Hydroelectric Power Plants in South Carolina
Every operating hydroelectric power plant in South Carolina on EIA-860M for 2026-07: 29 plants, 98 generating units and 1 GW of nameplate capacity across 16 counties.
As of 2026-07 (inventory dated 2026-07-31) · EIA-860M Preliminary Monthly Electric Generator Inventory · eia.gov/…/july_generator2026.xlsx · eia.gov/…/eia860m
- Plants
- 29
- 98 generating units
- Nameplate capacity
- 1 GW
- Counties
- 16
- Grid operator
- Mixed
- no single ISO covers a majority
Map of hydroelectric power plants in South Carolina
Every one of the 29 plants is drawn at the coordinate EIA files for it.
Loading map…
- Hydro · 29
List of hydroelectric power plants in South Carolina
Sort by any column. Capacity is nameplate, summed across every generating unit EIA lists at the site.
| J Strom ThurmondConventional Hydroelectric | USCE-Savannah District | McCormick | 361.9 | 7 | 1953 | Operating |
| Saluda LexingtonConventional Hydroelectric | Dominion Energy South Carolina, Inc | Lexington | 207.3 | 5 | 1930 | Operating |
| KeoweeConventional Hydroelectric | Duke Energy Carolinas, LLC | Pickens | 157.6 | 2 | 1971 | Operating |
| JefferiesConventional Hydroelectric | South Carolina Public Service Authority | Berkeley | 145.2 | 5 | 1942 | Operating |
| Wateree HydroConventional Hydroelectric | Duke Energy Carolinas, LLC | Kershaw | 90.5 | 5 | 1919 | Operating |
| St StephenConventional Hydroelectric | US Army Corps of Engineers | Berkeley | 84 | 3 | 1985 | Operating |
| WylieConventional Hydroelectric | Duke Energy Carolinas, LLC | York | 60 | 4 | 1925 | Operating |
| Cedar Creek (SC)Conventional Hydroelectric | Duke Energy Carolinas, LLC | Lancaster | 45 | 3 | 1926 | Operating |
| DearbornConventional Hydroelectric | Duke Energy Carolinas, LLC | Chester | 45 | 3 | 1923 | Operating |
| Fishing CreekConventional Hydroelectric | Duke Energy Carolinas, LLC | Chester | 42.3 | 5 | 1916 | Operating |
| LockhartConventional Hydroelectric | Lockhart Power Co | Union | 18 | 5 | 1921 | Operating |
| Parr HydroConventional Hydroelectric | Dominion Energy South Carolina, Inc | Fairfield | 15 | 6 | 1914 | Operating |
| Great Falls (SC)Conventional Hydroelectric | Duke Energy Carolinas, LLC | Chester | 12 | 4 | 1907 | Operating |
| 99 IslandsConventional Hydroelectric | Duke Energy Carolinas, LLC | Cherokee | 12 | 4 | 1910 | Operating |
| Columbia Canal HydroConventional Hydroelectric | City of Columbia - (SC) | Richland | 10.6 | 7 | 1927 | Out of service and NOT expected to return to service in next calendar year |
| Ware Shoals Hydro ProjectConventional Hydroelectric | Central Rivers Power US, LLC | Laurens | 6.2 | 2 | 1939 | Operating |
| Gaston ShoalsConventional Hydroelectric | Northbrook Carolina Hydro II, LLC | Cherokee | 5.3 | 3 | 1908 | Operating |
| Neal ShoalsConventional Hydroelectric | Dominion Energy South Carolina, Inc | Union | 4.4 | 4 | 1905 | Out of service and NOT expected to return to service in next calendar year |
| Cherokee FallsConventional Hydroelectric | Hydroland Omega LLC | Cherokee | 4.3 | 1 | 1985 | Operating |
| Hollidays Bridge HydroConventional Hydroelectric | Northbrook Carolina Hydro LLC | Anderson | 4 | 4 | 1996 | Operating |
| Rocky River (SC)2 technologies | City of Abbeville - (SC) | Anderson | 3.9 | 3 | 1941 | Operating |
| Pelzer LowerConventional Hydroelectric | Central Rivers Power US, LLC | Anderson | 3.3 | 1 | 1989 | Operating |
| Saluda DamConventional Hydroelectric | Northbrook Carolina Hydro LLC | Greenville | 2.4 | 4 | 1996 | Operating |
| SpillwayConventional Hydroelectric | South Carolina Public Service Authority | Berkeley | 2 | 1 | 1950 | Operating |
| Pelzer UpperConventional Hydroelectric | Central Rivers Power US, LLC | Anderson | 2 | 1 | 1989 | Operating |
| Boyds Mill HydroConventional Hydroelectric | Northbrook Carolina Hydro LLC | Greenville | 1.4 | 2 | 1996 | Operating |
| Clifton Dam 3 Power StationConventional Hydroelectric | Converse Energy Inc | Spartanburg | 1.2 | 2 | 1985 | Operating |
| Upper Pacolet HydroConventional Hydroelectric | Lockhart Power Co | Spartanburg | 1.1 | 1 | 2013 | Operating |
| Piedmont Hydro Power ProjectConventional Hydroelectric | Central Rivers Power US, LLC | Greenville | 1 | 1 | 1989 | Operating |
Largest hydroelectric power plants in South Carolina
- 1J Strom ThurmondMcCormick County, South Carolina361.9 MW
- 2Saluda LexingtonLexington County, South Carolina207.3 MW
- 3KeoweePickens County, South Carolina157.6 MW
- 4JefferiesBerkeley County, South Carolina145.2 MW
- 5Wateree HydroKershaw County, South Carolina90.5 MW
- 6St StephenBerkeley County, South Carolina84 MW
- 7WylieYork County, South Carolina60 MW
- 8Cedar Creek (SC)Lancaster County, South Carolina45 MW
- 9DearbornChester County, South Carolina45 MW
- 10Fishing CreekChester County, South Carolina42.3 MW
Hydroelectric power plants by county in South Carolina
The county EIA files against each plant. It is the fastest way to find the plant nearest a given town.
| County | Plants | Nameplate MW |
|---|---|---|
| McCormick | 1 | 361.9 |
| Berkeley | 3 | 231.2 |
| Lexington | 1 | 207.3 |
| Pickens | 1 | 157.6 |
| Chester | 3 | 99.3 |
| Kershaw | 1 | 90.5 |
| York | 1 | 60 |
| Lancaster | 1 | 45 |
| Union | 2 | 22.4 |
| Cherokee | 3 | 21.6 |
| Fairfield | 1 | 15 |
| Anderson | 4 | 13.2 |
| Richland | 1 | 10.6 |
| Laurens | 1 | 6.2 |
| Greenville | 3 | 4.8 |
| Spartanburg | 2 | 2.3 |
Hydroelectric Power Plants in South Carolina: FAQ
- How many hydroelectric power plants are in South Carolina?
- 29, with 1 GW of nameplate capacity between them, spread over 16 counties. That is the EIA-860M operating count for 2026-07.
- Is there a map of South Carolina hydroelectric power plants?
- Yes — the map above. Each dot is one hydroelectric power plant, sized by nameplate capacity and placed at the coordinates EIA files for it.
- Which is the largest hydroelectric power plant in South Carolina?
- J Strom Thurmond, at 362 MW. The table is sorted largest first, so the rest follow it.
- Is there a hydroelectric power plant near me in South Carolina?
- The county roll-up below groups every plant by county, which is the quickest way to find the one closest to a given town.
- Which grid operator runs South Carolina's hydroelectric power plants?
- No single ISO or RTO covers most of them. EIA files each plant against its own balancing authority, which in South Carolina is largely a vertically integrated utility rather than an organised market.
- How current is this, and what is left out?
- EIA-860M for 2026-07. Conventional hydroelectric. Pumped storage is counted separately. Plants below 1 MW are not surveyed by EIA and so are absent; retirements and additions after 2026-07 arrive with the next monthly release.