Cooperative South Carolina

Tri-County Electric Coop, Inc (SC)

427min
SAIDI 2023
3.75
SAIFI 2023
18,377
Customers

What This Utility Data Tells You

Tri-County Electric Coop, Inc (SC) is a member-owned electric cooperative operating in South Carolina under EIA identifier 14175. It reports service to approximately 18,377 customer accounts and generated about $0.05 billion in annual electric revenue, with a service footprint spanning 20 ZIP codes. As a cooperative, its governance is accountable to its ratepayer-members rather than shareholders, which often shapes rate-setting and reinvestment priorities.

In 2023, the average Tri-County Electric Coop, Inc (SC) customer experienced 427.4 minutes of power interruptions — a metric called SAIDI (System Average Interruption Duration Index). That is substantially above the 120–180 minute national benchmark, indicating either storm-prone geography, aging infrastructure, or extended restoration windows. SAIFI — the average number of outage events per customer — was 3.75 for the same period, so customers statistically faced roughly 4 distinct interruptions that year. Excluding major event days (hurricanes, ice storms), SAIDI drops to 196.9 minutes — the gap between that figure and the headline 427.4 reveals how much weather, not day-to-day infrastructure, drove outages.

The EIA dataset includes 4 years of continuous reporting (2020–2023) for Tri-County Electric Coop, Inc (SC), which lets you see whether reliability is trending up or down rather than judging from a single snapshot. SAIDI has increased from 244.8 to 427.4 minutes, which may reflect either worsening weather exposure or delayed grid modernization. All figures on this page come directly from EIA Form 861, the federal annual electric power industry survey, with service territory ZIPs sourced from OpenEI — you can cross-reference them with your own utility bill or use them when comparing providers before relocating.

SAIDI

427 min per year

Average outage minutes (2023)

SAIFI

3.75 interruptions/yr

Outage frequency (2023)

Customers

18,377

Served in South Carolina

SAIDI vs. National Average (180 min) 100.0%

427 minutes per customer per year

Tri-County Electric Coop, Inc (SC) SAIDI

Minutes without power per year (2023)

427 SAIDI427 SAIDINat. avg 120120SAIDI427SAIDI

Below Average

Reliability Trend (2020–2023)

Year SAIDI (min) SAIDI nMED SAIFI Customers
2020 244.8 207.2 3.390 18,153
2021 244.8 203.1 2.610 18,355
2022 585.0 185.7 3.540 18,355
2023 427.4 196.9 3.750 18,377

SAIDI nMED = SAIDI without major event days. Source: EIA Form 861.

Service Area

Tri-County Electric Coop, Inc (SC) serves 20 ZIP codes in South Carolina.

2901829030290442904729048290522905329059290612911229115291182912529135291422914829160291632920929448

Frequently Asked Questions

How reliable is Tri-County Electric Coop, Inc (SC)?

Tri-County Electric Coop, Inc (SC) had a SAIDI of 427.4 minutes in 2023, meaning the average customer experienced about 427 minutes of outages that year. This is above the national average, indicating below-average reliability.

What type of utility is Tri-County Electric Coop, Inc (SC)?

Tri-County Electric Coop, Inc (SC) is classified as a Cooperative serving South Carolina. Electric cooperatives are member-owned nonprofit utilities, typically serving rural areas.

What does SAIDI mean for Tri-County Electric Coop, Inc (SC)?

SAIDI (System Average Interruption Duration Index) measures the average total minutes per year that a customer of Tri-County Electric Coop, Inc (SC) experiences power outages. A lower SAIDI indicates better reliability. The national average is roughly 120-180 minutes per year, so comparing Tri-County Electric Coop, Inc (SC)'s SAIDI to that benchmark shows whether this utility is above or below average.

How many customers does Tri-County Electric Coop, Inc (SC) serve?

Tri-County Electric Coop, Inc (SC) serves approximately 18,377 customers in South Carolina. Customer count can affect reliability metrics because larger utilities may face different infrastructure challenges compared to smaller ones.

How has Tri-County Electric Coop, Inc (SC)'s reliability changed over time?

Tri-County Electric Coop, Inc (SC) has 4 years of reliability data (2020-2023). SAIDI has remained relatively stable over this period. Review the trend table above for year-by-year detail.

What is SAIDI without major event days?

SAIDI "without major event days" (SAIDI nMED) excludes outages caused by hurricanes, ice storms, and other catastrophic weather events. It better reflects day-to-day infrastructure reliability rather than vulnerability to extreme weather. Both standard SAIDI and SAIDI nMED are shown in the reliability trend table above.

Utility Profile

Type
Cooperative
Customers
18,377
Annual Revenue
$0.05B
EIA ID
14175
Data Source: U.S. Energy Information Administration Form 861 annual electric power industry survey. ZIP service territory from OpenEI.

Related

Data sourced from official EIA reliability statistics and OpenEI utility rate database. See our methodology for details. Retrieved and formatted by PlainUtility Editorial

Disclaimer: This information is provided for informational purposes only and does not constitute professional advice. Data is sourced from the U.S. Energy Information Administration (EIA) Form 861. Consult a qualified professional before making decisions based on this data.