How to Compare Electricity Rates in Pennsylvania (2026)

Picture a family in Allentown opening an August electric bill and wincing at the total without ever questioning whether the supply rate is competitive. That reaction is common, and it is expensive. Pennsylvania deregulated its electricity market so that residents can choose who generates their power, yet most households stay on their utility's default supply rate year after year, paying whatever that rate happens to be.

As of August 2026, default supply rates across the state's major utilities range from roughly 11.8 cents per kilowatt-hour up to 14.1 cents. The lowest competitive supplier rate currently available in the state is around 10.4 cents. On a home using 1,000 kilowatt-hours a month, that difference can add up meaningfully over the course of a year. The fix starts with knowing how to compare electricity rates properly, which is simpler than most people expect.

Pennsylvania's electricity bill has two main components: delivery and supply. Delivery covers the poles, wires, and infrastructure that bring power to your home. Supply covers the actual electricity generated. Delivery stays with your local utility no matter what. Supply is the part you can shop.

The Pennsylvania Public Utility Commission (PA PUC) oversees the market and requires utilities to offer a default supply option to any customer who has not chosen a competitive supplier. That default rate is called the Price to Compare. It is your baseline, the number every other offer should be measured against.

The six investor-owned utilities serving Pennsylvania, each with its own territory, are PECO (Philadelphia and its suburbs), PPL Electric (central and eastern PA), Duquesne Light (Pittsburgh area), Penelec (northwestern and north-central PA), Met-Ed (eastern PA including Reading), and West Penn Power (southwestern PA). Where you live determines which utility delivers your power and which set of competitive supplier offers applies to you.

The Price to Compare is printed on every Pennsylvania electric bill. Look for it on the supply or generation section, sometimes labeled "default service" or "generation charge." It is expressed in cents per kilowatt-hour.

You can also find current default supply rates directly on PAPowerSwitch, the PA PUC's official rate-comparison website. As of August 2026, the approximate default supply rates are:

PECO: ~11.8 cents/kWh
PPL Electric: ~13.1 cents/kWh
Penelec: ~13.1 cents/kWh
West Penn Power: ~12.1 cents/kWh
Met-Ed: ~14.0 cents/kWh
Duquesne Light: ~14.1 cents/kWh

These figures change periodically when utilities reset their default service procurement. Always pull the current number from your bill or PAPowerSwitch before making a final decision. You can also find current competitive offers organized by utility territory at ElectricRates.org's Pennsylvania page.

The electricity price comparison process in Pennsylvania has five steps.

Step 1: Write down your Price to Compare. Pull your most recent bill and note the supply rate in cents per kilowatt-hour. This is the number to beat.

Step 2: Know your average usage. Your bill shows monthly kilowatt-hour consumption. Twelve months of data gives you a realistic annual average, which matters when a supplier quotes a rate that only looks good at a specific usage tier.

Step 3: Visit PAPowerSwitch or ElectricRates.org. Enter your zip code. You will see a list of offers for your utility territory, ranked by rate. Each listing shows the supply rate, the contract length, whether the rate is fixed or variable, and any fees.

Step 4: Compare apples to apples. Look at the supply rate only, since delivery charges are identical regardless of which supplier you choose. Note whether the quoted rate is fixed for the contract term or variable, which can change month to month. A fixed rate provides cost predictability; a variable rate might start lower but can rise.

Step 5: Check for cancellation fees and enrollment incentives. Some contracts carry an early-termination fee. Others offer a bill credit for signing up. Factor those into the overall value, not just the per-kilowatt-hour price.

The rate headline is only part of the picture. Pennsylvania suppliers are required by the PA PUC to disclose contract terms clearly, so the information is there. Here is what to look for before agreeing to anything.

Rate type. Fixed rates stay the same for the contract term. Variable rates fluctuate with market conditions. If budget predictability matters to your household, a fixed term contract is generally the safer choice.

Contract length. Offers range from month-to-month arrangements to multi-year agreements. Longer contracts lock in your rate but may carry early-termination fees if you move or find a better deal later.

Early-termination fees. These can range from a flat fee to a per-month penalty for the remaining contract period. Know the exact amount before you sign.

Introductory vs. ongoing rate. Some offers lead with a promotional rate that reverts to a higher rate after a few months. Ask the supplier what the rate becomes after any introductory period ends.

Renewable content. If sourcing your electricity from wind or solar matters to your household, check whether the supplier offers a certified renewable product and at what additional cost, if any.

As of August 2026, the lowest competitive supplier rate available anywhere in Pennsylvania is around 10.4 cents per kilowatt-hour. Not every offer in every territory reaches that level, so your specific savings potential depends on where you live and what is currently available.

Switching is handled entirely on the supply side. Your utility continues delivering power through the same wires. Service never interrupts during a switch, and you do not need to call an electrician or schedule anything.

You can enroll with a new supplier through PAPowerSwitch, through the supplier's own website, or by phone. You will need your account number (found on your bill) and your service address. The supplier submits a switch request to your utility, and the change typically appears on your next billing cycle or the one after.

Your utility is required by the PA PUC to process the switch without charging a switching fee. If your current supplier has an early-termination fee, that is separate and paid to the departing supplier, not your utility.

If you ever want to return to your utility's default service, you can do so by canceling with your competitive supplier. You will revert to the current default service rate, whatever it is at that time.

Some Pennsylvania households qualify for assistance programs that change the comparison calculation. The most significant is the Customer Assistance Program (CAP), which most Pennsylvania utilities offer to income-qualifying customers. CAP participants pay a reduced, fixed monthly amount based on household income rather than the standard per-kilowatt-hour rate. If you are enrolled in CAP, switching to a competitive supplier generally removes you from the program, so the math on switching looks very different.

Separately, LIHEAP (the Low Income Home Energy Assistance Program) provides seasonal energy bill assistance funded at the federal and state level. LIHEAP eligibility and benefit amounts are determined by the Pennsylvania Department of Human Services, not by your choice of electric supplier, so LIHEAP participants can still shop rates. If you think you may qualify for either program, contact your utility directly or visit the PA PUC's consumer resources for current eligibility information.

For all other households, comparing supply rates on a straight cents-per-kilowatt-hour basis is straightforward. Use PAPowerSwitch or check ElectricRates.org's Pennsylvania page for current offers in your territory.

A few patterns trip up Pennsylvania shoppers regularly.

Comparing the wrong number. Some residents compare a supplier's supply rate to their total electric bill rate, which blends delivery and supply together. Only the supply portion is relevant to the comparison.

Ignoring contract length. A rate that looks attractive on a 24-month contract may cost more overall if you move within the year and trigger a termination fee.

Forgetting to re-shop at contract end. Competitive rates shift with energy markets. A rate that was excellent 18 months ago may now be above the default service rate. Set a reminder a month before your contract expires so you have time to compare again without lapsing onto a variable rate by default.

Assuming the cheapest rate is always the best deal. Occasionally the cheapest rate on the board comes with conditions, a short introductory period, a high cancellation fee, or a variable rate that can spike. Read the full offer before enrolling.

Not checking PAPowerSwitch. The PA PUC's official tool is free, requires no personal information to browse, and shows offers across all licensed suppliers in your territory. It is the most complete starting point for any electric prices comparison in Pennsylvania.

Once a year is a reasonable minimum for most households. Pennsylvania's default supply rates reset periodically, and the competitive market shifts as wholesale energy prices move. A rate comparison done in January may look completely different by August.

The best trigger points to revisit are: your contract expiration date, a noticeable jump in your bill, or a change in your utility's announced Price to Compare. Utilities are required to notify customers when default service rates change, so watch for that notice in your bill or in a separate mailing.

For live, up-to-date offers in your utility territory, visit ElectricRates.org or PAPowerSwitch. Rates shown in any article, including this one, reflect conditions as of the publication date (August 2026) and will shift over time.