Top Tier South Carolina Battery Sales Reference

Internal Sales Team Resource — Q2 2026 Edition

Quick Orientation

This guide covers the four investor-owned and state-owned utilities plus the major electric cooperatives serving residential customers across South Carolina. The pitch in South Carolina rests on three structural realities that all reps need to internalize:

1. Most residential IOU solar customers in SC are now on Solar Choice Tariff TOU. Under the South Carolina Energy Freedom Act (Act 62), the earliest legacy net metering programs (the pre-5/16/2019 / NEM 1.0 cohort at Dominion Energy SC, Duke Energy Carolinas, and Duke Energy Progress) expired December 31, 2025 and those customers were auto-rolled into Solar Choice TOU on 1/1/2026. However, residential customers at Dominion Energy SC who applied for net metering between 5/17/2019 and 5/31/2021 (the NEM 2.0 / Solar Choice Metering Interim Tariffs cohort) remain on full retail 1:1 net metering through 5/31/2029 per the DESC Third NEM Rider (Order 2026-248). The same SC Energy Freedom Act framework applies at Duke Energy Carolinas SC and Duke Energy Progress SC: residential customers at DEC SC and DEP SC who applied for net metering between 5/17/2019 and 5/31/2021 likewise remain on full retail 1:1 net metering through 5/31/2029. The earlier (pre-5/17/2019) DEC and DEP cohort was sunset 12/31/2025 and is on Solar Choice Net Metering as of 1/1/2026. New installs since 6/1/2021 at all three IOUs are on Solar Choice TOU from interconnection. Cooperatives use avoided-cost "Value of Renewable Generation" rates. Santee Cooper credits exports at a seasonal sub-retail rate ($0.0416 summer / $0.0384 otherwise). Most residential solar customers in SC now credit exports at sub-retail or under TOU mechanics that misalign with solar production. A battery monetizes that misalignment on every self-consumed kilowatt-hour.

2. Rates are rising — and the cases are documented. Dominion Energy SC settled in May 2026 on a 7.6% increase effective July 2026. Duke Energy Carolinas had an Aug 2024 increase and another taking effect Aug 2026, plus a fresh case approved Dec 2025. Duke Energy Progress got an 8% increase effective Feb 2026. Santee Cooper has 4.7% (2027) + 4.6% (2028) proposed for vote in Oct 2026. Reps should know the actual numbers, not vague "rates are going up" language.

3. Data center load growth is real and SC has it. 30+ data centers operate in SC today. AI-driven demand growth, $5 billion gas plant proposals at Santee Cooper, $3 billion data center projects in Spartanburg County, and ongoing legislative debate over who pays for the new infrastructure. Whatever the eventual resolution, this is the structural reason rates aren't going down.

Reps must identify which utility serves the customer within the first 5 minutes of the appointment. The pitch differs by utility because the math differs by utility.

How To Open: Lead With Inspection + Takeover

The customer booked the appointment because they're frustrated about their utility bill AND their installer is unreachable. Don't open with rate-case statistics. Don't open with the cohort split. Don't open with the savings number. Open with:

1. The free system inspection. "I'm here to inspect your existing solar system at no cost. If it's running well, we'll confirm that. If anything's wrong, we'll surface it. Either way, you walk away with a clearer picture of what you own."
2. System takeover. "When your inverter fails — and inverters do fail, usually between year 8 and year 20 — you need someone to handle the warranty claim and the replacement. Top Tier becomes your single point of contact for the next 10 years on the entire system, not just on anything new we install."
3. Then bridge to the bill. "You're still seeing a utility bill after going solar. Let me walk you through why, given your specific cohort, and what changes when we add storage."

The battery is the upsell that makes the deal economic for Top Tier; takeover/inspection is the lead the customer agreed to. Reps get paid on battery sales. Don't lose the open by leading with the close.

Cohort identification still happens — but AFTER the takeover lead lands. SC is the most cohort-rich market in the Top Tier portfolio (multiple IOU cohorts + Santee Cooper + co-ops + the May 2029 DESC cliff). Don't try to cohort-split in the opening 60 seconds; the customer just wants to know who's going to fix their system. Cohort routing drives the BRIDGE conversation (next section), not the open.

Standing Rules (Do NOT Violate)

• ❌ NEVER coach reps to disqualify based on home tenure. If a customer plans to sell in 3 years, the right move is the resale story (system raises home value; closing equity pays off loan; warranties carry over per their actual transfer rules) — not "walk away."
• ❌ NEVER claim "all warranties transfer." Workmanship transfers WITH WRITTEN CONSENT. Manufacturer warranties transfer per their own terms. The 5-year Align Solar Protection service contract is NON-TRANSFERABLE. (See the Objection Handling table for the verbatim corrected script.)
• ❌ NEVER fabricate inspection findings. The inspection is mostly about education + diagnosing the bill problem + future-failure prevention. Real findings at time of sale are rare. Document what you actually see; flag what you can't determine.
• ❌ NEVER quote the SC TC-38 state tax credit as guaranteed dollars in the customer's pocket. TC-38 is non-refundable and depends on the customer's actual SC tax liability. See the dedicated "SC TC-38: 25% State Tax Credit — Closing-Pillar Talk-Track" section below for the verbatim caveats.

The Utility at a Glance

Note on regulatory structure: Dominion, Duke Energy Carolinas, and Duke Energy Progress are investor-owned utilities regulated by the South Carolina Public Service Commission. Santee Cooper is state-owned, governed by its own Board of Directors. Cooperatives are member-owned and self-governing. This matters for the pitch because rate-change processes, intervention rights, and disclosure obligations differ by category — and customers should be told their utility's structure when relevant.

The Pitch Framework

The four South Carolina customer archetypes

Reps should identify which archetype they're working with in the first 5 minutes. The lead pitch angle differs significantly across archetypes.

Archetype 1: The IOU Solar Choice Customer (Most Common)

• Served by Dominion Energy SC, Duke Energy Carolinas SC, or Duke Energy Progress SC
• On Solar Choice Tariff with mandatory time-of-use enrollment (every residential IOU customer in SC is on Solar Choice as of 1/1/2026)
• Most production happens midday when TOU rates are mid-tier; most consumption is evening when TOU rates peak
• Bill is rarely zero despite "100% offset" design — TOU mismatch eats the savings
• Two important sub-flavors within Archetype 1:
  • Originally-installed-on-Solar-Choice (post-June 2021 installs): Customer has always been on this structure; they may or may not understand why their bill is what it is
  • The Just-Transitioned customer (pre-June 2021 installs auto-rolled on 1/1/2026): Customer was on 1:1 legacy net metering and was rolled into Solar Choice five months ago. Their bill structure CHANGED in January. They may be confused, frustrated, or not yet have noticed. Ask: "Did you get a letter from your utility late last year saying your net metering was changing on January 1st?" If yes, the conversation is half-won — they're emotionally primed for what comes next.
• Strongest fit. Lead with TOU mismatch and the rate-case trajectory. For Just-Transitioned customers, lead with the bill structure change they just experienced.

Archetype 2: The Santee Cooper Customer

• Lives in Berkeley, Georgetown, or Horry county under Santee Cooper direct service (state-owned utility, not PSC-regulated)
• Three-part rate structure: customer charge + energy + demand (introduced April 2025 with the "Defeat the Peak" rollout)
• Solar exports credited at seasonal sub-retail rate ($0.0416 summer / $0.0384 otherwise)
• Demand charge component is unique among SC residential utilities — billed on highest hour of demand during Peak Hours (6-9am winter / 3-6pm summer)
• Strong fit. Lead with capping the demand charge — a battery automatically discharges during Peak Hours, holding the demand component down. Layer in the sub-retail export math and the Canadys gas plant rate trajectory.

Archetype 3: The Cooperative Member

• Lives in a co-op service territory — Aiken Electric, Berkeley Electric, York Electric, Palmetto Electric, others
• Solar exports are credited at "Value of Renewable Generation" — an avoided-cost rate well below retail
• Gap between retail (paid for imports) and avoided cost (received for exports) is large
• Co-op may have TOU rate, demand response, or "Beat the Peak" programs already
• Strong fit. Lead with the retail-vs-avoided-cost gap and self-consumption math.

Archetype 4: The Orphaned Solar Customer (Cuts Across All Utilities)

• Original installer is defunct, unresponsive, or has changed hands
• No service path, monitoring access often lost, warranty issues stalled
• Often combined with one of the above utility-specific situations
• The Top Tier system rescue value is the differentiator here, independent of bill math
• Brand-new 10-year Limited Workmanship and Roof Penetration Warranty plus manufacturer warranty claim handling is something competitors cannot offer to orphaned customers

The opening pitch (Solar Choice Tariff version — most common, all IOU residential)

"You bought a solar system designed to cover most or all of your annual usage. It probably does, in raw kilowatt-hours. So why are you still paying your utility $150, $200, $250 a month?

Because South Carolina ended 1:1 net metering for residential customers on January 1st of this year. Every existing residential solar customer at Dominion and Duke was rolled into Solar Choice — a time-of-use plan. Your solar produces in the middle of the day, when your home is mostly empty and TOU rates are at the mid-tier. Your home uses the most electricity in the evening — between 4pm and 9pm — when TOU rates are at peak. Your solar exports during the day, and you buy electricity back at peak rates a few hours later at a much higher value.

Top Tier solves all of this with a battery that stores your solar production through midday and discharges it during your peak-rate evening hours. You stop buying premium-priced grid power exactly when it's most expensive. Plus you take over your existing solar system with a brand-new 10-year workmanship warranty, and you hedge against the documented rate increases that are landing this year and next."

The opening pitch (Just-Transitioned variant — for customers who installed pre-2021)

"When you installed your solar system, you signed up for one-to-one net metering. Every kilowatt-hour you sent back to the grid was credited at the same rate you paid for the kilowatt-hours you pulled. That deal ended on December 31st of last year. Every customer who was on the old plan, including you, was automatically moved to Solar Choice in January. Did you see the change in your January or February bill?

Under Solar Choice, you're now on a time-of-use rate. Your solar produces midday at lower rates. You use electricity in the evening at peak rates. The system you sized for full offset under one-to-one math doesn't deliver the same bill anymore — the rules changed underneath your investment.

A battery puts you back in control. It stores midday production for evening peak use. You use your own electricity at peak hours instead of buying it back at a premium. That's the entire purpose of a battery under the new rate structure — and it's the cleanest way to recapture the value you thought you were getting when you bought your solar system."

The opening pitch (Santee Cooper variant)

"Santee Cooper introduced a three-part rate last year — you pay a fixed customer charge, an energy charge per kilowatt-hour, and a demand charge based on your single highest hour during Peak Hours each month. In summer that Peak window is 3 to 6pm. In winter it's 6 to 9am. The demand charge alone can be a significant chunk of your bill if your AC kicks on while you're home in the late afternoon.

A battery automatically discharges during Peak Hours, holding that demand component down. On top of that, your solar exports earn about four cents per kilowatt-hour, but you pay closer to fifteen cents when you import — a battery captures that gap on every self-consumed kilowatt. And Santee Cooper has another 9% in rate increases proposed across 2027 and 2028 to fund the new Canadys gas plant. The battery is your hedge across all three."

The opening pitch (Cooperative variant)

"Your co-op is doing what's reasonable for a member-owned utility — they buy your exports at avoided cost, which is what they would have paid to generate that electricity themselves. That's well below the retail rate you pay when you pull from the grid. Every kilowatt-hour your battery lets you self-consume captures that whole gap. The savings story is the gap. The backup story is separate and additive. And the system rescue — Top Tier taking over your existing solar with a brand-new 10-year workmanship warranty — is the third leg."

Why You Still Have a Bill — Cohort-Aware Bridge (multi-cohort)

Use AFTER you've opened with takeover/inspection (see "How To Open" above). This is the cohort-aware bill anatomy explainer that bridges the customer from "why did I book this appointment about my bill" to "here's how the bill math works once we install the battery." SC is multi-cohort — match the right template to the right customer.

Cohort identification (during the appointment):

1. Which utility serves them? (DESC / DEC SC / DEP SC / Santee Cooper / a co-op)
2. For IOU customers, what year did they interconnect their solar?
   • 5/17/2019 – 5/31/2021 → NEM 2.0 cohort, grandfathered on full retail 1:1 net metering through 5/31/2029 → use CLIFF GRANDFATHERED template below
   • Before 5/17/2019 OR after 6/1/2021 → Solar Choice TOU at the IOU → use EDG NET BILLING template below (the spread story applies)
3. For Santee Cooper customers: always EDG NET BILLING template (seasonal sub-retail credit ~$0.04/kWh vs retail ~$0.15/kWh)
4. For co-op customers: always EDG NET BILLING template (DER Rider avoided cost vs retail)

Template 1: EDG NET BILLING (most common SC cohort)

Use for: DESC / DEC SC / DEP SC Solar Choice TOU customers (post-1/1/2026 auto-roll or post-6/1/2021 installs), Santee Cooper, co-ops.

Verbatim from the proposal copy (lib/why-bill-own-rent.ts, edg_net_billing template) — reps see the exact same language the customer sees:

You went solar and still see a bill. Here's why.

[Customer's utility] doesn't pay you the same rate for the energy you export as the rate you pay when you import. They credit your exports at an export rate (their "EDG" or net-billing rate), but you buy electricity back at the full retail rate. The spread between the two is where your residual bill comes from. Every kWh your solar produces during the day that you don't use immediately gets credited at the lower export rate. Every kWh you import after sunset costs you retail. A battery stores your daytime production for nighttime use — closing the spread by self-consuming what you'd otherwise export.

Per-utility specifics to layer in:

• DESC Solar Choice TOU: Imports billed at TOU rates (Super Off-Peak 1-5am cannot be offset by solar; Off-Peak; Peak ~5pm-9pm summer / 6am-noon winter); exports credited at avoided cost ($0.04-0.05/kWh). The TOU mismatch eats midday solar value. Battery shifts the value into the evening Peak window.
• DEC SC / DEP SC Solar Choice Net Metering: Sub-retail export credit; retail-rate import. Same spread logic as DESC but without the TOU peak windows on most plans.
• Santee Cooper: Seasonal credit: $0.0416/kWh summer, $0.0384/kWh otherwise (~30% of retail ~$0.15). Three-part rate adds a demand-charge component the battery also helps cap.
• Co-ops: DER Rider / Value of Renewable Generation rate (avoided cost). Co-op-specific value varies by co-op — but always sub-retail. Pull the customer's bill to find the credit rate.

Template 2: CLIFF GRANDFATHERED (DESC / DEC SC / DEP SC NEM 2.0 cohort, 5/17/2019–5/31/2021 installs)

Use for: IOU customers grandfathered through the 5/31/2029 cliff.

Verbatim from the proposal copy (lib/why-bill-own-rent.ts, cliff_grandfathered template) — reps see the exact same language the customer sees:

You're grandfathered today. Here's what happens at the cliff.

[Customer's utility] put you on full 1:1 net metering when you went solar — your annual kWh charges largely zero out. That arrangement is grandfathered through your cliff date (shown above). After the cliff, you move onto the post-grandfathering rate: exports get credited at a lower rate (typically half to a third of retail), and your bill goes up by the spread × your annual exports. A battery doesn't help your day-to-day bill today — you're already at full offset. The value is HEDGING the cliff: whatever you store and self-consume isn't subject to the regime change. By the time the cliff lands, you've shifted most of your value behind the meter.

Per-utility specifics to layer in:

• DESC NEM 2.0: Cliff = May 31, 2029. Full 1:1 net metering through that date. After cliff: post-grandfathering rate per the DESC Third NEM Rider (Order 2026-248) — exports at sub-retail, retail-rate imports.
• DEC SC NEM 2.0: Cliff = May 31, 2029 per SC Energy Freedom Act framework (same as DESC). Full 1:1 today.
• DEP SC NEM 2.0: Cliff = May 31, 2029 (same SC Energy Freedom Act framework). Full 1:1 today.

The cliff math (key rep specifics): Most NEM 2.0 customers exported a meaningful percentage of their annual production to the grid (sized for 100% offset). Post-cliff, that exported energy is worth a fraction of retail instead of full retail. For a typical customer exporting 4,000-5,000 kWh/yr, the cliff means losing ~$400-700/yr in bill credit value — every year for the remaining 20+ year solar lifespan. A battery moves the value behind the meter NOW so the cliff doesn't land as a financial event.

How to use it in conversation

After the takeover/inspection lead has landed, transition with: "You're on [DESC / DEC SC / DEP SC / Santee Cooper / your co-op] — and your install date tells me you're on [Solar Choice TOU / NEM 2.0 grandfathered / Solar Choice Net Metering / sub-retail credit]. Let me show you why you still see a bill, and what changes when we add storage." Then walk through the right template above. The cohort framing matches what they'll see on the proposal PDF, so there's no drift between rep verbal and the document.

What NOT to say:

• ❌ "All SC customers are on the same tariff." (Not true — three different cohorts at the IOUs alone.)
• ❌ "Net metering is gone in SC." (Imprecise — NEM 2.0 customers retain full retail 1:1 through 5/31/2029.)
• ❌ "Your solar is broken." (It's not — the cohort's tariff structure is the issue.)
• ❌ "Your bill will go to zero with a battery." (Sub-retail export credits + customer charges + TOU mismatch + demand charges mean residual bill remains.)

Hidden Costs Avoided: The $11K System Takeover Bundle

Pillar 3 of the pitch (after Bridge and Takeover/Inspection lead). When Top Tier takes over the system, you bundle in services the customer would otherwise pay out of pocket over the 25-year horizon. These are estimates, not firm line-item quotes — but they total over $11K of value the customer doesn't see on the proposal's headline savings number. Applies across ALL SC cohorts (one bundle, one talk-track).

Verbatim from the proposal copy (components/multistate/sections/HiddenCostsAvoided.tsx) — reps see the exact same 5-tile bundle the customer sees:

How to use it in conversation

The pitch: "On top of the bill math we walked through, you're picking up over $11K of bundled services that aren't sold separately. We don't quote them as line items because they're built into the takeover. But if your inverter fails in year 12, the manufacturer warranty handling alone is worth a few hundred dollars. The replacement coordination saves you another $3-5K. The 5-year Align contract on your existing system is $1,500 you'd otherwise pay if you went looking for it. It adds up."

Especially powerful for SC because of the Helene 2024 context — DESC's largest restoration in company history. Storm-event service-call demand spikes after major weather; having a service contract pre-paid into the takeover means the customer isn't on a 90-day waitlist for a $500 truck roll when they need diagnostics.

What NOT to say

• ❌ Don't promise the line items as standalone products. Top Tier does NOT sell Align Solar Protection or service call coverage as standalone purchases. The values above are estimated 25-yr cost avoidance, not a price sheet a customer could shop.
• ❌ Don't pitch the headline as a guarantee. "Over $11K" is the estimated typical bundle value. Headline rounds DOWN from $11,800 specifically to read as an estimate, not a firm quote.
• ❌ Don't confuse Align (non-transferable) with the manufacturer warranty (transferable per its own terms) in the resale story. See Objection Handling for the verbatim per-warranty transfer rule.
• ❌ Don't pitch this as the solution to SC's data-center rate-impact narrative — that's the rate-trajectory hedge story (separate pillar). The takeover bundle is service-coverage value, not bill-rate value.

What You Own vs What You Rent — Cohort-Routed Values Reframe

Pillar 4 of the pitch. SC has both qualitative and dollar-comparison cohorts. Match the right template to the customer's cohort — using the wrong one undermines the pitch.

QUALITATIVE template — for NEM 2.0 grandfathered customers (DESC / DEC SC / DEP SC, 5/17/2019–5/31/2021 installs, pre-5/31/2029 cliff)

Use for: customers currently at full 1:1 net metering whose bill is small today. Dollar comparison would actively undermine the pitch because their rent number is smaller than the loan total.

Verbatim from the proposal copy (components/multistate/sections/OwnVsRent.tsx, QUALITATIVE branch):

Your bill is small today — your solar's doing what it should.

That depends on net metering rules continuing as-is. The 25-year horizon for you isn't about a dollar gap on the chart — it's about what your monthly loan payment actually buys you that your current bill doesn't.

What ~$41K over 15 years (the loan total) buys the NEM 2.0 grandfathered customer:

• Ownership of generation + storage. System is yours. Loan paid off at year 15; years 16-25 you own outright with no payment.
• Incremental home value: $3K-$10K. Lawrence Berkeley Lab storage-premium research suggests battery adds this on top of solar's premium. Your solar likely added ~$15K-$20K at original install — battery builds on that.
• Hurricane / outage resilience. Helene 2024 was DESC's largest restoration in company history. Your solar shuts off during grid outages today (anti-islanding). A battery keeps critical loads running.
• Locked-in position when the cliff lands May 31, 2029. That's ~3 years from this commit. Customers with batteries installed before the cliff are insulated against the regime change because self-consumed energy isn't subject to the post-cliff export rate.
• 10-year Top Tier workmanship warranty + service path. When your original installer is unreachable, Top Tier is your single point of contact for the next 10+ years.

DOLLAR-COMPARISON template — for everyone else (DESC / DEC SC / DEP SC Solar Choice + Santee Cooper + co-ops)

Use for: customers on sub-retail export pricing (TOU mismatch, EDG, DER Rider, Santee Cooper seasonal credit). Rent compounds materially at the spread.

Verbatim from the proposal copy (components/multistate/sections/OwnVsRent.tsx, DOLLAR-COMPARISON branch):

Over 25 years: are you renting power or owning it?

The 25-year horizon isn't about which line is lower on the chart — it's about whether you walk out with an asset.

Two columns to walk through:

What You Rent (red column)

• 25-yr cumulative utility payments at the moderate-scenario rate of climb
• Typical SC: $50K-$120K depending on bill size and utility
• Money paid to the utility, escalating year after year. You own nothing at the end. If rates climb faster than the moderate scenario (data-center load + post-Canadys recovery), this number grows.

What You Own (green column)

• Total loan payments over 15 years: ~$41K (typical SC quote: $18.5K cash / $228/mo × 12 × 15) + the system itself
• Loan paid off at year 15. Years 16-25 you own outright with no payment.
• Incremental home value: $3K-$10K per Berkeley Lab storage-premium research.

How to use it in conversation

Cohort-screening matters here as much as in the Bridge. Quote the wrong template and the customer either dismisses your math (if you DOLLAR-quote a grandfathered customer) or misses the strongest framing (if you QUALITATIVE-quote a Solar Choice TOU customer who'd respond to the dollar gap).

Co-op customers: dollar comparison applies (sub-retail DER Rider). Individual co-op variance is real — some co-ops have demand-charge components or different rate-class structures. The framing holds; the specific $ numbers should be verified against the customer's bill.

What NOT to say

• ❌ Don't oversell the home-value range. $3K-$10K is the incremental battery premium per Berkeley Lab — NOT the total solar + battery premium.
• ❌ Don't QUALITATIVE-frame a Solar Choice TOU customer. They have an active dollar story; the qualitative framing undersells.
• ❌ Don't DOLLAR-frame a NEM 2.0 grandfathered customer pre-cliff. Their rent number is small TODAY; dollar comparison loses the pitch. Quote the cliff-hedging value instead.
• ❌ Don't reduce the cliff math to a single number. "$400-700/yr lost per year × 20+ years" is the right framing; "you'll lose $X" is over-specific.

Dominion Energy South Carolina — Deep Dive

Service Territory

Dominion Energy South Carolina (DESC), formerly South Carolina Electric & Gas (SCE&G), serves approximately 820,000 electric customers across 24 South Carolina counties from the Midlands to the Lowcountry. Service area spans roughly 22,000 square miles, central, southern, and western SC.

Investor-owned utility, regulated by the South Carolina Public Service Commission. Headquartered in Cayce, SC.

The May 2026 Rate Case — what every rep needs to know cold

This is the single most important active fact about DESC, and reps should be able to speak to it with specifics:

• January 2026: Dominion filed for a 12.73% rate increase — about $19.98 per month on the average residential bill
• May 8, 2026: Settlement reached between Dominion, the Office of Regulatory Staff, SCDCA, environmental groups, and others
• Settled increase: 7.6%, approximately $12 per month on average residential bills
• Revenue increase approved: $207 million (down from $322M originally requested — about 36% reduction)
• Authorized ROE: 9.99% (down from 10.5% originally sought)
• Effective: July 1, 2026 (pending PSC final approval of the settlement)
• Average residential bill at 1,000 kWh/month moves from approximately $157 to approximately $169
• $3 million in stockholder funds to buy down year-one residential bills
• $1 million annually over three years for low-income payment assistance and weatherization

How to use this in a conversation:

"Did you see Dominion just settled on a 7.6% rate increase? It hits in July. That's about $12 more a month on the average bill — and that's just this one increase. Dominion's projected demand is up 25% by 2044. They've already invested $1.4 billion in the system since 2023. Rates have been moving in one direction, and there's no scenario where they suddenly start going down. The reason we're having this conversation today is so you have control over your energy costs before the next increase, not after."

The Solar Choice Tariff — how DESC handles solar exports

DESC operates under a Solar Choice Tariff established by PSC Order in Docket 2020-229-E, originally effective for new solar customers beginning June 1, 2021. There are two earlier residential cohorts:

• NEM 1.0 (applied for before May 17, 2019): Expired December 31, 2025. These customers were automatically enrolled in Solar Choice on January 1, 2026.
• NEM 2.0 / Solar Choice Metering Interim Tariffs (applied for May 17, 2019 – May 31, 2021): Per the DESC Third NEM Rider (effective May 2026 first billing cycle, Order 2026-248), these residential customers remain on full retail 1:1 net metering through May 31, 2029. They are NOT on Solar Choice TOU yet. Identify the customer's interconnection date before quoting bill mechanics.

Solar Choice mechanics for all residential DESC solar customers as of 2026:

• Required time-of-use (TOU) rate enrollment. Solar customers cannot opt out to a flat-rate plan.
• TOU period structure includes On-Peak, Off-Peak, and Super Off-Peak. The Super Off-Peak window (1am to 5am, year-round) was added under PSC Order 2025-242 and is the critical structural change: solar generation cannot offset Super Off-Peak consumption. This is the first time DESC has had a period in which solar produces zero offset.
• Within-period offsets at the period's retail rate. Solar offsets consumption within each TOU period at the full retail rate for that period.
• True excess (production beyond consumption in a period) credited at a lower rate. End-of-month true excess flows to a monthly credit that rolls forward.
• November annual true-up — remaining excess credits paid out at avoided-cost rate.
• 20 kW residential system size cap.
• 2% utility-wide aggregate net metering cap under Act 62.

The Super Off-Peak window matters tactically: a battery cannot help a customer whose consumption is concentrated between 1am and 5am, but most residential customers' consumption is concentrated in evening hours (4pm-9pm) where the battery is highly effective.

The pitch land for the just-transitioned DESC customer

Most DESC solar customers your reps will talk to in 2026 have only been on Solar Choice for a few months. Their bill structure changed on January 1. Many received a letter from DESC late in 2025. Many haven't fully internalized what changed. Ask the question directly:

"Did you get a notice from Dominion late last year about your net metering changing on January 1st?"

If yes, the customer is primed for the conversation. If no, you've just informed them of something material and recent. Either way, the bill they're holding is the proof point.

What makes Top Tier's pitch land in DESC territory

The combination of just-transitioned bill structure + the May 2026 rate increase (effective July 2026) + the Hurricane Helene 2024 memory is unusually strong. Helene triggered the largest restoration and rebuild effort in DESC's history. Backup capability isn't theoretical to a DESC customer.

Dominion VPP / Demand Response programs

DESC operates EnergyWise rebate programs and the Reward Hours smart thermostat program ($75 enrollment credit + $25 anniversary credit annually) but does not currently have a residential battery-specific VPP program in SC. If a battery program emerges, DESC customers will be first in line for enrollment — frame as upside, not a guaranteed revenue stream.

Duke Energy Carolinas (SC) — Deep Dive

Service Territory

Duke Energy Carolinas serves approximately 680,000 retail electric customers in 18 SC counties in the Upstate: Abbeville, Anderson, Cherokee, Chester, Fairfield, Greenville, Greenwood, Kershaw, Lancaster, Laurens, McCormick, Newberry, Oconee, Pickens, Saluda, Spartanburg, Union, and York.

Investor-owned utility regulated by the SC Public Service Commission. Subsidiary of Duke Energy Corp. Distinct from Duke Energy Progress, which serves a different SC service territory.

The headline: Duke Carolinas SC residential grandfathering ended December 31, 2025

This shapes every conversation a rep has with a Duke Carolinas customer:

• Pre-2018: 1:1 retail net metering customers
• 2018 cap event: Duke Energy Carolinas hit Act 236's 2% aggregate net metering cap in mid-2018. New solar customers after the cap were placed on Duke's Solar Choice Net Metering tariff (PSC Docket 2020-264-E), which became fully effective in 2021.
• December 31, 2025: Pre-5/17/2019 (NEM 1.0) grandfathering ended; those customers were automatically rolled into Solar Choice Net Metering on 1/1/2026.
• 5/17/2019–5/31/2021 cohort still grandfathered through 5/31/2029. Under the same SC Energy Freedom Act framework that governs DESC (Third NEM Rider Order 2026-248), residential DEC SC customers who applied for net metering between 5/17/2019 and 5/31/2021 (the Solar Choice Metering Interim Tariffs cohort) remain on full retail 1:1 net metering through 5/31/2029. Identify the customer's interconnection date before quoting bill mechanics.
• As of January 1, 2026: Pre-5/17/2019 DEC SC residential solar customers are on Solar Choice Net Metering; the 5/17/2019–5/31/2021 cohort remains on retail 1:1 through 5/31/2029; new installs since 6/1/2021 are on Solar Choice from interconnection.

How Solar Choice Net Metering actually works

Duke's Solar Choice Net Metering is a time-of-use structure, not a flat sub-retail buyback. The mechanics are nuanced and reps need to understand them:

• Required TOU rate (Solar Choice Time of Use, "Solar Choice TOU"). Solar customers cannot opt out.
• TOU periods include On-Peak, Off-Peak, and Critical Peak. Critical Peak applies up to 20 days per year, 3 hours each, with day-ahead notification (email or text). Weekends and major holidays are excluded.
• Within-period offsets at the period's retail rate. Solar generation within an On-Peak period offsets On-Peak consumption at the full On-Peak rate. Within an Off-Peak period, at the Off-Peak rate. This is technically 1:1 within each period.
• True excess (production beyond consumption in a period) credited at the lower Net Excess Energy Rate — well below standard retail.
• The structural problem: Most residential solar production happens during Off-Peak / midday hours when TOU rates are mid-tier. Most consumption happens during On-Peak (late afternoon and evening) when rates are highest. Solar built for "full offset" under 1:1 doesn't deliver the same economic offset under TOU — because the kilowatt-hours produced aren't worth the same as the kilowatt-hours consumed.

That mismatch is what a battery solves. The battery shifts midday production into evening consumption, converting Off-Peak production value into On-Peak consumption value.

Recent rate actions

Cumulative effect from Aug 2024 baseline ($136.82) to Aug 2026: roughly +$24/month on a typical residential bill.

The Dec 2025 rate case settlement included a CARE rider allocating funds for low-income customer assistance, and Duke agreed to participate in a future PSC proceeding to address how large-load customers (50+ MW — primarily data centers) are charged.

What makes Top Tier's pitch land in Duke Carolinas territory

Three pressure points stack on top of each other:

1. Just-transitioned bill structure. Most legacy customers were on 1:1 until December 31, 2025. They're now five months into Solar Choice TOU and may be experiencing the mismatch for the first time.
2. Cumulative rate increases. Aug 2024 + Helene rider + March 2026 + August 2026 = roughly $24/month higher than two years ago.
3. The TOU mismatch is structural, not temporary. Even without further rate cases, the math has changed permanently.

The customer can see all three on their bill. Layered together, the rate-trajectory story is unambiguous.

Duke Carolinas VPP / Demand Response programs

Duke offers EnergyWise demand response programs — primarily smart thermostat enrollment. No SC residential battery-specific VPP program in active enrollment as of Q2 2026, though Duke operates the PowerPair program in North Carolina that could potentially be replicated in SC. Frame as upside, not guaranteed.

Duke Energy Progress (SC) — Deep Dive

Service Territory

Duke Energy Progress (DEP) serves approximately 177,000 SC customers in the Pee Dee region and northeastern South Carolina, including Sumter, Florence, Darlington counties and adjacent areas. Investor-owned, regulated by SC PSC. Subsidiary of Duke Energy Corp.

Duke plans to eventually combine DEP and Duke Energy Carolinas in SC and NC into a unified entity, but as of Q2 2026 they operate as separate rate-regulated entities.

The recent rate case

DEP filed in June 2025 for a $74.8M revenue increase (12.1%). The settlement approved in December 2025:

• $51.2 million increase approved (~70% of original request)
• Average residential customer bill increase: ~$11/month (~8%)
• Effective: February 1, 2026
• 9.99% authorized ROE (above national average ~9.66%)
• CARE rider: $750,000 annually for low-income energy cost management
• PTC rider: Expected to return $20M in benefits to customers over 24 months from clean energy tax credits

Average residential bill at 1,000 kWh: from approximately $144.85 to $166.51 as of Feb 1, 2026.

Solar export credits

DEP operates under the same Solar Choice Net Metering framework as Duke Carolinas (PSC Docket 2020-265-E). The mechanics are identical:

• Same grandfathering framework as DESC and DEC SC. Under the SC Energy Freedom Act, the pre-5/17/2019 DEP cohort was sunset 12/31/2025 and rolled into Solar Choice Net Metering on 1/1/2026. Residential DEP customers who applied for net metering between 5/17/2019 and 5/31/2021 remain on full retail 1:1 net metering through 5/31/2029. New installs since 6/1/2021 are on Solar Choice from interconnection. Identify the customer's interconnection date before quoting bill mechanics.
• Required TOU rate (Solar Choice TOU). Solar customers cannot opt to a flat rate.
• Within-period offsets at the period's retail rate. Solar offsets consumption at the full retail rate within each TOU period.
• True excess credited at the Net Excess Energy Rate — well below standard retail.
• Same TOU mismatch dynamic — most solar production lands in Off-Peak hours; most home consumption lands in On-Peak hours. The same battery solution applies.

DEP customers' just-transitioned status creates an especially fresh pitch window. They've now experienced approximately five months of post-grandfathering bills.

The large-load piece

The November 2025 settlement included a separate large-load stipulation addressing how data centers and other 50+ MW customers are charged. This is the proceeding most directly relevant to keeping residential rates from absorbing data center infrastructure costs — reps should know it exists but not predict outcomes.

What makes Top Tier's pitch land in DEP territory

Four pressure points stack on top of each other:

1. Just-transitioned bill structure as of January 1, 2026 — the rules changed underneath every legacy customer.
2. The 8% Feb 2026 rate increase — most recent of any SC utility increase. The bill memory is fresh.
3. TOU mismatch under Solar Choice — structural and ongoing.
4. Hurricane Helene 2024 damage hit DEP territory directly — backup capability is a recent memory.

All four pitch pillars (just-transitioned, rate hedging, TOU mismatch, backup) apply.

Santee Cooper — Deep Dive

Service Territory

Santee Cooper is South Carolina's state-owned public power utility. Direct customers: approximately 220,000 residential households in Berkeley, Georgetown, and Horry counties. Indirectly, Santee Cooper provides wholesale power to 20 South Carolina electric cooperatives through Central Electric Power Cooperative, ultimately reaching about 2 million people statewide.

Governed by its own Board of Directors, not regulated by the SC Public Service Commission. Headquartered in Moncks Corner.

Solar export credits

Santee Cooper's net metering credit structure is seasonal and below retail:

• Summer months: $0.0416 per kWh credit
• Non-summer months: $0.0384 per kWh credit

Versus retail rates north of 13¢/kWh, the credit is about 30% of retail value. Same dynamic as Duke's Solar Choice Tariff, calculated differently.

Recent rate actions and the May 2026 proposal

Santee Cooper customers came out of a court-mandated five-year rate freeze (V.C. Summer nuclear abandonment lawsuit) in 2024. The recent and pending rate actions:

Board vote scheduled October 30, 2026 on the 2027-2028 increases.

Why Santee Cooper rates are rising

Santee Cooper is investing heavily in new generation to meet load growth, including:

• Proposed Canadys natural gas plant (joint with Dominion) — cost estimates have doubled from $2.5 billion to $5 billion
• $300 million for natural gas turbines at existing Georgetown coal plant site
• $270 million for expansion of natural gas plant in Anderson County
• $115 million for additional generation projects
• Authorized to issue up to $700 million in debt for these projects

Beyond capital projects, Santee Cooper expects to spend nearly $90 million more on the open market in 2027 vs. 2026 purchasing power "to bridge the gap" until new generation is online.

Santee Cooper's Chief Financial Officer projects more than 1 GW of new power capacity needed by 2030 to meet large-load customer demand.

The new three-part rate structure (since April 2025)

Santee Cooper residential customers are now billed under three components:

1. Customer charge (fixed monthly)
2. Energy charge (per kWh consumed)
3. Demand charge (based on highest hour of demand during Peak Hours each billing period)

Peak Hours:

• Winter (November–March): 6:00 a.m. – 9:00 a.m.
• Summer (April–October): 3:00 p.m. – 6:00 p.m.

The proposed 2027 changes would introduce Balanced Demand Billing — averaging the four highest peak-period demands per month instead of just the single highest hour. Designed to soften isolated spikes.

What makes Top Tier's pitch land in Santee Cooper territory

The three-part rate structure makes a battery uniquely valuable. The demand charge component specifically rewards customers who can hold down their peak-hour demand. A battery automatically discharges during peak hours, capping the demand charge. This is on top of the sub-retail export gap and the rate-case trajectory.

The Canadys gas plant + rate increases + demand-charge structure combination is the strongest pitch combination across all SC utilities for the Santee Cooper subset.

Electric Cooperatives — Statewide Overview

Structure

South Carolina has 20 distribution electric cooperatives serving roughly half of the state geographically — primarily rural and suburban areas. Cooperatives are member-owned, self-governing, and not regulated by the South Carolina Public Service Commission. They receive wholesale power primarily from Central Electric Power Cooperative, which in turn buys from Santee Cooper and Duke Energy.

This guide highlights the cooperatives most likely to come up in Top Tier conversations. For any other co-op, reps should pull the member's most recent bill and verify the export credit structure directly.

Aiken Electric Cooperative

• Approximately 49,800 residential customers in Aiken County and adjacent areas (cross-border with Augusta GA)
• Average residential rate: 16.24 cents per kWh (above SC average of 14.34)
• Average residential bill: $183.77/month (21% above SC average)
• Average outage duration: 113 minutes per event
• Uses Schedule DER (Distributed Energy Resources) Rider — exports credited at the cooperative's Value of Renewable Generation (avoided-cost rate, well below retail)
• Has TOU residential rate (Schedule RTOU) effective Jan 1, 2025
• Operates Community Solar Program and Beat the Peak demand response program

The retail-vs-avoided-cost gap on AEC bills is the cleanest math demonstration of why a battery pays off in co-op territory.

Berkeley Electric Cooperative

• Approximately 115,000 customers — largest electric cooperative in South Carolina
• Service territory: Berkeley County, parts of Charleston, Dorchester counties
• Uses avoided-cost net metering structure similar to AEC
• Has demand response and energy efficiency programs

York Electric Cooperative

• Approximately 64,000 members
• Service territory: York County and adjacent
• Avoided-cost net metering for new solar customers

Palmetto Electric Cooperative

• Approximately 80,000 members
• Service territory: Hampton, Jasper, Beaufort counties (Lowcountry)
• Avoided-cost net metering

Other notable cooperatives

Mid-Carolina Electric Cooperative, Newberry Electric Cooperative, Tri-County Electric Cooperative, Edisto Electric Cooperative, Black River Electric Cooperative, and others. Each has its own export credit structure and rate schedules — reps should pull the customer's bill and verify before quoting savings.

Why cooperatives are unique for the pitch

Three structural differences from IOUs:

1. Member-owned. Customers are also the owners. Rate decisions are made by a member-elected board.
2. Self-governing. No SC PSC rate case process. Rate changes happen by board action.
3. Wholesale dependency. Rate increases at Santee Cooper or Duke (the wholesale providers) flow through to co-op rates over time.

The pitch in cooperative territory should not disparage the co-op. Reps respect the member-owned structure and frame the battery as a way for members to capture more value from their existing solar investment within the existing co-op program.

Battery Optimization

Configuration: Self-Consumption vs. Backup-Capable

Top Tier offers two configurations on its standard battery products:

Self-consumption only — the battery charges from solar, discharges to the home, and never exports to the grid. Cheaper. Better fit when the customer is purely focused on bill savings and outage frequency is low.

Backup-capable — same battery hardware, configured to also power critical circuits or the whole home during a grid outage. Slightly higher cost (~$1,500 more on SolarEdge, ~$2,100 more on Enphase). Better fit when the customer values outage resilience or lives in a utility territory with documented outage exposure.

South Carolina default: backup-capable

For South Carolina prospects, the default configuration is backup-capable. The reasoning is the same as Florida, Ohio, and Pennsylvania:

1. Export economics don't fully reward pure self-consumption the way they do in Georgia under RNR-Instantaneous. SC customers are already hammered on exports; the marginal self-consumption gain isn't dramatic enough on its own to be the lead pitch.
2. Outage history is real. Hurricane Helene in 2024 caused the largest restoration effort in DESC history. AEC's 113-minute average outage is meaningful. Backup capability isn't aspirational in SC — it's a memory most prospects can name.
3. The combined pitch is cleaner. "Bill savings from self-consumption AND backup when the grid goes down" is a more durable conversation than either alone.

Pricing for the SC default configuration

• Cash price: $18,500
• Financed price: $23,942
• Approximate monthly payment: $228 (15-year Service Finance loan at ~7.95%)

These prices are confirmed and match the FL/OH/PA pattern for the backup-capable configuration. Reps should always confirm pricing in the Top Tier tool before quoting a customer.

When to deviate from the default

A customer who is specifically not interested in backup capability and is purely focused on bill savings can be quoted self-consumption only at $17,000 cash / $22,068 financed / approximately $210/month. Default to backup-capable unless the customer specifically pushes back.

Daily Operating Cycle (backup-capable, typical SC summer day)

The math advantage compounds: solar charges the battery midday when grid TOU rates are mid-tier; battery discharges during 3-6pm when TOU rates peak. The customer avoids the highest grid rate hours of the day with their own stored solar.

Rate History and Future Outlook

Reps must distinguish between what has happened (documented, verifiable from PSC filings, news reports, and utility press releases) and what is projected (uncertain, opinion-based). Use documented history when telling the rate trajectory story.

Documented historical rate actions (2024-2026)

That's a lot of small-to-medium increases stacked across two years. For a customer on Duke Energy Carolinas, the cumulative effect from Aug 2024 to Aug 2026 is approximately +$24/month on a typical residential bill. For a Santee Cooper customer, the April 2025 actions alone added +$27/month. For a Dominion customer, the July 2026 increase is +$12/month.

What's driving the rate increases

Reps should be able to explain the underlying drivers, not just the dollar amounts:

1. Capital investment recovery. Dominion has invested $1.4B since 2023. Duke has spent significantly on transmission and grid hardening. Santee Cooper is investing in new gas generation.

2. Hurricane Helene 2024 recovery. Costs being recovered through dedicated riders rather than full rate cases. Helene was Dominion's largest restoration effort in company history.

3. V.C. Summer aftermath. Santee Cooper customers paid for the abandoned nuclear project through a court settlement. The freeze ended in 2024 and pent-up costs are flowing through.

4. Natural gas exposure. All three IOUs and Santee Cooper rely heavily on natural gas generation. Fuel cost flows through to ratepayers via fuel cost adjustment mechanisms.

5. Load growth. Population growth (SC is the fastest-growing state by population), residential and commercial expansion, and data center pipeline.

What's coming after 2027

1. Santee Cooper's 2027-2028 increases if approved would push residential bills another ~$13/month over two years.

2. Canadys natural gas plant — Santee Cooper and Dominion joint project, cost estimates doubled from $2.5B to $5B. Ratepayers will fund construction.

3. Data center load growth. Even with much of the speculative pipeline dropping out (Duke's data center backlog went from 100+ to <5 as of March 2026), the still-pending data center commitments will require new generation and transmission. Who pays — data center operators vs. residential ratepayers — is the active legislative debate.

4. PJM auction price pressure. Capacity auction prices in adjacent markets have moved from $34/MW-day (2023-24) to $329/MW-day (2026-27) — a 10x increase that flows into wholesale costs across the Southeast.

5. Continued capital investment. Each utility is in a multi-year investment cycle. Rate cases will continue.

The rate story for reps to tell

Use this framework when telling the SC rate increase story to customers:

"South Carolina has had documented rate increases at every major utility in the past 24 months. Duke Carolinas in August 2024 and August 2026. Duke Progress in February 2026. Dominion in July 2026. Santee Cooper twice in 2025 and another set proposed for 2027 and 2028. That's not speculation — those are PSC filings and utility press releases. The next set is coming, including a $5 billion gas plant. The trend isn't customer-friendly, and there's no reason to expect it to reverse."

Critical disclosure for all customers

When discussing rate trajectories, reps must distinguish documented vs. speculative claims:

• ✅ "Dominion settled on a 7.6% increase effective July 2026" (documented fact)
• ✅ "Duke Carolinas raised rates 8.7% in August 2024 and is raising them another 4.3% in August 2026" (documented from utility press releases)
• ✅ "Santee Cooper has proposed 4.7% in 2027 and 4.6% in 2028 — vote scheduled October 30, 2026" (documented filing)
• ❌ "Your bill will be $X by 2030" (speculation)
• ❌ "Rates will definitely double in 10 years" (overstated)

Stick to documented history and filed cases. Let customers draw their own conclusions.

VPP and Future Programs

South Carolina does not currently have a residential battery-specific Virtual Power Plant program at any major utility. This is meaningfully different from Georgia, where the Solar Plus Storage Pilot was approved in July 2025. The SC pitch should NOT lean on VPP income.

Existing demand response programs (smart thermostat, not battery)

• Dominion Energy SC: Reward Hours — $75 enrollment credit + $25 anniversary credit for residential customers who enroll an eligible smart thermostat
• Duke Energy: EnergyWise — demand response programs primarily smart-thermostat based
• Santee Cooper: Defeat the Peak — educational campaign tied to the three-part rate structure; customers reduce demand during peak hours to lower their own bills

These programs are real and worth mentioning, but they apply to thermostats — not batteries. A customer with a battery already has automatic peak-hour management.

What might come

Three things to track over the next 12-24 months:

1. Duke's PowerPair-style program could potentially be extended from NC to SC. PowerPair pays $9,000 upfront for installing solar+storage with utility dispatch rights. Not in SC yet — no enrollment date announced.

2. Dominion battery program — DESC has been exploring residential battery storage but has not filed for a specific program. Watch the Dominion IRP filings.

3. Data center large-load tariff outcomes — the rate structures applied to data centers may indirectly influence residential program funding.

How to frame VPP in the SC pitch

"There isn't a residential battery VPP program in South Carolina yet, but Georgia just launched one and the Carolinas typically follow. Customers who already have batteries installed will be first in line when programs do launch. We're not going to put VPP income in the savings projections — but it's real upside that exists in some form in most adjacent markets."

This is honest. Don't over-promise.

Data Centers — The Structural Rate Driver

This is South Carolina's defining market trend, and reps should be able to speak to it accurately.

What's actually happening

• South Carolina hosts approximately 30 data centers as of early 2026
• A single data center can consume electricity equivalent to 125,000 homes
• Studies project residential bills could rise 50-70% if data center demand is fully accommodated through residential rate base
• Duke Energy's data center backlog in the Carolinas dropped from 100+ to fewer than 5 in early 2026 — much of the speculative pipeline collapsed
• Dominion Energy SC currently serves 1 data center (Dorchester County) under a standard tariff
• Across Duke's joint Carolinas territory: 40 data centers, only 3 use 50+ MW, total ~470 MW (about 1% of total power production)
• Santee Cooper projects more than 1 GW of new capacity needed by 2030 for large-load customers
• A $3 billion Tiger DC data center in Spartanburg County was abandoned in early 2026 after community pushback and tax incentive rejection

The legislative response

Multiple bills are active in 2026:

• S.867 — Data Center Development Act — would create a Data Center Development Office and give PSC authority over data center rate agreements
• H.3309 — SC Energy Security Act — would have required 15-year PPAs for data centers; that provision was removed by the House
• Data Center Responsibility Act — would require data centers to generate their own energy on-site

Santee Cooper has already enacted a new rate class for 50+ MW customers requiring 15-year contracts. Duke has agreed to participate in a future PSC proceeding to address large-load cost allocation.

Why this matters for the pitch

Two structural reasons:

1. Whatever the legislative resolution, the next generation buildout is happening. Santee Cooper's Canadys gas plant is $5B. Duke and Dominion are filing new capacity cases. Even if data centers fully cover their own costs, the new generation, transmission, and pipeline expansion creates broader cost pressure. The Southern Environmental Law Center modeling suggests utility projections may be inflated — but even at the lower estimates, the buildout is substantial.

2. The structural rate driver is real. Reps don't need to predict a specific dollar impact. The fact that 30+ data centers are operating, more are being proposed, and the SC legislature is actively debating how to allocate the cost is the talking point. A battery is the customer's hedge against that allocation landing in residential rates.

How to use this in conversations

"South Carolina has 30+ data centers right now, with more being proposed. The legislature is actively debating who pays for the new generation and transmission needed to serve them. There's no scenario where this doesn't put pressure on residential rates over the next decade. The battery you install today is the cheapest hedge you can buy against that pressure."

Don't predict specific dollar impacts. Don't blame data centers. Just describe what's happening.

Top Tier System Rescue Value

This section covers a critical pitch driver that applies to every Top Tier customer, regardless of utility — and combines with the SC-specific bill savings story to create a complete value proposition.

The orphaned solar problem in South Carolina

South Carolina saw a wave of residential solar installations between 2019 and 2023, driven by federal tax credits, state incentives, and door-to-door sales companies. A significant portion of those installers are no longer in business or are unresponsive to service requests.

A customer with orphaned solar faces a real problem:

• No service path when something breaks
• Manufacturer warranties exist but require an installer to file claims and perform labor
• Most solar companies refuse to service systems they didn't install (liability concerns)
• Inverters typically fail before panels do — and inverter replacement is the most likely future expense

The inverter replacement problem

Panels typically last 25-30 years. Inverters typically last 10-15 years. Reps should know the breakdown:

• SolarEdge string inverters: Manufacturer warranty 12 years standard, optional extension to 25 years; failure window 8-15 years
• Enphase microinverters: 25-year manufacturer warranty; failure window 10-20 years (microinverters fail individually, replacement is per-unit)
• Other string inverters (legacy SMA, Fronius, etc.): 10-12 year warranties typical; failure window 8-15 years

When an inverter fails on an orphaned system:

1. Solar production stops entirely
2. Customer's bills jump to full retail for everything
3. Customer must find a service provider (most won't quote orphaned systems)
4. Out-of-pocket replacement: $3,000-$5,000 typically
5. Time without solar: typically 4-8 weeks while waiting for service, parts, scheduling

For a customer paying $200/month in additional grid power while the system is down, two months without solar is another $400 cost on top of the equipment.

What Top Tier System Takeover provides

When Top Tier installs a battery on an existing solar system, the integration work creates the legal and technical basis to take over service responsibility for the entire system. This is formalized through a Service Warranty Agreement that includes a brand-new 10-Year Limited Workmanship and Roof Penetration Warranty issued by Top Tier — separate from any manufacturer warranty on the equipment itself.

The takeover provides:

• A new 10-year Top Tier workmanship warranty covering workmanship and roof penetrations on the existing system from the date of acceptance, regardless of how old the system is. This is fresh coverage, not advocacy within an expired warranty.
• Manufacturer warranty claim handling — when equipment defects occur within manufacturer warranty terms (SolarEdge, Enphase, others), Top Tier handles the claim and the labor; the customer doesn't chase the manufacturer or find a service provider
• Inverter replacement coverage when applicable — if the inverter fails within the manufacturer's warranty, Top Tier handles the replacement; customer pays nothing for the work
• Single point of contact — customer no longer has to track down their original installer
• Monitoring setup help — Top Tier helps customers access SolarEdge or Enphase monitoring apps
• Performance verification — Top Tier identifies and addresses underperforming panels, dirty array, shading issues, and similar issues during the takeover inspection

Align Solar Protection service contract — 5-year added coverage on the existing system

Every Top Tier installation includes — at no extra cost, built into the price — the Align Solar Protection service contract. This is a standard inclusion, not an upsell. Customers don't choose it, opt in, or pay separately for it.

Terms:

• 5-year term from system acceptance
• $0 deductible on covered claims
• Insurance-backed: Align's obligations are insured by a third-party policy issued by American Bankers Insurance Company of Florida, so the coverage holds even if Align itself couldn't perform

What it covers:

• Mechanical breakdown of the customer's EXISTING solar PV equipment — panels, microinverters/optimizers, string/central inverters, and racking
• Parts, labor, and service calls are all paid by the contract

What it does NOT cover:

• The new battery — that has its own 10-year manufacturer warranty; the Align contract is for the customer's pre-existing equipment, not the battery we install
• Normal wear-and-tear, weather/storm/hail damage, pre-existing conditions, or roof issues (those last two are why the inspection exists)

Honest limits — reps must not oversell:

Coverage is contingent on a system inspection and Align's approval. Eligibility depends on equipment age and remaining manufacturer-warranty time:

• Panels and microinverters/optimizers: under 15 years old
• String/central inverters: under 7 years old

Not every existing system fully qualifies. If a customer's inverter is 9 years old or their panels are 16, parts of the system may be excluded — Top Tier discloses what's covered and what isn't at inspection. Never pitch this as "everything is covered" or as the customer's only coverage. It covers mechanical breakdown (defects in materials/workmanship); it does not cover wear, weather, or roof problems.

How it fits the broader coverage picture:

The 5-year Align contract is one added layer in a coordinated three-part coverage stack. It is NOT the customer's only or total coverage — describing it that way is overselling. The layers are:

1. The equipment's own manufacturer warranties — typically longer than 5 years (panels 25 yr, microinverters 25 yr, string inverters 12+ yr) — Top Tier handles the claims
2. Top Tier's 10-year workmanship and roof penetration warranty — covers installation work + roof seal integrity
3. The added 5-year Align service contract — covers mechanical breakdown of the existing PV equipment

These layers stack and overlap. Together they answer the orphaned-customer worry without overpromising.

Manufacturer warranty coordination — separate from the Align contract:

In addition to the Align contract, Top Tier coordinates manufacturer warranty claims at no cost — on both the new battery and the customer's pre-existing solar equipment. This directly answers the hardest worry the existing-inverter pitch surfaces: that no installer will service someone else's system. Top Tier does.

Pitch language for reps:

"Between the manufacturer warranties on your existing equipment — which we handle the claims for — Top Tier's new 10-year workmanship warranty, and an added 5-year Align service contract that covers mechanical breakdown on your existing solar equipment, your system is looked after. The Align contract is included standard — there's no upsell. Coverage on your specific equipment is confirmed at the inspection; if anything doesn't qualify (panels over 15 years, inverter over 7), we'll be straight with you about what's covered and what isn't."

Things reps must NEVER say:

• "Everything on your solar is covered" — wrong; mechanical breakdown only, not wear or weather
• "You don't need to worry about anything ever again" — wrong; age limits + inspection contingency apply
• "The Align contract is your full coverage" — wrong; it's one of three layers
• "You can extend this beyond 5 years" — the term is 5 years, full stop

How the takeover works

The system takeover is contingent on Top Tier completing a full site survey and inspection. The inspection confirms the system is:

• In good working order
• Compliant with applicable building and electrical codes
• Installed in a manner consistent with Top Tier's workmanship standards

Top Tier reserves the right to decline takeover if the system is found to be non-compliant, hazardous, or otherwise deficient. If declined, the customer receives written notice within 7 calendar days along with a summary of findings.

Critical disclosures about the system takeover

1. Top Tier reserves the right to decline takeover if the existing system doesn't meet inspection standards. Customer gets written notice within 7 days if declined.

2. The 10-year Top Tier workmanship warranty is fresh coverage — but it only applies to the existing system as identified at acceptance. Anything added or altered by other parties afterward isn't covered.

3. Pre-existing damage isn't Top Tier's responsibility. If the customer's system has issues that pre-date the takeover and weren't disclosed during inspection, Top Tier isn't liable for them.

4. Manufacturer warranties on equipment have their own terms. Top Tier doesn't extend or replace SolarEdge, Enphase, or panel manufacturer warranties — but handles the claim process when equipment fails within those warranty terms.

5. Out-of-warranty replacements still cost money. If an inverter fails after its manufacturer warranty has expired (e.g., year 13 on a 12-year warranty), the customer still pays for the replacement equipment — Top Tier handles the work but isn't covering the cost of the new inverter.

6. System rescue requires the battery install. This isn't a service Top Tier sells separately. The battery integration is what creates the basis for taking over the system.

Federal Tax Credit Status

The federal residential ITC for direct-purchase solar/battery EXPIRED December 31, 2025.

This is critical for reps to understand because customers may have heard about the 30% tax credit and expect it. It's gone for direct purchases as of January 1, 2026.

What still exists

• Commercial ITC for third-party-owned systems (lease/PPA models) — the leasing company can claim a commercial credit, which may be reflected in lease economics
• South Carolina 25% state income tax credit for solar — but verify with the customer's accountant on whether and how it applies to battery storage added to existing solar. State credit caps at $3,500 per year, $35,000 lifetime, with 10-year carryforward.
• South Carolina 100% property tax exemption for residential solar systems up to 20 kW
• South Carolina does not have a sales tax exemption specifically for solar equipment

What's gone

• 30% federal tax credit for purchased systems
• This represents approximately $5,500-7,500 of lost incentive value on a typical $18,500-23,000 install

How to handle the conversation

"You may have heard about the 30% federal tax credit. That expired at the end of 2025 for direct purchases. Some lease and PPA models still qualify because the leasing company can claim a commercial credit. But for cash or financed purchases like ours, the federal credit is no longer available. The trade-off: you own the asset directly, no monthly lease payment, and South Carolina's state tax credit and property tax exemption still apply to your solar — talk to your accountant about how the state credit interacts with your specific tax situation."

Honest, disarms expectation issues, and points to the right professional for tax questions.

SC TC-38: 25% State Tax Credit — Closing-Pillar Talk-Track

The federal solar ITC expired 12/31/2025. South Carolina's Form TC-38 residential solar tax credit is now the only tax incentive available for SC cash or financed buyers. The proposal output renders it as a static callout — this section is the rep-facing talk-track for using it as a closing pillar.

When to bring it up

Not in the opening. Lead with the four pillars established earlier (system rescue / bill math / resilience / takeover). Bring TC-38 up at one of two natural moments:

1. When you walk through Loan Economics (next section) — after the customer sees the monthly payment and asks "what about the federal tax credit?" or "how do I reduce this?", TC-38 is the answer.
2. In the close — after the customer has agreed in principle and is doing year-1 math, TC-38 is the bonus that makes year 1 cleaner than they expected.

Why this placement: TC-38 is real and meaningful, but it depends on the customer's SC tax liability and isn't modeled into the proposal's savings math. Leading with it would (a) over-anchor on a number you can't guarantee, (b) crowd out the four pillars that ARE guaranteed. Treat it as a closing-pillar boost, not the lead.

The Constraints (rep crib sheet)

The closing pitch (verbatim)

"One more piece. After we've walked through the bill math, the takeover, and the resilience pillars — there's a tax credit that doesn't show up in the proposal numbers because it depends on your specific tax situation. South Carolina has Form TC-38, a 25% state income tax credit for residential solar and storage. On a typical $18,500 install, that's up to $3,500 against your South Carolina state tax bill in year one. The federal solar credit expired at the end of 2025, but TC-38 is still on the books and it applies to battery storage added to existing solar. Your tax advisor will confirm exactly how it lands for your situation."

Common customer questions (4)

Q: Will I qualify for the full $3,500?

"It depends on whether your installed cost is high enough — 25% of $14,000 hits the $3,500 cap, and most full installs are well above $14,000, so the install side qualifies. The actual question is whether your SC tax liability that year is high enough to absorb $3,500. If your SC tax bill is $5,000, you'll use the full $3,500. If your SC tax bill is $1,500, you'll only use $1,500 in year one — the remaining $2,000 carries forward for up to 10 years. Your tax advisor will run this against your actual liability."

Q: What's the $35,000 lifetime cap mean?

"It's the total maximum tax credit any one taxpayer can claim under TC-38 across their lifetime. Or 50% of their SC tax liability in any given year, whichever is lower. For one residential solar+storage install on a typical SC tax filer, this almost never binds — you'd use $3,500/yr for several years and stop well short of $35,000. The cap matters more for multi-property owners or people who installed solar separately years ago and are now adding battery."

Q: What if I don't have enough state tax liability to use it?

"Then you carry the unused portion forward — up to 10 years. So if you only use $1,500 of the $3,500 in year one, the remaining $2,000 sits in your TC-38 pool for up to 10 more tax years until you can use it. That said, the credit is non-refundable — meaning if your lifetime SC tax liability over those 10 years isn't enough to absorb it, the unused portion eventually expires unused. Most homeowners with full-time W-2 income use the full credit within a year or two."

Q: Does TC-38 apply to battery added to existing solar, or only new combined systems?

"It applies to residential solar AND solar-charged storage installs. Battery storage added to an existing residential solar system qualifies on the installed cost of the battery and the integration work, per SC DOR Form TC-38 instructions. But this is exactly the kind of question your tax advisor should confirm against your specific install scope — Top Tier doesn't give tax advice."

Mandatory caveat (always say this)

"Top Tier doesn't give tax advice. We're telling you the credit exists, what the constraints are, and what the SC Department of Revenue's Form TC-38 covers — but how it lands on YOUR tax return depends on your specific liability, your filing status, your other deductions, and your tax advisor's read of the form against your facts. Talk to your tax advisor before relying on it."

What NOT to say

• ❌ "You'll get $3,500 back in your taxes" — implies refundability or guaranteed liability absorption. Both wrong.
• ❌ "TC-38 covers 25% of the system" — confuses the credit (against tax liability) with a rebate (against price). It's a credit.
• ❌ "Just add it to the savings number on the proposal" — the proposal explicitly does NOT model TC-38 into savings math because liability is per-customer. Reps must not undo that.
• ❌ "Stack TC-38 with the federal ITC" — the federal ITC expired 12/31/2025. There's nothing left to stack.

Why this matters more after 12/31/2025

Before 2026, the federal 30% ITC was the headline tax story for residential solar/storage; TC-38 was a sub-bullet that stacked on top. Now the federal credit is gone — TC-38 is the entire tax story for SC cash/financed buyers. Reps should expect customers to ask about the federal credit (because they've heard about it for years); the honest answer is "federal is gone for direct purchases as of 1/1/2026, but South Carolina's TC-38 is still on the books — let me walk you through it."

Loan Economics

Service Finance loan structure for the backup-capable configuration (SC default):

For self-consumption only:

Important: Service Finance does NOT allow re-amortization. Lump sum payments shorten the loan term but do not lower the monthly payment.

What this means for the rep conversation

• Customer's monthly payment is fixed for 15 years regardless of partial prepayments
• Customer who wants a lower monthly payment must either pay cash or refinance externally (home equity loan, etc.)
• The financing markup over cash (~$5,442) reflects dealer fees built into the Service Finance program
• This is not a Top Tier-specific feature — it's the standard structure of unsecured solar/battery financing across the industry

Cash vs. financed

Cash buyers save the ~$5,442 financing markup over the life of the loan. For customers who can pay cash, the cash option is clearly better economics. For customers who can't or won't, the financed option preserves cash flow at the cost of total dollars paid.

Battery Products

Top Tier offers five batteries in South Carolina. Four support both backup-capable and self-consumption configurations; the SolarEdge Nexis Battery is currently self-consumption only (backup pending crew training).

Battery matrix

Self-consumption-only pricing is approximately $1,500-2,100 less than backup-capable for SolarEdge Home Battery / Enphase products. The SolarEdge Nexis Battery is offered only in the self-consumption configuration today ($18,000 cash / $222/mo financed).

Tesla Powerwall 3 sizing nuance: Each PW3 supports roughly 7.68 kW of existing AC inverter output. Customers with larger solar arrays need a second unit or solar production gets throttled. Franklin has no equivalent per-unit ratio.

Manufacturer warranty details

• SolarEdge Home Battery: 10 years, 70% capacity retention at year 10, unlimited cycles
• Enphase IQ Battery 5P (each unit): 15 years, 60% capacity retention at year 15, 6,000 cycles or 26.25 MWh
• SolarEdge Nexis Battery: 10 years, capacity retention per SolarEdge Nexis datasheet
• Tesla Powerwall 3: 10 years, 70% capacity retention at year 10, unlimited cycles
• Franklin aPower 2: 15 years, 70% capacity retention at year 15, 60 MWh throughput

Battery selection logic

The rep recommends the battery matching the customer's existing inverter and the customer's appetite for backup vs. modular expansion:

• Existing SolarEdge inverter, standard backup-capable install → SolarEdge Home Battery (DC-coupled, most efficient integration)
• Existing SolarEdge inverter, customer wants modular expansion or is self-consumption-only → SolarEdge Nexis Battery (DC-coupled, expand block by block)
• Existing Enphase microinverters → 2× Enphase IQ Battery 5P (AC-coupled, matches the architecture)
• Customer wants premium product, more capacity, or has inverter compatibility issues → Tesla Powerwall 3 or Franklin aPower 2 (both AC-couple onto any existing system)

Don't force a SolarEdge battery onto an Enphase system or vice versa. The economics break when you have to swap inverters. Tesla and Franklin sidestep this entirely because they AC-couple — no inverter swap required.

Honest framing on warranties

Reps should not say "all our batteries have 15-year warranties" — that's true only for Enphase and Franklin. The honest framing is:

"Your warranty depends on the battery you select — 10 years on SolarEdge Home Battery, SolarEdge Nexis, and Tesla; 15 years on Enphase and Franklin. Plus our 10-year Top Tier workmanship warranty on the installation work. Plus the workmanship and roof penetration warranty on your existing solar system as part of the takeover."

This is true, lets the customer evaluate the trade-offs, and builds credibility.

Customer Qualification Questions

Reps should work through these questions in the first 15-20 minutes of every appointment. Adapt sequence based on conversational flow, but cover all of them before quoting.

1. "What utility serves your home?" Critical first question. Different utilities = different pitches. Verify with their bill if there's any ambiguity (especially in cross-territory areas).

2. "How long have you had solar?" Determines whether they were on legacy 1:1 net metering before January 1, 2026 (just-transitioned to Solar Choice) or originally installed under Solar Choice. Also helps gauge inverter age for replacement timeline.

3. "What size solar system do you have?" Affects 20 kW residential cap eligibility and export volume estimates.

4. "What's your average monthly bill since installing solar?" Anchors the savings conversation in real numbers.

5. "Do you remember what brand of inverter is on your system?" Determines which battery pairs best.

6. "Who installed your solar system, and are they still in business?" Identifies orphaned-customer status — the system rescue pitch.

7. "Have you had any issues with your solar system since installation?" Surfaces hidden problems that may need to be disclosed and quoted.

8. "Have you heard about the rate increases coming this year and next?" Tests their awareness; helps you decide whether to lead with rate hedging or with bill leak math.

9. "Do you have access to your solar monitoring app? Is your system producing what it should be?" Diagnostic.

10. "How important is keeping your home powered during outages — especially after Helene?" Confirms backup priority, surfaces emotional anchor.

11. "Are you aware of the state's 25% solar tax credit, and do you have enough state tax liability to use it?" Surfaces tax planning conversations to refer to their accountant.

Walk-Away Profile

When NOT to push the sale:

• Customer's bill is already very low ($75/month or less) AND has minimal evening consumption (a battery has little to monetize)
• Customer rejects backup configuration AND is in a low-outage area with limited rate-case exposure
• Customer is 75+ with no dependents and no medical needs (resilience pitch loses force)
• Customer wants their bill to drop dramatically in year 1 (will not happen in SC; the year-1 payment exceeds year-1 bill savings on most customers)
• Customer's existing solar isn't producing close to design (system is broken — needs a different conversation, not a battery)
• Customer has very small solar system (<5 kW) — bill savings math is too weak
• Customer cannot articulate a personal reason for wanting a battery — they'll cancel during the cooling-off period
• Customer is in active financial distress (behind on utility bill, facing foreclosure, etc.) — battery is not the right product

Walking away protects the company's reputation and saves the customer from a cancellation they'll regret. Reps who walk away from the wrong fit close more deals overall.

Required Customer Disclosures

Every quote in South Carolina must include the following disclosures. These items are required to be reflected in the signed agreement and provided verbally to the customer:

1. ☐ Battery configuration explicitly stated (backup-capable OR self-consumption only)
2. ☐ Year 1 monthly cost increase disclosed (loan payment may exceed bill savings depending on utility and rate plan)
3. ☐ Service Finance loan is unsecured and includes dealer fees (~$5,442 above $18,500 cash price)
4. ☐ Service Finance does not allow re-amortization — lump sum payments shorten term, not monthly payment
5. ☐ Federal ITC expired December 31, 2025 for direct purchases
6. ☐ South Carolina 25% state tax credit may apply — customer must consult their tax advisor
7. ☐ South Carolina property tax exemption applies to residential solar systems up to 20 kW
8. ☐ System takeover terms explained — Top Tier issues a new 10-year Limited Workmanship and Roof Penetration Warranty on accepted systems (does not extend OEM equipment warranties)
9. ☐ Takeover contingent on passing site inspection — Top Tier reserves right to decline non-compliant systems with 7-day written notice
10. ☐ Inverter failure timing is statistical, not guaranteed — replacement costs of $3,000-5,000 are estimates based on typical equipment
11. ☐ Battery does NOT power whole-home heating during outages by default — only critical loads (HVAC blower, refrigerator, lights, internet) unless customer purchases whole-home backup configuration

SCDCA-specific additional disclosures (required by the South Carolina Energy Freedom Act, Act 62 of 2019):

1. ☐ SCDCA Standard Disclosure document provided to customer before signing
2. ☐ SCDCA Marketing Pamphlet provided to customer
3. ☐ Customer told about their right to file complaints with SCDCA (consumer.sc.gov, 1-800-922-1594) regarding solar sales disputes
4. ☐ Customer's specific utility export credit structure explained (Solar Choice TOU, DER Rider, Santee Cooper seasonal credit, etc.) along with the disclosure that those terms are set by the utility and may change

For IOU residential customers (Dominion, Duke Carolinas, Duke Progress) — additional disclosure:

1. ☐ Customer's specific NEM cohort identified: at DESC, pre-5/17/2019 / NEM 1.0 customers were auto-rolled to Solar Choice TOU on 1/1/2026 and the 5/17/2019–5/31/2021 / NEM 2.0 cohort remains on full retail 1:1 through 5/31/2029 (per DESC Third NEM Rider Order 2026-248); the same SC Energy Freedom Act framework applies at Duke Energy Carolinas SC and Duke Energy Progress SC — pre-5/17/2019 DEC and DEP customers are on Solar Choice Net Metering as of 1/1/2026, and DEC/DEP customers who applied 5/17/2019–5/31/2021 likewise remain on retail 1:1 through 5/31/2029; new installs since 6/1/2021 at all three IOUs are on Solar Choice TOU from interconnection. There is no path back to the closed pre-5/17/2019 cohort for new installs.

For Santee Cooper customers — additional disclosure:

1. ☐ Three-part rate structure (customer charge + energy + demand) explained, including how the battery interacts with the demand component

Objection Handling

What To Say · What NOT To Say

On net metering and Solar Choice Tariffs

On the rate cases

On batteries and backup

On the federal and state tax credits

On data centers and rate trajectory

On urgency and closing

Reading a South Carolina Utility Bill

Reps should be able to identify the key data points on any major SC utility bill within 60 seconds:

Universal items to look for

• Service address and meter number (confirm which utility)
• Billing period dates and total kWh consumed
• Net kWh vs. gross kWh if solar is present
• Total amount due and customer charge component
• Rate schedule code (e.g., RS for residential standard, RTOU for residential TOU)
• Solar credit line if applicable — and the rate at which it's credited

Dominion Energy SC bill

• Rate schedule code on bill identifies the TOU rate plan (every residential solar customer is on a TOU rate as of 1/1/2026)
• Look for separate line items by TOU period — On-Peak kWh, Off-Peak kWh, Super Off-Peak kWh (the 1-5am period that cannot be offset by solar)
• Solar customers should see exported energy by TOU period; the credit rate per period is the period's energy rate
• "Customer Charge" (fixed monthly), "Energy Charge" by period, "Fuel Adjustment" line, "DER" or "Solar Choice" rider line
• Compare a pre-January 2026 bill against a post-January 2026 bill — the structural change is visible
• The number that anchors the conversation is the net monthly amount plus the on-peak consumption the battery would offset

Duke Energy Carolinas / Duke Energy Progress SC bill

• "Service Charge" (fixed monthly)
• TOU-period energy charges: On-Peak, Off-Peak, Critical Peak (when triggered)
• Solar customers see within-period credits at the period's retail rate; true end-of-period excess credited at the lower Net Excess Energy Rate
• "Fuel Charge" line that fluctuates with natural gas prices
• "Storm Damage Recovery Rider" line for Hurricane Helene costs (Duke Carolinas customers)
• Compare pre-January 2026 vs post-January 2026 bills to see the structural rate change

Santee Cooper bill (three-part structure)

• "Customer Charge" (fixed)
• "Energy Charge" (per kWh)
• "Demand Charge" (based on peak-hour demand) — this is the line a battery affects most directly
• Solar credit at the seasonal $0.0416 / $0.0384 rate

Aiken Electric and other cooperatives

• Schedule DER Rider customers will see separate "Delivered" and "Received" line items
• "Received" is credited at "Value of Renewable Generation"
• Some co-ops use TOU schedules (Schedule RTOU at AEC, effective Jan 1, 2025) with peak/off-peak energy charges

The 60-second bill diagnostic

Reps should be able to look at a customer's bill and answer:

1. Which utility?
2. What rate schedule?
3. Is the customer on TOU?
4. How are exports credited?
5. What's the customer charge floor?
6. What's the actual monthly amount they're paying?

If a rep can't answer all six within 60 seconds of looking at a bill, more training is needed before they should be quoting.

Bottom Line for Reps

South Carolina is a market where the regulatory environment, rate trajectory, and load growth dynamics all support the battery pitch. The strongest SC rep is one who:

• Identifies the customer's utility within 5 minutes and knows which pitch variant to lead with
• Knows the recent rate cases cold — Duke 2024 + Helene rider + 2026 Phase 2, Duke Progress Feb 2026, Dominion July 2026, Santee Cooper 2027-28 proposed
• Can explain the export gap math in 30 seconds using the customer's own bill
• Tells the system rescue story honestly — 10-year workmanship warranty is real, manufacturer warranties are not extended, inspection contingency exists
• Treats Helene 2024 as the emotional backup anchor without being manipulative about it
• Walks away from customers who don't fit — broken existing systems, financial distress, low bills with grandfathering
• Discloses the year-1 cost honestly without trying to hide it
• Routes all tax questions to the customer's accountant rather than guessing at applicability

When in doubt:

• Quote real numbers, not estimates dressed up as facts
• Reference the SCDCA Standard Disclosure documents (which the customer will receive)
• Tell the customer their tax advisor is the right person for tax questions
• Walk away when the fit isn't right

That's the playbook.

This document is for internal Top Tier sales use only. Update annually as utility programs, rates, and regulations change. The South Carolina regulatory landscape is evolving rapidly — verify specific program details and tariffs with operations before quoting customers.