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Santee Cooper works hard to support our customers and their communities. We understand that life can bring some uncertainties and we want to help in times of need. Our goal is to provide our customers information about programs and services that are available from Santee Cooper and other resources, to help with a variety of situations.
Community Cares
Santee Cooper is excited to launch Community Cares, our very own customer assistance program that is funded by our customers for our customers. We understand that our customers face periodic financial hardship, and we are here to help.
Community Cares is now accepting donations so we can offer assistance later this year. Anyone can make a one-time donation with cash or a check at a Santee Cooper retail office, with a check through the mail, or with a credit card through our online donation portal.
Customers can also sign up for a recurring donation, which will be added to their monthly bill, at a Santee Cooper retail office, by calling our Customer Care Center, or by completing and emailing our Community Cares donation form.
For more information, email customerassistance@santeecooper.com.
As Community Cares funds are established, Santee Cooper, in collaboration with United Way of Horry County, will be able to assist qualifying residential customers in Horry, Georgetown, and Berkeley counties. Together, we can shine a light in our community.
Special Medical Needs Program
Santee Cooper’s Special Medical Needs Program provides extra attention and options to our customers who are on life-support devices or have chronic medical conditions, including Alzheimer’s or dementia, that could be made worse by the loss of electricity. We can tag your meter and account, to help our personnel easily identify Special Medical Needs customers and, if possible, give priority to power restoration during an outage.
Acceptance into this program will allow Santee Cooper to handle your account with special care. Special Medical Needs customers will need to recertify medical status every two years.
Special Medical Needs Application or Click here to request an application by email.
Contact your Special Medical Needs Coordinator at:
Horry/Georgetown Customers: (843) 347-3399
Berkeley County Customers: (843) 761-8000
Third-Party Notification
The third-party notification allows a third-party contact to be notified when service is scheduled for disconnection. The contact is not responsible for payment of the customer’s bill. The notification is only meant to assist customers with avoiding disconnection. (See Special Medical Needs application)
Billing & Payment Options
We offer several billing and payment options for our customers. If you’re interested in one of the following please contact us at (800) 804-7424 or customercare@santeecooper.com.
Need extra time paying your bill? A pay plan is a short-term extension that will allow you extra time to make your payment without the risk of disconnection.
If you have accumulated an unpaid balance, we can divide your balance into payments over time. Then, you can pay a portion of that outstanding balance along with your current bill each month until it is paid off.
Customers who qualify can pay the same amount each month, so they know what to budget. This plan is available for residential and small business (GA) customers who have had service with Santee Cooper at least one year. Budget billing helps reduce seasonal variances in electric bills by approximating the next budget year's usages in dollars and charging the customer equal monthly payments.
Prepay is a customer-friendly, pay-as-you-go program that allows you to pay what you want, when you want. Electricity is paid for in advance, before it is even used. Instead of receiving a paper bill each month, energy use is calculated daily and subtracted from your Prepay account balance.
You have the power to choose when to pay. With our new “pick your due date” program, you decide what day of the month is best for you to pay your power bill. Choose any date from the first to the 28th, with the option to change once a calendar year.
Pick Your Due Date Application or Click here to request an application by email.
For more information, call 1-800-804-7424.
This program allows you to extend your monthly due date by an extra five or 10 days. This extra time will eliminate the inconveniences you may face with postal delays and still give you a little more time to pay your bill each month.
Extend Your Due Date Application or Click here to request an application by email.
For more information, call 1-800-804-7424.
Federal, State & Local Utility Assistance Programs
We work closely with Federal, State & Local Utility Assistance Programs to help with the customer assistance process.
For more information, please call 1-800-804-7424.
The Low-Income Home Energy Assistance Program (LIHEAP) provides home energy assistance to help eligible low-income households meet their home heating and/or cooling needs.
Berkeley County Customers -
Palmetto Community Action Partnership
1069 King Street, Charleston, SC
(843) 614-3275
Georgetown County Customers -
Waccamaw Economic Opportunity Council
1837 N Fraser Street, Georgetown, SC
(843) 546-6161
Horry County Customers -
Waccamaw Economic Opportunity Council
Conway, Loris & Myrtle Beach locations
The Weatherization Assistance Program provides home weatherization assistance to improve the quality of life for low-income families - particularly for the elderly, people with disabilities and children - by improving the energy efficiency of their homes while ensuring their health and safety.
Residents in 39 South Carolina counties who are behind on rent and utility payments due to the COVID-19 pandemic are encouraged to apply for help through the SC Stay Plus program from SC Housing.
Assistance
Eligible renters can receive assistance with:
- 12 months of back rent (arrears) dating back to March 2020
- Up to (3) additional months of future rental assistance for those at risk of homelessness or housing instability (eviction)
- Utility assistance paid directly to the utility companies for past-due electric, natural gas, water, or wastewater bills dating back to March 2020.
Eligibility
To be eligible, one member of the household must:
- have qualified for unemployment or experienced financial hardship due to COVID-19
- demonstrate a risk of experiencing homelessness or housing instability; and
- have a household income at or below 80% of the county median income.
Apply
Below are some documents that applicants will be asked to provide. Not all documents are required, and SC Housing staff can help applicants if they do not have all of this documentation.
- Photo ID
- A signed lease or proof of rent payments
- A 2020 Federal Tax Return or pay stub from the last 60 days
- Proof of financial hardship— proof of unemployment, a layoff notice, or proof of business closure
- Proof of risk of housing loss or experiencing homelessness— an eviction notice or a past due notice for rent or utilities
To apply for assistance through SC Stay Plus, residents should fill out the application at SCHousing.com or call 1-800-476-0412/803-336-3420.
This program is for Horry County residents who have been directly or indirectly impacted by COVID-19. Qualified applicants can receive assistance for rent and utilities. Click here for more information and to apply.
Community Agencies Offering Assistance
In addition to the governmental agencies offering assistance, you can find help through the United Way’s SC211 program, which offers up-to-date information about agencies that provide assistance for utility bills and other financial needs. The service is free and confidential and is available any time. Just dial 2-1-1 or visit www.sc211.org.
Click on the link below to find a few direct links to agencies that may be able to offer utility bill or other assistance in Berkeley, Georgetown and Horry counties. SC211 may have additional information about some of these agencies, and this list is based on agencies that have reached out to Santee Cooper and may be incomplete.
Energy Efficiency Rebates and Programs
We provide several programs to help you reduce your home or business energy consumption.