat the Peak Voluntary demand response program alerting members to reduce electricity use during peak periods (e.g., 3-6 p.m. summer) to control wholesale power costs for the benefit of all cooperative members.
- AdvancePay Pay-as-you-go prepaid electricity option allowing members to prepay for power and manage energy spending more actively rather than receiving a monthly billed statement.
- Electric Vehicle Resources Information and resource program supporting electric vehicle owners in SEC's service area with EV-related guidance and tools.
Quantifiable outcome
- 8.7 megawatts of renewable energy generated from methane gas, equivalent to planting 47,000+ acres of trees
- +2 more outcomes
Companies that use Santee Electric Cooperative
Customer profileNamed customers4 records
Segments3 records
Ideal customer profiles3 records
Santee Electric Cooperative technology and API
TechnologyTechnology focussed No
API detail
- Has API
- No
- API docs
- API detail
Core technology
AI maturity
App detail
Feature5 records
Santee Electric Cooperative partnerships and signals
Strategic signalPartnerships
Eight partnerships are on record, tiered core and minor.
- Touchstone Energy CooperativescoreSantee Electric is a member of Touchstone Energy Cooperatives, a national network of electric cooperatives sharing resources, best practices, and branding. Touchstone provides energy-saving resources, cooperative development support, and national marketing materials.
- HomeServeminorNew partnership announced to bring optional home protection plans to SEC members in Williamsburg, Georgetown, Clarendon, and Florence Counties. Eligible members will be able to enroll in home repair plans covering plumbing, electrical, HVAC, and appliance issues.
- Santee CoopercoreSantee Cooper generates and distributes Green Power from methane gas collected from Horry County Solid Waste Authority Landfill and Lee County Landfill. SEC distributes this renewable power to interested members. The 8.7 megawatt plant reduces methane emissions equivalent to planting 47,000+ acres of trees.
- Horry County Solid Waste AuthorityminorLandfill methane gas supplier for the Green Power renewable energy program, providing fuel for the 8.7 megawatt green power plant.
- Lee County Landfill SC, LLCminorSecond landfill methane gas supplier for the Green Power renewable energy program.
- SC Power TeamcoreEconomic development organization staffed with professionals who help recruit employers to South Carolina, including SEC's service territory. Works with electric cooperatives across the state for business recruitment and economic development.
- GeneracminorSEC partners with Generac for emergency backup generators through the Power-On-Call program, offering 12% member discount on 16kW-38kW air and liquid cooled units with 200 Amp transfer switch and 5-7 year warranties.
- Illuma KnightminorSEC partners with Illuma Knight for security lighting fixtures that operate dusk to dawn. SEC furnishes, installs, operates and maintains equipment for a fixed monthly fee.
Scale indicators8 records
Recent moves6 records
Expansion highlights5 records
Santee Electric Cooperative competitors and assessment
Company assessmentDirect peers
- Berkeley Electric Cooperative: Member-owned distribution electric cooperative serving Berkeley, Dorchester, and Charleston counties in coastal South Carolina. Directly comparable as a Touchstone Energy co-op serving a similar rural and suburban South Carolina service territory with overlapping product offerings (SmartHub, surge protection, community solar).
- Palmetto Electric Cooperative: Distribution electric cooperative serving Beaufort, Jasper, Hampton, and Colleton counties in the Lowcountry of South Carolina. Comparable member-owned Touchstone Energy co-op with SmartHub billing, capital credit returns, community solar, and generator programs targeting a similar member profile.
- Pee Dee Electric Cooperative: Distribution electric cooperative headquartered in Darlington, South Carolina, serving Darlington, Marlboro, Dillon, and Lee counties. Directly comparable South Carolina Touchstone Energy co-op with overlapping member programs, including capital credit retirement and energy efficiency financing.
- Aiken Electric Cooperative: Distribution electric cooperative serving Aiken, Edgefield, Saluda, McCormick, and part of Barnwell counties in South Carolina. Comparable in scale, cooperative structure, and program mix (SmartHub, Beat the Peak-style demand response, generator financing) as a Touchstone Energy co-op neighbor.
- Mid-Carolina Electric Cooperative: Member-owned electric cooperative serving Lexington, Richland, Saluda, and Aiken counties in central South Carolina. Closely comparable co-op with similar digital tools, capital credit retirements, and energy efficiency programs serving a comparable rural-to-suburban membership.
- Lynches River Electric Cooperative: Distribution electric cooperative serving Chesterfield, Lancaster, and Kershaw counties in northeastern South Carolina. Comparable Touchstone Energy co-op serving a similarly rural South Carolina service area with member-owned governance and overlapping community programs.
- Black River Electric Cooperative: Distribution electric cooperative serving Sumter, Lee, Clarendon, and Kershaw counties in South Carolina, directly overlapping Clarendon County with Santee Electric. Directly comparable South Carolina co-op with similar Touchstone Energy programs, SmartHub billing, and member capital credit structures.
- York Electric Cooperative: Distribution electric cooperative serving York, Cherokee, Chester, and parts of Lancaster counties in upstate South Carolina. Comparable Touchstone Energy co-op providing residential, commercial, and industrial service with similar digital platform, generator, and renewable subscription programs.
- Coastal Electric Cooperative: Distribution electric cooperative serving Colleton, Beaufort, Jasper, and Hampton counties in South Carolina. Comparable Touchstone Energy co-op serving a similarly rural South Carolina coastal region with parallel SmartHub, capital credit, and energy efficiency offerings.
Others
- Santee Cooper (South Carolina Public Service Authority): State-owned generation and transmission utility in South Carolina that supplies wholesale power to Santee Electric and other distribution co-ops. A strategic upstream counterparty and existing operational partner (Green Power methane plant) rather than a retail competitor, but materially relevant for SEC's power supply mix.
Market position
Strengths5 records
Weaknesses5 records
Competitive moat5 records
Key risks6 records
Key highlights7 records
Customer concentration
Santee Electric Cooperative social profiles
Digital presenceSantee Electric Cooperative financial estimates
Financial estimateRevenue estimate
Valuation estimate
Santee Electric Cooperative leadership team
Management profileNumber of profiles
Profiles1 record
Santee Electric Cooperative funding detail
Funding detailFunding overview
Funding rounds1 record
Investors1 record
Funding detail is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →
Santee Electric Cooperative M&A and investment
M&A and investmentM&A
Investments
M&A and investment is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →
Frequently asked questions about Santee Electric Cooperative
What does Santee Electric Cooperative do?
Santee Electric Cooperative is a member-owned, not-for-profit electric distribution utility that purchases electricity on a wholesale basis and distributes it to approximately 45,601 residential, commercial, and industrial members across Williamsburg, Georgetown, Clarendon, and Florence Counties in South Carolina via 5,888 miles of power line. In addition to core electric distribution, the cooperative offers renewable energy subscriptions (Green Power and Community Solar), energy efficiency programs with on-bill financing (Help My House), backup generator financing (Power-On-Call), security lighting (Illuma Knight), demand response (Beat the Peak), and prepaid billing (AdvancePay), all governed by member-elected Trustees under a capital credits refund model.
Is Santee Electric Cooperative a public or private company?
Santee Electric Cooperative is a private company. It is classified as unknown and is currently operating.
When was Santee Electric Cooperative founded?
Santee Electric Cooperative was founded in 1952. It employs 51 to 100 people.
Where is Santee Electric Cooperative based?
Santee Electric Cooperative is headquartered in Kingstree, United States, in the North America region.
How does Santee Electric Cooperative make money?
Six revenue lines are on record. Electricity Distribution is the primary driver. The others are green Power Program, community Solar, illuma Knight Security Lighting, power-On-Call Generator Financing and capital Credits.
Who are Santee Electric Cooperative's main competitors?
Direct peers on record are Berkeley Electric Cooperative, Palmetto Electric Cooperative, Pee Dee Electric Cooperative, Aiken Electric Cooperative, Mid-Carolina Electric Cooperative, Lynches River Electric Cooperative, Black River Electric Cooperative, York Electric Cooperative and Coastal Electric Cooperative. Santee Cooper (South Carolina Public Service Authority) is listed as an others.
Does Santee Electric Cooperative have an API?
No public API is recorded for Santee Electric Cooperative.
What industry is Santee Electric Cooperative in?
Santee Electric Cooperative's product category is Electric Utility Distribution. Its primary akta.pro industry code is EUADABAC, Electric Cooperatives (Rural/Member-Owned Utilities), with a secondary code of EUAMAJAA, Community Solar Development & Subscription Management. Its NAICS code is 221122 and its SIC code is 4911.