Pennsylvania · electric utility
PECO Energy Price to Compare & rate increases
PECO Energy is a Exelon utility serving Philadelphia and its suburbs (Bucks, Chester, Delaware, and Montgomery counties) (about 1.6 million customers). PECO is the largest combination (electric and gas) utility in Pennsylvania, covering roughly 2,100 square miles around Philadelphia. (source)
Price to Compare (current rate)
11.759¢/kWh
Effective (current) · last reviewed
Estimate for comparison — confirm the current rate and all charges with PECO Energy before acting. Not advice.
Next scheduled reset: · Scheduled changes; next stated Dec 1, 2026. Every utility's reset calendar →
Of the 7 Pennsylvania utilities we track, PECO Energy's Price to Compare is the lowest — the range runs from 11.759¢ (PECO Energy) to 14.14¢ (Duquesne Light). Compare all Pennsylvania rates →
What it means: a PECO Energy customer on a 17¢/kWh third-party supplier rate pays about $540 more per year than the Price to Compare (11.759¢), based on ~860 kWh/month. The audit below checks your actual rate.
The worth-it line: for a switch to save at least $10/month at ~750 kWh, a supplier offer must be a fixed rate below 10.43¢/kWh — with no monthly fee and no cancellation fee. Offers between 10.43¢ and 11.759¢ technically "beat" the Price to Compare but save too little to justify contract risk. The full math, all utilities →
Rate history & trends — PECO Energy
PECO's Price to Compare was 11.759¢/kWh from June 1 through November 30, 2026 — up 6.7% from the prior period's 11.024¢. The rate was at a low of roughly 6.267¢ in late 2021 before PJM capacity costs drove a multi-year climb. PECO resets its PTC twice per year (summer and winter); the PA PUC publishes each change.
| Period | Supply rate (¢/kWh) | Note |
|---|---|---|
| Late 2021 (historical low) | 6.267¢ | PA PUC / PECO rate filings; lowest recent period |
| Prior period (through May 31, 2026) | 11.024¢ | PA PUC summer 2026 announcement |
| Jun 1 – Nov 30, 2026 (current) | 11.759¢ | +6.7%; PA PUC — summer 2026 price changes (6-1-26) |
Source: PA PUC — summer 2026 electric price changes announcement. Supply rates reset on regulatory schedules — confirm the current rate with your utility or state commission before relying on any figure here. "est." = estimated from known inputs, not directly published.
PECO Energy customer service & quick facts
The official ways to reach PECO Energy for outages, billing, and account help. RateWatchdog is independent and not affiliated with PECO Energy — these are the utility's own channels.
- Pay your bill
- Pay PECO Energy bill online →
Verified · confirm on PECO Energy's siteHere to check if your rate is too high? Jump to the audit ↓
Is your supplier charging more?
Runs entirely in your browser. We never see your numbers.
Where is this on my bill?
On your bill, find the supply rate in ¢/kWh. Your utility's standard rate is the “Price to Compare.” If your supplier charges more than that, you're overpaying.
Comparing suppliers against PECO Energy's Price to Compare?
Pennsylvania's official comparison tool is PA Power Switch, run by the PA PUC. Pennsylvania's official comparison tool shows every licensed supplier's offer next to your utility's Price to Compare — our guide covers all 7 PA utility PTCs and the fine print to check.
How to use PA Power Switch — the full guide →Is PECO Energy a monopoly? Can you switch?
For delivery, yes — it's a monopoly. PECO Energy is the only company that runs the poles and wires to homes in its territory, so you can't pick a different company to deliver your power. That part is a regulated monopoly: PECO Energy, owned by Exelon, can only charge what the PA PUC approves in a rate case.
The electricity itself, though, is open to competition. You can buy your supply from a third-party supplier, or do nothing and stay on PECO Energy's default rate — the Price to Compare the PA PUC oversees. Switching suppliers doesn't change who delivers your power or who you call during an outage; it only changes the supply line on your bill. And if a supplier is charging more than the Price to Compare, you can drop it and return to that regulated rate, usually within one or two billing cycles — no fee to the utility.
How often does PECO Energy's power go out?
Federal reliability data, reported by the utility to the U.S. government. SAIDI is the average total time a customer is without power in a year; SAIFI is the average number of outages.
In 2024, including major storms
3 hr 32 min
without power, across about 1 outages
What the average customer actually experienced.
On a typical day (storms excluded)
1 hr
without power, across about 0.7 outages
Normal operations, with major event days removed.
For PECO Energy, major storms drove roughly 72% of 2024's total outage time — the gap between the two numbers above is weather the utility couldn't fully control.
On normal-day reliability, PECO Energy is the most reliable of the 4 Pennsylvania utilities we track — the range runs from 1 hr (PECO Energy) to 3 hr 41 min (Met-Ed (FirstEnergy)) of typical-day outage time per year.
Source: U.S. EIA Form EIA-861, 2024 reliability data (IEEE 1366 standard), for PECO Energy Co. eia.gov →
Where your bill money goes: how PECO Energy earns its profit
Because PECO Energy is a regulated monopoly, its profit isn't set by competing for customers — it's set by regulators. The PA PUC authorizes a target return on equity (around 9.5% to 10.5% for U.S. electric utilities) on the money it sinks into poles, wires, substations, and meters. It's a target, not a guarantee — a utility can earn above or below it — but a low-risk regulated monopoly reliably lands close. You pay that return back, plus the investment itself, through the delivery charge on every bill.
PECO Energy is owned by Exelon. In 2024, Exelon reported about $2.5 billion in net income — its profit across all of the utilities it owns, not PECO Energy alone. Source: Exelon's annual report (SEC Form 10-K, fiscal year 2024). SEC EDGAR →
That authorized return is set by regulators on the utility's investment — independently of how reliable the service is or how many customers are disconnected, the two measures above.
Rate cases & increases
- R-2024-3046931 effective
PECO Energy's most recent electric base distribution rate case. Filed March 28, 2024; the PUC approved a settlement Dec. 12, 2024 for a $354 million increase (vs. ~$464 million requested). A typical residential customer using 700 kWh saw a $13.58/month increase (about 10%) in 2025, with a smaller step in 2026.
Common questions about PECO Energy
- How much does PECO charge per kWh in PA?
- PECO's Price to Compare (default supply rate) is 11.759¢/kWh effective June 1–November 30, 2026. Your full bill adds delivery charges (roughly 4–5¢/kWh for distribution and transmission). Verify the current rate at peco.com or papowerswitch.com before relying on any figure.
- Does PECO have off-peak hours?
- PECO's standard residential Price to Compare is a flat rate — no time-of-day variation. PECO offers time-of-use programs for customers with smart meters who want to shift usage to off-peak hours. Contact PECO or visit peco.com for current smart rate program availability in your area.
- What is a good rate per kWh in PA?
- Pennsylvania residential rates (Price to Compare) vary by utility: PECO is 11.759¢/kWh, PPL is 13.079¢ (July–November 2026). A competitive supplier rate below your utility's current Price to Compare on papowerswitch.com represents genuine supply savings — but verify that it's a fixed rate for the full term before committing.
- What is the current PECO rate per kWh?
- PECO's current Price to Compare (supply only) is 11.759¢/kWh effective June 1–November 30, 2026. Pennsylvania resets Price to Compare twice per year. The next update takes effect December 1, 2026. Confirm the current rate at peco.com or the PA PUC's consumer resources page before acting on any supplier offer.
Programs that can help with PECO bills
-
LIHEAP (Low Income Home Energy Assistance Program)
Pennsylvania's federally funded heating and cooling bill help. Apply through your county assistance office or call 1-800-692-7462. Income-based eligibility.
-
PECO Customer Assistance Program (CAP)
PECO's income-based monthly bill discount program — an ongoing credit rather than a one-time payment. For qualifying low-income households in PECO's territory.
-
PECO Customer Responsibility Fund (CRF)
One-time emergency bill assistance through a nonprofit fund supported by PECO customer contributions. For customers facing sudden hardship.
-
Matching Energy Assistance Fund (MEAF)
Nonprofit one-time grants matched by the Pennsylvania Utility Commission for income-qualified customers who have made a payment toward their bill.
Income limits, program calendars, and enrollment rules change — confirm eligibility and current availability before applying. Full bill-help guide for your state →
Why is my PECO bill so high?
PECO's Price to Compare (supply rate) has nearly doubled since 2021 — from a low of 6.267¢/kWh in late 2021 to 11.759¢/kWh in summer 2026. Three forces drove this:
1. PJM capacity costs: The regional grid's 2024 capacity auction cleared at $269.92/MW-day — 9× the prior year — flowing into PECO's supply rate starting June 2025. The 2025 auction cleared even higher at $329/MW-day.
2. Delivery rate increase: PECO settled a distribution rate case (R-2024-3046931) in December 2024 — delivery-side charges (poles, wires, transformers) are also climbing.
3. Third-party supplier markups: If you switched suppliers years ago and never checked back, you may be on a rate well above PECO's current 11.759¢ PTC. Check your bill for a "generation supplier" line item — if it's not PECO, compare that rate to 11.759¢.
The most common single fix: verify whether you're on a supplier and, if so, whether their rate still beats the PTC.
Source: PA PUC — summer 2026 electric price changes; PECO rate case R-2024-3046931
Pennsylvania deregulation: can PECO customers choose a supplier?
Pennsylvania deregulated its electricity market in 1997. PECO customers have the right to choose their generation supplier — the company that generates the actual electricity — while PECO continues to handle delivery (the grid, poles, and wires) and customer service.
How to compare: Pennsylvania's official shopping tool is papowerswitch.com, run by the PA PUC. It shows every licensed electric generation supplier (EGS) serving PECO's territory with their current rate, contract length, and terms — side by side with PECO's current Price to Compare (11.759¢/kWh, summer 2026).
What to watch for: introductory rates that reset after 3-6 months, variable-rate plans that move with the market, and early-termination fees if you switch back. A fixed-rate EGS offer below 11.759¢ with no exit fee and a 12-month+ term is the clearest apples-to-apples win. If you're on a supplier but can't remember switching, check your PECO bill for a "electric generation supplier" section.
PECO Energy service territory
PECO (an Exelon company) serves approximately 1.6 million electric customers across southeastern Pennsylvania, including the city of Philadelphia and six surrounding counties.
- ▸ Philadelphia County — entire city of Philadelphia (~1.6M residents)
- ▸ Montgomery County (Norristown, King of Prussia, Lansdale, Horsham, Blue Bell, Abington)
- ▸ Delaware County (Chester, Media, Upper Darby, Haverford, Radnor)
- ▸ Bucks County (Doylestown, Levittown, Bristol, Newtown, Lansdale area)
- ▸ Chester County (West Chester, Coatesville, Malvern, Phoenixville, Kennett Square)
- ▸ Lancaster County (Lancaster city, Elizabethtown, Ephrata, Lititz, Manheim)
- ▸ York County (York city, Hanover, Red Lion, York Haven — PECO Electric, not to be confused with PPL territory to the north)
Source: PECO Energy — about PECO (exeloncorp.com / peco.com)
What does a PECO Energy bill look like?
ESTIMATE — see note below.
| Bill component | At 750 kWh/month |
|---|---|
| Supply / generation (11.759¢/kWh) | $88.19 |
| Basic customer charge | $9.76 |
| Delivery, transmission & other riders | see note → |
| Supply + basic charge subtotal | $97.95 |
⚠ ESTIMATE — supply portion only (750 kWh × 11.759¢/kWh = $88.19, June–Nov 2026 PTC). Basic customer charge $9.76/month (Schedule R, PECO tariff — VERIFIED). Distribution, transmission, and surcharges add approximately $30–50/month. Verify at peco.com or papowerswitch.com.
PECO Energy rate alerts
Email alerts for PECO Energy are coming soon — we're setting them up with double opt-in and one-click unsubscribe, and we'll never sell your data. For now, this page and the Pennsylvania hub track every active rate case.