Palmetto Electric Cooperative is one of South Carolinas customer-owned utilities. Rural residents formed co-op in 1940 because investor-owned utilities refused to serve rural areas. The cooperative has a partnership with Touchstone Energy, a network of more than 600 cooperatives in 44 states that serves millions of customers every day. Palmetto Electric Cooperative provides service to Beaufort, Hampton and Jasper counties in South Carolina, and maintains offices in each county.