Berkeley Electric Cooperative is adjusting rates to compensate for a combination of rising material costs and increasing wholesale power costs. This adjustment will result in an 11% increase for the average residential member. For more details please click here.

As a not-for-profit electric cooperative, Berkeley Electric is unable to completely absorb these increases. The primary driver of this increase results from Santee Cooper’s wholesale power costs rising 20% (on average) for S.C. electric cooperatives starting in 2025. They are also raising rates for their direct-serve customers.

More than 70% of Berkeley Electric’s expenses are to purchase power, so these increases are impossible to absorb without raising rates.

In addition to rising wholesale power costs, BEC has also paid double the price for critical materials, equipment, and supplies over the past several years due to inflation.