HVAC rebates in South Carolina

Two South Carolina utilities publish verified heat pump rebate amounts right now; a third has a program with unpublished numbers.

Dominion Energy South Carolina pays $400-$500 toward a new ENERGY STAR central AC or heat pump under its Heating and Cooling Rebates program - the $500 tier applies when you replace an all-electric furnace with heat strips. Requirements are specific: you must be a Dominion SC residential electric customer, the equipment must be ENERGY STAR/AHRI listed at a minimum of 15.2 SEER2, a Licensed Mechanical Contractor must do the install, and the application plus itemized invoice must go in within 90 days. Ground-source heat pumps are excluded.

Santee Cooper’s EmpowerHome program (Smart Energy Existing Homes) pays $300-$400 per single-phase heat pump depending on efficiency tier - tiers run roughly 15.3-19.3 SEER2 and 6.9-8.7 HSPF2. Mini-splits earn $40-$80 per half ton, geothermal earns $600, and hybrid dual-fuel systems earn $500-$700. The catch that trips people up: the system must be purchased from and installed by a participating Trade Ally, so verify your contractor’s status before signing. The program year runs December 1, 2025 through November 30, 2026, first-come, first-served while funds last.

Duke Energy customers in South Carolina are in a gray zone. Duke’s newsroom confirmed (August 1, 2025, PSC-approved) that expanded Smart $aver residential rebates exist, but no dollar figures are published and the program pages would not load when we checked. Amounts unverified - confirm directly at duke-energy.com or 800-254-8535 before counting on a number.