Energy costs are rising. And as we head into the summer months, many customers are understandably concerned about higher bills.

We’re concerned too. That’s why we’re doing everything we can to help you understand your options, control your usage and take advantage of every resource available to you.

Why generation prices are rising

In Pennsylvania and the broader region, energy market prices for electric generation supply have risen sharply due to the retirement of older baseload power plants and limited new generation resources being built as replacements.

With electricity demand expected to increase over the next decade, this situation could worsen if new generation isn’t added. Our president, Christine Martin, addressed this crisis in an op-ed published earlier this year.

These energy market conditions are putting an unnecessary cost burden on customers. Generation supply price increases are the main driver of the nearly 16% increase in our Price to Compare taking effect on June 1. This increase is especially significant for our customers, since nearly 50% of an average bill is attributable to generation supply costs.

We want to assure you that we do not profit from these increases in the generation supply charge.

In fact, under Pennsylvania law, we do not generate electricity and are required to purchase electricity through a competitive, transparent auction process on behalf of customers who do not choose a third-party supplier.

These generation supply costs are passed along to you at the price that we pay, without a profit or markup.  

In fact, PPL Electric Utilities only controls about half of your electric bill — covering the cost of delivering power to homes and businesses over distribution and transmission lines.

The remaining half, which includes generation supply costs, regulatory mandates and taxes, is outside of our control. Despite this, we are committed to operating efficiently and controlling the costs that we can while still ensuring reliable service for our customers

Resources to help with bills

While we can’t control these market trends, we can empower customers with the tools and information needed to manage energy use and explore cost-saving opportunities.

We offer a variety of resources designed to help you make informed decisions, manage your energy use and keep your monthly bills as predictable and reasonable as possible:

• Budget billing and flexible payment plans: Spread your energy costs throughout the year or choose a bill due date that works best for your budget.

• Energy-saving programs and rebates: From virtual home energy audits to personalized tips, product rebates and discounts, we offer free or low-cost ways to cut your energy use and lower your bill.

We have also launched a new and improved Home Energy Analyzer tool to help you better understand where you are using the most energy in your home and make informed decisions on changes that will have the most impact.

• Bill assistance programs: For income-eligible customers facing financial challenges, we provide a range of assistance options.

Whether your need is temporary or long-term, we’re here to help. We have also expanded our Operation HELP electricity fund and raised individual grant levels to provide $1.5 million in total grants to eligible customers this year.

• Shop for a competitive supplier: Customers can compare offers from third-party electric generation suppliers on PaPowerSwitch.com and potentially lock in a lower rate. There are often savings available through shopping, but as always, we urge customers to carefully review the terms and conditions — including price, contract length, fixed or variable rates, and monthly and/or cancellation fees.

Every year, we see many of our shopping customers paying more than the Price to Compare, so it is important to carefully choose your supplier and be aware of your contract terms.

We encourage customers to use our web-based self-service features to enroll or apply for available programs. Customers can access all resources in one convenient place by visiting pplelectric.com/SeasonalSavin.

Looking ahead

Our priority is clear — providing safe, reliable service while helping customers navigate a complex and changing energy landscape. Whether it’s answering your billing questions, helping you access assistance or offering new tools to reduce your energy use, we’re here to support you every step of the way.

We continue to control our costs to keep our delivery charges among the lowest in the state, and we are making smart investments to improve your service.

And, soon, we will be rolling out additional self-service options for you to interact with us and manage your electric account.

If you have questions or need help exploring your options, visit pplelectric.com.