PA Electric Rate Choice Offers Savings

Question and Answers for Electricity Choice in Pennsylvania

Why should I shop the market?

Savings are available.  If you haven’t shopped you are paying what the state calls a price-to-compare rate.  Your local utility (PPL, PECO, Met-Ed, Allegheny, ect.) does not profit off of price to compare rates.  They simply pass on these default rates that are provided by generation companies who have bid to supply energy to you and other customers who are slow to shop.

Why shouldn’t I shop the market?

Only if price to compare rates are lower than the current competitive market rates.  This isn’t the case right now.  If the goal is to pay the lowest electric rate (and why shouldn’t it be?) then you should shop and sign a contract with a licensed electricity generation company.

What is involved in the process of changing who supplies my electricity?

In order to change electric suppliers and receive a lower rate, all that needs to be done is to sign an agreement form with the provider you have chosen.  The agreement form will stipulate the rate you are paying for the term (example: $0.085 cents per KWh for 12 months)

Will someone come to my property to change the wiring?

No, nothing is physically changed.  Your local utility still delivers power to your property.  The new supplier simply informs the utility that you will no longer be paying default (price to compare) rates and instead will be paying the lower rate that you have contracted for.

Can the local utility “get back” at me for switching off of the price to compare by not responding to service calls or charging me more for delivery?

Absolutely not!  First, through deregulation the utility companies are only in the business of delivering power.  They are not able to make profits off of supply service.  There supply service is through other private companies who have won a series of auctions to be able to supply price to compare rates to customers.

Second, just to give you peace of mind, all actions by utilities including delivery rates and repair services and regulated and monitored by the PA Public Utility Service.

Feel free to post more questions that will be answered immediately.