Palmetto Electric Cooperative

What Palmetto Electric Cooperative does

Palmetto Electric Cooperative is a not-for-profit, member-owned electric utility cooperative founded in 1940 and headquartered in Ridgeland, South Carolina, delivering electricity to residential and commercial members across southern Beaufort, Jasper, and Hampton counties — a service territory that includes Hilton Head Island. The cooperative operates four physical offices (Ridgeland as headquarters, plus Hardeeville, Bluffton, and Hampton) and provides member services through community-based channels, an elected board governance structure, and annual member meetings. Its stated mission is to deliver competitively priced, reliable energy and innovative related services to its members.

The cooperative's core product is electric power distribution via owned grid infrastructure, augmented by a broad portfolio of member-facing programs: digital account management (MyEnergy Online portal and MyEnergy Mobile App, available on iOS and Android), energy efficiency programs (Beat the Peak demand response, Smart Thermostat rebates, Illuma Knight LED lighting, H2O Select water conservation, CHAMP commercial program, Dual Fuel heat pumps), renewable energy offerings (Green Power, Solar, Community Solar, Net Billing), equipment protection (Surge Guard), EV adoption support (Choose EV), and flexible billing (Advance Pay, Auto-Pay, Levelized Billing, e-Billing). A wholly-owned subsidiary, PalmettoLink Fiber, extends the business into broadband internet services. The cooperative also maintains a community-impact arm — the Palmetto Electric Trust — which administers the Operation Round Up charitable program, Bright Ideas teacher grants, and scholarship programs in partnership with Women Involved in Rural Electrification (WIRE).

Commercially, the cooperative operates a recurring subscription-like revenue model from electricity sales to its member-customer base; as a not-for-profit, surplus revenues are returned to members through capital credits rather than distributed to shareholders. The go-to-market motion is direct-to-consumer/community, with strong local brand affiliation through the Touchstone Energy Cooperatives national partnership. Marketing and member engagement are channeled through the cooperative's website, e-newsletter, the South Carolina Living magazine, and community events including annual meetings and school-based programs.

Name

Palmetto Electric Cooperative

Legal name

Palmetto Electric Cooperative

Website

https://palmetto.coop

Company type

Private

Founded year

1940

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

51–100 employees

Short description

Palmetto Electric Cooperative is a not-for-profit, member-owned electric utility cooperative serving residential and commercial members in southern Beaufort, Jasper, and Hampton counties of South Carolina, providing electricity, energy efficiency and renewable programs, broadband via PalmettoLink Fiber, and community-focused services since 1940.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Product category

Electric Cooperative Services

NAICS

Electric Power Generation, Transmission and Distribution (2211), Electric Power Distribution (221122)

SIC

Electric Services (4911)

akta.pro primary industry

Electric Cooperatives (Rural/Member-Owned Utilities) (EUADABAC)

akta.pro secondary industries

Distributed Generation (DG) Solar & Small Wind (EUAMAJAD), Retail & Community PPAs (Community Solar/Shared Renewables) (EUAGADAC), Community Microgrids & Shared Distributed Generation (EUACALAC)

Keywords

• Electric utility services
• Member-owned cooperative
• Energy efficiency programs
• Renewable energy programs
• Fiber internet services

Headquarters

HQ city

Hilton Head Island

HQ country

United States

HQ region

North America

Offices4 records

Markets served

GTM type

B2C

Offering type

Services

Cost components

Supply Chain, Infrastructure, Personnel, Operations, Technology or R&D, Others

Revenue model

1. Electric Utility Service: Sale of electricity to residential and commercial members in its service territory. As a not-for-profit cooperative, revenues are used to operate the utility and return capital credits to members.

Go-to-market motion1 record

Distribution channels1 record

Marketing channels4 records

Core offering

Palmetto Electric Cooperative is a not-for-profit, member-owned electric distribution cooperative founded in 1940 that delivers electricity to residential and commercial members across southern Beaufort, Jasper, and Hampton counties in South Carolina. The cooperative operates energy efficiency, renewable energy, and demand-response programs (including community solar, net billing, green power, and smart thermostat offerings), and offers broadband internet through its subsidiary PalmettoLink Fiber. Additional member services include surge protection, billing options, EV resources, and community-focused grants and scholarships.

Product overview

Palmetto Electric Cooperative is a not-for-profit, member-owned electric utility that delivers energy and related services to members in South Carolina. The cooperative operates as a traditional electric utility with a portfolio of energy efficiency programs, renewable energy options, billing services, and community programs. Core offerings include MyEnergy Online and MyEnergy Mobile App for account management and energy tracking. The cooperative provides multiple energy-saving programs including Surge Guard, Beat the Peak, Illuma Knight, Smart Thermostat Program, and the Energy-Saving Center with DIY audits. Renewable energy options include Green Power, Solar, Community Solar, and Net Billing. Additional services encompass billing options (Advance Pay, Auto-Pay, Levelized Billing), EV programs, and community initiatives like Bright Ideas grants and scholarship programs. PalmettoLink Fiber represents the cooperative's expansion into broadband internet services. The company operates as a single unified offering rather than a platform-plus-modules architecture.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Brands

• PalmettoLink Fiber: Fiber internet services provided by the cooperative
• MyEnergy Online
• MyEnergy Mobile App
• Bright Ideas
• Operation Round Up
• Green Power
• Community Solar
• Net Billing

Products and services

• Residential and Commercial Electric Service Core electricity distribution service available to member-owners who purchase a one-time $5 membership and pay monthly electric bills.
• PalmettoLink Fiber Internet Fiber-to-the-premises internet service delivered by the cooperative's wholly-owned subsidiary PalmettoLink Fiber, providing broadband connectivity.
• Surge Guard Equipment protection program that provides surge protection devices to defend members' home electronics and appliances against electrical surges.
• Green Power Voluntary subscription program enabling members to support renewable energy generation for an added fee on their monthly electric bill.
• Community Solar Subscription offering in which members participate in a shared solar generation project and receive bill credits for their portion of the array's output.
• Net Billing Billing arrangement for member-owners with on-site generation systems that export excess electricity back to the cooperative grid in exchange for bill credits.
• Smart Thermostat Program Energy efficiency program providing smart thermostat rebates and connected-device integration to help members reduce cooling and heating demand.
• Beat the Peak Voluntary demand-response program that alerts participating members via app, email, or text message to temporarily reduce electricity use during peak grid demand events.
• Illuma Knight Discount program that provides members access to reduced pricing on energy-efficient LED bulbs and fixtures.
• H2O Select Water conservation program offering high-efficiency WaterSense-certified fixtures and rebates to help members reduce water-heating energy use.
• Dual Fuel Heat Pump Program Equipment program offering rebates for dual fuel heat pump systems pairing an electric heat pump with gas backup heating for residential members.
• Buried Treasure Member service that relocates or buries overhead electric service drops at the member's request for aesthetics or storm resilience.
• CHAMP (Commercial High Achievement Merit Program) Commercial energy efficiency program offering audits, recommendations, and rebates to business members seeking to reduce consumption and lower operating costs.
• Choose EV Electric vehicle support program offering EV-specific rate plans, charging resources, and equipment rebates to residential and commercial members.
• MyEnergy Online & Mobile App Digital member self-service platform (web and mobile) for bill payment, usage monitoring, outage reporting, and account management.

Named customers2 records

Segments2 records

Ideal customer profiles3 records

Technology focussed No

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

Feature3 records

Partnerships

Three partnerships are on record, tiered core and minor.

• Touchstone EnergycoreGTM or Marketing PartnerNational brand partnership with Touchstone Energy Cooperatives, providing marketing resources, co-branding, and access to energy efficiency tools and programs including the Home Energy Adventure Tour and Touchstone Energy resources.
• Palmetto Electric TrustcoreOthersThe Palmetto Electric Trust is the volunteer board that administers Operation Round Up funds, providing scholarships and Bright Ideas grants to the community.
• Women Involved in Rural Electrification (WIRE)minorStrategic or Co-development PartnerWIRE awards annual $1,000 scholarships to deserving seniors in southern Beaufort, Jasper or Hampton counties. Partnership supports educational opportunities for local students.

Scale indicators4 records

Recent moves6 records

Expansion highlights5 records

Broad incumbents

• Santee Cooper (South Carolina Public Service Authority): State-owned generation and transmission utility and the wholesale power supplier to Palmetto. Directly relevant as Palmetto's upstream power provider and a participant in the referenced Santee Cooper Settlement.
• Duke Energy (South Carolina): Investor-owned utility operating across South Carolina and the broader Southeast. Adjacent operator within the same regulatory jurisdiction, illustrating the contrast in scale, capital access, and rate-setting between cooperative and IOU models.

Direct peers

• Berkeley Electric Cooperative: South Carolina electric cooperative serving Berkeley, Charleston, and Dorchester counties with comparable member-owned distribution structure, Touchstone Energy affiliation, and similar program offerings. Closest geographic and structural peer to Palmetto.
• Blue Ridge Electric Cooperative: Member-owned South Carolina electric cooperative serving Pickens, Oconee, Anderson, and surrounding counties. Comparable in governance, program portfolio, and community engagement approach.
• Coastal Electric Cooperative: South Carolina electric cooperative serving Beaufort and surrounding Lowcountry areas with overlapping coastal geography. Direct operational and demographic peer given similar service territory characteristics.
• Aiken Electric Cooperative: Member-owned South Carolina electric cooperative with comparable size, Touchstone Energy affiliation, and program portfolio including community solar, broadband, and energy efficiency offerings.
• Mid-Carolina Electric Cooperative: Member-owned South Carolina electric cooperative with similar governance model, billing options, and member programs. Direct structural peer for benchmarking small-utility cooperative operations.

Others

• Touchstone Energy Cooperatives: National brand and service network of which Palmetto is an affiliate member. Provides co-branding, marketing resources, and shared programs (Together We Save, Home Energy Adventure Tour) that materially shape Palmetto's member-facing offerings.
• National Rural Electric Cooperative Association (NRECA): National trade association representing electric cooperatives. Relevant as the policy, advocacy, and shared-services umbrella under which Palmetto operates, including regulatory representation at the federal level.

Regional players

• Dominion Energy South Carolina: Large investor-owned utility with operations in adjacent South Carolina territories. Comparable from a regulatory and grid-operations perspective but differs structurally as a for-profit IOU rather than a member cooperative.

Market position

Strengths5 records

Weaknesses5 records

Competitive moat5 records

Key risks6 records

Key highlights7 records

Customer concentration

• Xx.com/PalmettoCoop
• Facebookfacebook.com/PalmettoElectricCoop

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Profiles1 record

Subsidiaries2 records

Funding overview

Funding rounds

Investors

Funding detail is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

M&A

Investments

M&A and investment is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

Frequently asked questions about Palmetto Electric Cooperative