City of Gaffney and solar
City of Gaffney is a municipal utility serving about 6,198 homes in South Carolina. Here's what its rates and export rules mean for solar: for a typical customer, solar is a close call.
- Average price (2026 est.)
- 12.7¢19% below South Carolina average
- Typical bill
- $125982 kWh a month
- Exports credited
- ~24%Net billing (reduced export credit)
- Typical payback
- 14.2 yrs5.3 kW, cash
Export rules for City of Gaffney customers
Net billing (reduced export credit) (South Carolina rule).
Since June 2021 new solar customers of Duke Energy and Dominion Energy SC are on 'Solar Choice' tariffs: you're billed on time-of-use rates, solar offsets usage within the same period, and monthly excess is credited at the low avoided-cost rate (~2-4 c/kWh). Duke has a $30 minimum bill.
Solar for a typical City of Gaffney home
| System | 5.3 kW (65% of 982 kWh/month) |
|---|---|
| Cost | $16,485, $12,985 after incentives |
| First-year savings | $981 |
| Payback | 14.2 years |
| 25-year net | $11,436 |
Uses the utility's average price.
Solar adoption
- Homes with solar (2025)
- 13
- Share of customers
- 0.2%
- Residential solar capacity
- 0 MW
- Residential customers
- 6,198
EIA-861, 2025.
Questions about City of Gaffney and solar
Does City of Gaffney have net metering?
City of Gaffney follows South Carolina's rules: Since June 2021 new solar customers of Duke Energy and Dominion Energy SC are on 'Solar Choice' tariffs: you're billed on time-of-use rates, solar offsets usage within the same period, and monthly excess is credited at the low avoided-cost rate (~2-4 c/kWh). Duke has a $30 minimum bill.
How much does electricity cost with City of Gaffney?
Residential customers paid an average of 12.3¢ per kWh in 2025 (EIA), about 12.7¢ adjusted to 2026. The typical home uses 982 kWh a month, a bill of about $125.
Is solar worth it with City of Gaffney?
For a typical customer, solar is a close call: a 5.3 kW system costing about $12,985 pays back in about 14.2 years, with $11,436 net over 25 years.
How many City of Gaffney customers have solar?
About 13 homes had net-metered solar at the end of 2025, roughly 0.2% of residential customers (EIA-861).
Legal name: City of Gaffney - (SC) (EIA ID 6894). Data: EIA-861 2025 and monthly data through 2026, state policy research October 2026.