Residential electricity prices will be increasing on April 1, 2013 for PECO Energy customers who have not shopped for a competitive electric rate. The current PECO price to compare rate – which includes power generation supply, the alternative energy portfolio standard charge, and transmission charge – of $0.0869 will increase to $0.0959 on April 1st, an increase of nine-tenths of a penny or 10.4%.

The rate increase will only occur for PECO Energy customers who are on default electric service. Default customers are those consumers who have not taken the time to shop for a lower electricity price from a competitive electricity company. As of January 16, 2013, 69% of PECO Energy customers remain on the PECO default service. The 10.4% increase on April 1st is expected to increase the number of PECO electricity shoppers as competitive energy companies are offering low electricity rates below even the current default prices.

The 31% of PECO Energy customers who have participated in the Pennsylvania electricity choice market will not be affected by the PECO electricity rate increase. Consumers who have locked themselves into low fixed electric rates can take pride in the fact that while the PECO electric bill will increase by 10% for the majority of their neighbors, their bills which most likely are already lower, will not see a rate increase.

One of the greatest benefits of Pennsylvania electricity choice is that it brings rate product choices to consumers. Many of the Pennsylvania consumers who have participated in electric choice have opted to select fixed rates that last a year or longer. This strategy has proved to be beneficial with the recent news of utility default rates increasing. Not only will selecting a fixed rate save you money in the near term, but it can help you save even more throughout the year as PECO adjusts their default Price to Compare.

See below for a list of competitive PECO electric rates that are apples-to-apples comparisons to the PECO default price to compare.

The competitive natural gas market is heating up in southeast Pennsylvania as PECO gas customers are learning that they have choices when it comes to who supplies them with gas to heat their homes this winter. Energy choice awareness picked up tremendously in 2012 in the PECO electric territory as 33% of the residential market bought their power from competitive electricity companies. This year natural gas shopping could have similar participation.

The PECO Gas price to compare, the default rate that PECO customers pay for gas service who do not shop for competitive rates, changes every three months. Currently natural gas prices are low compared to their historic averages. This presents a good buying opportunity for homeowners who want to lock in a low fixed gas rate for a year to protect themselves from potential gas rate increases.

As has been the case with electric choice, many competitive gas suppliers are offering incentives for customers to make the switch including cash back and gift cards. Ultimately price should be the most important thing when shopping for lower PECO gas rates, however getting a free gift never hurts!

Below are some competitive PECO gas rates available now. All rates are update daily and we will add offers as we receive them. Happy gas shopping!

The price for electricity generation supply will be less in 2013 for Connecticut Light & Power customers than it was in 2012. The electricity rate, which was above 8 cents for the entire 2012 calendar year, dropped to 7.615 cents on January 1, 2013 and will remain at that price for the entire calendar year in 2013.

The CL&P generation rate is the default electricity rate that consumers pay who have not shopped for competitive power rates. As an energy choice state, Connecticut consumers have the ability to shop and compare electric rates from multiple competitive electricity companies. Those consumer who choose not to shop pay a default rate with their local utility. In Connecticut the two major utilities are CL&P and The United Illuminating Power Company.

While the default CL&P rates have dropped, consumers can save even more by taking the time to shop for lower competitive electric rates. Below are offers from qualified competitive electric suppliers licensed by the state of Connecticut. All electricity rate offers are updated daily.