Fix First HomeWhat home-upgrade rebates actually pay — and who you apply to.

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Santee Cooper Smart Energy Existing Homes rebates open

Administered by Santee Cooper, South Carolina's state-owned utility, through its Residential Trade Ally Network.

Santee Cooper pays its residential customers $300 or $400 for an efficient heat pump, $500 or $700 for a hybrid heat pump, $600 for a geothermal system, $500 for whole-home duct replacement and $400 for a heat pump water heater, by check. The 2026 program year runs from 1 December 2025 to 30 November 2026; late applicants go on a waiting list.

source · verified 13 October 2026 · amounts in US dollars

What it pays

2026 rebates per installed system
UpgradeConditionUp to
Heat pump, split15.2 SEER2 and 7.8 HSPF2$300
Heat pump, split16.3 SEER2 and 8.0 HSPF2$400
Hybrid heat pump16.7 SEER2 and 8.3 HSPF2$500
Hybrid heat pump19.3 SEER2 and 8.7 HSPF2$700
Geothermal heat pumpENERGY STAR; single-family$600
Whole-home duct replacementReplacing over 50% of ductwork, with a 50% reduction in leakage$500
Heat pump water heaterENERGY STAR$400

Mini-split and multi-split heat pumps get a per-ton rebate ($40 or $80 by efficiency; the manual's unit is garbled in our copy). Smart thermostat rebates are instant, through the Santee Cooper Marketplace. A maximum of three per address applies for each measure.

Who is eligible

who
Santee Cooper residential customers on the Residential General Service rate, in Horry, Georgetown and Berkeley counties.
home
At least five years old (except appliances, pool equipment and thermostats), separately metered, with its own heating, cooling and water heating.
renters
Only if the homeowner submits a Homeowner Participation Agreement.
contractor
A Residential Trade Ally, except for heat pump water heaters (a licensed plumber), thermostats, pool pumps and appliances.
repeat rebates
Not again for 15 years for heat pumps and ducts, 10 years for water heaters.

Where the application goes

Use a trade ally, then send the application and documents by email or mail; Santee Cooper mails a check 2 to 3 weeks after approval.

Where the application goes
If this is youApply here
2026 program manualsanteecooper.com
EmpowerHomesanteecooper.com
Horry and Georgetown(843) 347-3399 ext. 3910
Berkeley County(843) 761-8000 ext. 3910

The thing most pages get wrong

Santee Cooper's rebates run on a December-to-November year, not the calendar: equipment must be bought, installed and documented between 1 December 2025 and 30 November 2026. When money runs out, applicants are offered a place on a waiting list for the next program year.

A 1099 for bigger checks

Santee Cooper sends 'A 1099 tax form ... with each rebate check processed over $600'.

Loans too

Customers in the program may also qualify for a Santee Cooper loan; its terms are on Santee Cooper's loan page.