Pennsylvania · electricity shopping guide
PA Power Switch: how to use Pennsylvania's official electricity comparison tool
Last reviewed: June 29, 2026 · 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 (June 2026)
Your utility's Price to Compare is the number any supplier offer has to beat. Duquesne Light has the highest PTC at 14.14¢/kWh; the FirstEnergy PA utilities have the lowest at ~10.6¢/kWh. The gap matters enormously — a supplier offer that beats Duquesne's 14.14¢ by 1¢ saves $90/year at 750 kWh/month.
| Pennsylvania utility | Service area | Price to Compare |
|---|---|---|
| PPL Electric Utilities | Allentown, Harrisburg, Scranton, Lancaster | 13.147¢/kWh |
| PECO Energy | Philadelphia and suburbs (Bucks, Chester, Delaware, Montgomery) | 11.759¢/kWh |
| Duquesne Light | Pittsburgh (Allegheny and Beaver counties) | 14.14¢/kWh |
| Met-Ed (FirstEnergy) | Reading, Allentown area, York | 10.6¢/kWh |
| Penelec (FirstEnergy) | Erie, Johnstown, State College, Williamsport | 10.6¢/kWh |
| West Penn (FirstEnergy) | Greensburg, Washington, Uniontown | 10.6¢/kWh |
| Penn Power (FirstEnergy) | New Castle, Sharon, western PA border | 10.6¢/kWh |
Source: PA PUC — summer 2026 Price to Compare, effective June 1, 2026. Supply-only rates. 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 (14.14¢) and PPL (13.147¢) customers have the most room to benefit — more supplier offers fall below their PTC than for Met-Ed or Penelec customers.
- ✓
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 set by the PA PUC 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. As of June 1, 2026: PPL 13.147¢/kWh, PECO 11.759¢/kWh, Duquesne Light 14.14¢/kWh, Met-Ed/Penelec/West Penn/Penn Power approximately 10.60¢/kWh (all source: PA PUC).
- What is the cheapest electricity rate in Pennsylvania?
- Among Pennsylvania's regulated utilities, the FirstEnergy companies (Met-Ed, Penelec, West Penn, Penn Power) have the lowest Price to Compare at approximately 10.60¢/kWh as of June 2026, followed by PECO at 11.759¢/kWh, PPL at 13.147¢/kWh, and Duquesne Light at the highest 14.14¢/kWh. For competitive supplier rates, use PA Power Switch (papowerswitch.com) — the cheapest certified EGS offer below your utility's PTC 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 compelling case is for Duquesne Light customers (PTC 14.14¢/kWh) — more fixed-rate offers are likely to fall below their benchmark than for Met-Ed customers (PTC 10.60¢/kWh). 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, it approves each utility's Price to Compare (PTC) — the default supply rate for that utility's service territory. PTC values as of June 1, 2026: PPL 13.147¢, PECO 11.759¢, Duquesne 14.14¢, FirstEnergy PA utilities ~10.60¢. The PA PUC updates these supply rates periodically; 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 PJM 2024/25 auction cleared at $269.92/MW-day (roughly 9× the prior year), and the 2025/26 auction cleared at $329.17/MW-day (the FERC price cap). PA PUC sets the annual PTC based on these wholesale results. Duquesne Light and PPL have the highest PTCs of the PA utilities. 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 for June 1, 2026 is 13.147¢/kWh, up from 12.953¢ — a ~1.5% supply increase, per the PA PUC. 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.