To: Blue Ridge Electric Cooperative Board of Directors and South Carolina Lawmakers

Families in rural South Carolina deserve fair, transparent electric bills that reflect how much energy we actually use.

My family recently moved from a home served by Duke Energy to one served by Blue Ridge Electric Cooperative. We used nearly 45% less electricity, yet our monthly bill stayed almost exactly the same.

Old provider: 3,062 kWh → $383

New provider: 1,694 kWh → $380

The reason? Blue Ridge uses residential demand charges, which base a large portion of a customer’s bill on a single peak-usage moment rather than total monthly consumption. In our case, one normal morning of household activity resulted in more than $150 in demand charges for the entire month.

This system:

• Punishes families who conserve energy

• Creates unpredictable household expenses

• Offers no alternative rate structure

• Leaves customers with no provider choice

Energy efficiency should be rewarded—not ignored.

We call on Blue Ridge Electric Cooperative and South Carolina lawmakers to:

Provide a residential rate option that does not include demand charges.
Increase transparency in how residential bills are calculated.
Review consumer protections for electric cooperative members who have no alternative provider.

Families should not be financially penalized for living their daily lives in their own homes.

We are asking for fair billing that reflects real usage, real conservation, and real accountability.