Pennsylvania · electricity shopping guide
PA Power Switch: how to use Pennsylvania's official electricity comparison tool
Last reviewed: · Independent — no supplier commissions, ever.
PA Power Switch — Pennsylvania's official electricity comparison tool at papowerswitch.com, run by the PA Public Utility Commission (PA PUC) — shows every licensed competitive electric generation supplier's current rate next to your utility's default Price to Compare (PTC). Pennsylvania has had a deregulated electricity market since 1999, and the PTC is the only fair benchmark for any supplier offer.
Here's what the tool doesn't tell you — and what you need to know before acting on any of it.
Independent — no supplier relationships
RateWatchdog tracks PA PUC filings, Price to Compare changes, and PJM capacity market results. We take no commissions from electricity suppliers. If we recommend papowerswitch.com, it's because it's the right resource.
Pennsylvania Price to Compare rates by utility
Your utility's Price to Compare is the number any supplier offer has to beat, sorted cheapest first below. PECO Energy currently has the lowest PTC at 11.759¢/kWh; Duquesne Light the highest at 14.14¢/kWh. The gap matters enormously — a supplier offer that beats Duquesne Light's 14.14¢ by 1¢ saves $90/year at 750 kWh/month.
| Pennsylvania utility | Service area | Effective | Price to Compare |
|---|---|---|---|
| PECO Energy | Philadelphia and suburbs (Bucks, Chester, Delaware, Montgomery) | 11.759¢/kWh | |
| West Penn Power (FirstEnergy) | Greensburg, Washington, Uniontown | 12.076¢/kWh | |
| PPL Electric Utilities | Allentown, Harrisburg, Scranton, Lancaster | 13.079¢/kWh | |
| Penelec (FirstEnergy) | Erie, Johnstown, State College, Williamsport | 13.143¢/kWh | |
| Penn Power (FirstEnergy) | New Castle, Sharon, western PA border | 13.478¢/kWh | |
| Met-Ed (FirstEnergy) | Reading, Allentown area, York | 13.954¢/kWh | |
| Duquesne Light | Pittsburgh (Allegheny and Beaver counties) | 14.14¢/kWh |
Source: papowerswitch.com (the PA PUC's official site) and each utility's own posted PTC, last verified . Supply-only rates; each figure carries its own effective date. Delivery charges (~3–5¢/kWh depending on utility) are additional. Verify current figures at papowerswitch.com.
How to use PA Power Switch: 4 steps
- 1
Go to papowerswitch.com and select your Pennsylvania utility
The tool asks which of Pennsylvania's seven electric distribution companies serves your address — PPL, PECO, Duquesne Light, Met-Ed, Penelec, West Penn, or Penn Power. If you're not sure, it's the company name on your electric bill.
- 2
Note your utility's current Price to Compare
The PTC is displayed at the top of the results and is the only fair benchmark. If you haven't chosen a competitive supplier, you're currently paying the PTC for supply. If you are on a competitive supplier, compare their rate to the current PTC — you may be paying more than the default and not know it.
- 3
Look for fixed-rate offers below the PTC with no hidden fees
Three things to check: (1) Rate type — fixed means locked for the contract term; variable means it can float above the PTC mid-contract. (2) Contract term — how long the rate is guaranteed. (3) Monthly fees and cancellation charges — a $5/month 'service fee' eliminates savings for customers using under 600 kWh/month. The cleanest deal is: fixed rate < PTC, no monthly fee, no cancellation fee.
- 4
Do the math before switching
Savings = (PTC - offer rate) × monthly kWh. At 750 kWh/month, a 1¢ difference is $7.50/month — $90/year. A 0.5¢ difference is $45/year. If a contract has a $50 cancellation fee, you need the savings to be worth committing. Pennsylvania has no mandatory switching fees from the utility's side — the risk is a supplier cancellation fee if you leave early.
What PA Power Switch can't tell you: your current supplier rate
The tool shows today's supplier offers vs. today's PTC. What it doesn't show is whether you're already on a competitive supplier — and if so, what you're paying.
Pennsylvania's deregulation wave of the early 2000s signed up millions of residential customers on long-term supplier contracts. Many of those customers are still on those contracts — or were rolled onto successor contracts — at rates they haven't checked in years. After the 2024–25 PJM capacity spike pushed all PA PTCs up (Duquesne from ~$13.75 to $14.14, PPL from ~$12.95 to $13.15), some previously "expensive" fixed contracts now look cheap. But others are still above the PTC.
Check your bill first. Find the "electric generation supplier" line. If it says your utility's name, you're on the PTC. If it names a third-party company, look for the rate — it may be above or below the current PTC in the table above. If it's above, you can typically return to the default PTC within one billing period.
When switching electricity suppliers in Pennsylvania makes sense
- ✓
Your utility has a high Price to Compare
Duquesne Light (14.14¢) and Met-Ed (13.954¢) customers currently have the most room to benefit — more supplier offers fall below their PTC than for PECO Energy customers (11.759¢).
- ✓
The offer is genuinely fixed for at least 12 months
Variable-rate offers can spike above the PTC. The entire value of a supplier offer is certainty — without a fixed rate, you're just gambling on the market.
- ✓
No monthly fee, no cancellation fee
A $4.99/month 'administrative fee' sounds small but wipes out $60/year in savings at 750 kWh. Zero-fee fixed offers exist — hold out for them.
- ✓
You've verified it on papowerswitch.com
Door-to-door and phone offers may not match what's registered with the PA PUC. Any legitimate PA EGS appears on papowerswitch.com — if it's not there, don't sign.
If your PA bill is high and shopping isn't the answer
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LIHEAP (Low Income Home Energy Assistance Program)
Pennsylvania's federally funded one-time utility payment for income-qualified households. Apply at compass.state.pa.us or through a community action agency. Available fall through spring; LIHEAP Crisis also covers emergency shutoffs.
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CAP (Customer Assistance Program)
All four large PA utilities (PECO, PPL, Duquesne, and the FirstEnergy PA companies) offer CAP — a bill-reduction program for income-qualified customers that caps monthly payments as a percentage of household income. Ask your utility directly.
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Pennsylvania WRAP
The Weatherization, Repair, and Assistance Program funds free insulation, air-sealing, and efficiency upgrades for income-qualified households — permanently reducing usage rather than just subsidizing the bill.
Full guide: Pennsylvania electric bill help programs →
Frequently asked questions
- What is PA Power Switch?
- PA Power Switch (papowerswitch.com) is Pennsylvania's official electricity supplier comparison tool, run by the Pennsylvania Public Utility Commission (PA PUC). It lists every licensed competitive electric generation supplier (EGS) in Pennsylvania, shows their current rates in ¢/kWh, and displays them next to your utility's Price to Compare (PTC) — the default supply rate you pay if you haven't chosen your own supplier. Pennsylvania deregulated its electricity market in 1999.
- What is Pennsylvania's Price to Compare?
- Pennsylvania's Price to Compare (PTC) is the default electricity supply rate for each of Pennsylvania's seven electric utilities. It's a wholesale supply pass-through — what the utility pays on competitive markets to buy power for customers who haven't chosen their own supplier. The utility earns no profit on the PTC. Current residential PTCs (as last verified against papowerswitch.com and each utility's own posted rate): PECO Energy 11.759¢/kWh, West Penn Power (FirstEnergy) 12.076¢/kWh, PPL Electric Utilities 13.079¢/kWh, Penelec (FirstEnergy) 13.143¢/kWh, Penn Power (FirstEnergy) 13.478¢/kWh, Met-Ed (FirstEnergy) 13.954¢/kWh, Duquesne Light 14.14¢/kWh. PTCs reset on each utility's schedule — verify at papowerswitch.com.
- What is the cheapest electricity rate in Pennsylvania?
- Among Pennsylvania's regulated utilities, PECO Energy currently has the lowest residential Price to Compare at 11.759¢/kWh, and Duquesne Light the highest at 14.14¢/kWh. Your utility is set by where you live, so the practical question is whether a certified EGS offer beats YOUR utility's PTC. Use PA Power Switch (papowerswitch.com) — a fixed-rate offer below your PTC with no fees represents real supply savings.
- Can I save money by switching electricity suppliers in Pennsylvania?
- Potentially — but it depends on your utility's current Price to Compare and what suppliers are offering. Use PA Power Switch at papowerswitch.com to compare. The most room is where the PTC is highest — currently Duquesne Light at 14.14¢/kWh — because more fixed-rate offers can fall below that benchmark. Always compare fixed-rate offers to the PTC; variable-rate offers can exceed the PTC mid-contract.
- What is the PA PUC electricity rate?
- The PA PUC doesn't set a single statewide electricity rate. Instead, each utility's Price to Compare (PTC) is the default supply rate for its service territory. Current values: PECO Energy 11.759¢/kWh, West Penn Power (FirstEnergy) 12.076¢/kWh, PPL Electric Utilities 13.079¢/kWh, Penelec (FirstEnergy) 13.143¢/kWh, Penn Power (FirstEnergy) 13.478¢/kWh, Met-Ed (FirstEnergy) 13.954¢/kWh, Duquesne Light 14.14¢/kWh. These reset on each utility's schedule (June and December for most; PPL's current rate runs July 1 – November 30, 2026); current figures are always posted at papowerswitch.com.
- Is Pennsylvania electricity deregulated?
- Yes — Pennsylvania deregulated its electricity market in 1999 under the Electricity Generation Customer Choice and Competition Act. Residential and commercial customers in all seven PA utility territories can choose a licensed competitive electric generation supplier (EGS) for the supply portion of their bill. Your utility continues to handle delivery, billing, and outage response. Customers who don't shop remain on the default Price to Compare.
- Why is my Pennsylvania electric bill so high in 2026?
- Pennsylvania's Price to Compare rates are driven by PJM capacity market costs — the regional capacity auction has cleared at record levels three years running ($269.92/MW-day in July 2024, an all-time high of $333.44 in December 2025, and $325 in July 2026, the third consecutive auction at the FERC cap). Those wholesale costs feed each utility's PTC. Duquesne Light currently has the highest PTC of the PA utilities at 14.14¢/kWh. On the delivery side, several utilities have pending distribution rate cases that add further — PPL's case (R-2025-3057164) seeks approximately $356M.
- How do I switch electricity suppliers in Pennsylvania?
- Four steps: (1) Find your utility's current Price to Compare at papowerswitch.com. (2) Compare fixed-rate EGS offers below the PTC — look for fixed rate, at least 12 months, no monthly fee, no cancellation fee. (3) Enroll through the supplier (your utility and billing don't change). (4) Your new rate appears on the next bill cycle — typically within 1–2 billing periods. You can return to the default PTC at any time. Pennsylvania has no mandatory switching fees.
- What happened to the 16% PPL rate increase?
- The widely-shared '16% PPL rate increase' headline was inaccurate. PPL's verified Price to Compare rose to 13.147¢/kWh on June 1, 2026 (from 12.953¢ — a ~1.5% supply increase, per the PA PUC), and then reset to 13.079¢ on July 1, 2026, valid through November 30, 2026. The 16% figure appears to have originated from a different or earlier filing that was conflated with the supply component. PPL does have a separate distribution rate case (R-2025-3057164) pending at the PA PUC that would affect the delivery portion of bills — that's a different proceeding from the PTC.