Compare Pennsylvania Electricity Rates

In 1996, Pennsylvania deregulated its electricity market. This allowed Pennsylvania residents to choose their electricity provider and save on their electricity bill.

If you are a Pennsylvania resident, this page is here to show you how you can take advantage of that opportunity. It acts as a guide, explaining everything you should consider when switching electricity providers in PA so that you can be confident in your switch.

Get the Best PA Electric Rates

The utility provider for your area determines the electricity options available to you. Locate your utility below to see featured 2020 PA electric rates per kWh. For a full list of energy company options available in your area, find the Rate Comparison Tool at the top of the page.

Duquesne Light Company Electricity Rates

Duquesne Light serves Pittsburgh and the surrounding area in Allegheny and Beaver counties.

Learn more about Duquesne Light Company

Metropolitan Edison (Met-Ed) Electricity Rates

Met-Ed is a FirstEnergy company that serves areas throughout the southeastern portion of the state.

Learn more about Met-Ed

Pike County Light & Power (PCLP) Electricity Rates

PCLP serves a small area of Pike County Pennsylvania. The towns under PCLP include Westfall, Milford and parts of Dingman, Pennsylvania.

PECO Electricity Rates

PECO Energy is a utility provider serving the Philadelphia and surrounding areas in the southeastern portion of the state.

Learn more about PECO

PPL Electric Electricity Rates

PPL Electric is a utility provider that serves counties throughout the eastern portion of the state.

Learn more about PPL

Pennsylvania Electric Company (Penelec) Electricity Rates

Penelec is a First Energy utility provider that serves areas throughout the state of Pennsylvania.

Learn more about Penelec

Penn Power Electricity Rates

Penn Power is a First Energy utility provider serving the Crawford, Mercer, Lawrence and Beaver counties right along the border of Ohio.

Learn more about Penn Power

West Penn Power Electricity Rates

West Penn Power is a First Energy utility provider that serves areas throughout the state.

Learn more about West Penn Power

Average Pennsylvania Electricity Rates

Pennsylvania Electricity Rates Chart

Average Residential Retail Price of Electricity

Here is the average retail price for residential electricity in Pennsylvania over time

How to Compare Electricity Rates in Pennsylvania

ElectricityRates.com offers a free Rate Comparison Tool to help Pennsylvanians compare the best electricity rates available in your area. Shopping for electricity on ElectricityRates.com is a simple three-step process.

1. Enter your ZIP Code – Enter your ZIP Code to see providers available in your area.
2. Compare electricity providers and plans – Pay attention to each plan’s terms and conditions, rate, and length.
3. Switch electricity providers – After you find the right plan for you, select it, fill out the necessary information, and switch.

Your new energy provider will take over within one to two billing cycles. To get started, find the free Rate Comparison Tool at the top of the page and enter your ZIP Code.

Types of Pennsylvania Electricity Rates

There are many different types of electricity plans available in Pennsylvania. When choosing an electricity provider, you have multiple types of plans to pick from.

Fixed-Rate Electricity Plans

A fixed-rate plan locks in your rate at the advertised price. It will not change for the length of the plan. Fixed-rate plans often save you more money than variable-rate plans. Variable-rate plans are subject to unexpected rate hikes and don’t guarantee a maximum rate. To save you the most money possible, ElectricityRates.com only offers fixed-rate plans.

One last important thing to note is what happens at the end of a fixed-rate plan. When a fixed-rate contract ends, it usually switches to a variable-rate. If you want to stay on a fixed-rate plan, negotiate another one with your provider or come back to ElectricityRates.com to switch.

100% Renewable Plans

If you’re an advocate for clean energy, you can show your support by picking a plan that sources 100% of their energy from renewable resources. Look for the “100% Renewable Sources” label to find a renewable energy plan and feel good about the energy you use.

Electricity Plans With Incentives

Some plans have incentives bundled with them. For example, Constellation bundles their Connect Energy Package with certain electricity plans which include smart-home devices that can schedule lights to turn off and on, lock your door and monitor how efficient your appliances are. Available incentives can be found in the plan details section for any electricity plan.

Variable-Rate Electricity Plans

Variable-rate plans will change rates periodically based on market conditions.

Flexibility is the key advantage of variable-rate plans. Usually, there are no cancellation fees with variable-rate plans. If you are not living somewhere for very long, it may be beneficial to have a variable rate, so you don’t have to worry about paying a cancellation fee.

However, with variable-rate plans, you often end up paying more in the long run.

PA Power Switch

PA Power Switch is the official electric shopping website of the Pennsylvania Public Utility Commission (PA PUC). With over 100 electricity providers, using the website can be overwhelming. Users may also find hidden fees and charges associated with their selected electricity plans if they’re not careful.

Alternatives to PA Power Switch like ElectricityRates.com offer a streamlined experience that features the best electric providers, plans and highlights all of the relevant information that you need to make the switch including average prices and incentives. There are also never any gimmicks or hidden fees.

Learn more about PA Power Switch and available alternatives here.

Reading Your Pennsylvania Electricity Bill

When switching energy providers in Pennsylvania, it is important to know the two main types of charges on your bill.

Utility Provider Charges

These include distribution charges, customer charges, and any other charges that go to the utility provider. The Pennsylvania Public Utilities Commission regulates these charges. These charges do not change when you switch electricity providers.

Energy Supply Charges

This is the charge for the electricity you use. This is the part of the bill that changes when you switch electricity providers. You can locate your current electricity supply rate on your bill.

Price to Compare

If you get your supply through your utility provider, you can use the “Price to Compare” to compare electricity rates. This is the default rate that your utility charges for the electricity that you use.

When you switch electricity providers, your utility provider still bills you. Your new electricity provider is the only thing that changes.

Electricity Rates in Popular Pennsylvania Cities

Check out some of the best electricity rates for some of the most popular areas in Pennsylvania.

• Allentown
• Erie
• Harrisburg
• Lancaster
• Philadelphia
• Pittsburgh
• Reading
• Scranton
• Delaware County
• York

Pennsylvania Electricity Providers

There are 100+ electricity providers licensed by the Pennsylvania Public Utility Commission. These range from smaller municipal-based providers to large national providers such as Constellation, TriEagle, and Direct Energy. Factors that you should consider when choosing an electricity provider include reputation, longevity and customer service. Learn more about choosing a Pennsylvania Electricity Provider here. 

Pennsylvania Energy Choice History

Energy choice became an option for Pennsylvania residents in the late 1990s. It all started when Pennsylvania passed HB 1509 in late 1996. This “deregulated” the Pennsylvania electricity market. Energy choice (aka “energy deregulation”) allowed customers to pick their own energy provider.

Before 1996, Pennsylvania had what is often called a “traditional” electricity market. With a traditional market, residents didn’t have a say in their energy supply. Your local utility provider determined your energy supply and your rate was set by the Pennsylvania Public Utilities Commission (PUC).

With a deregulated market, Pennsylvania residents can now choose their electricity supplier. This forces electricity providers to compete on price and gives customers more energy options. The Pennsylvania PUC still regulates the electricity market and still sets the price for the state’s utility providers.

The Pennsylvania PUC also has its own switching site called PA Power Switch. It gives you a large list of options to choose from. However, any provider can put their plans on the site and some have hidden fees. That is why choosing an alternative switching platform like ElectricityRates.com can be better. ElectricityRates.com ensures reputable providers and upfront pricing you can trust.

Business and Commercial Electricity Rates in Pennsylvania

Business owners can save big through electricity deregulation. However, the switching process is not as simple as typing in your ZIP Code.

That is because the rates available to you are dependent on your electricity usage. The more you use, the lower your rate can get.

To find the best rates for your business, fill out the form on ElectricityRates.com’s business electricity page. An ElectricityRates.com representative will then get in contact with you to help you find the right plan for your business.

Ready to make the switch? Enter your ZIP Code at the top of the page to compare great rates from leading electricity providers in your area!

Last Updated: 6/1/2020