Pennsylvania Power Switch: Save 10-30% on Electric Bills (2026)

Most Pennsylvania households overpay for electricity. Not because they use too much. Because they never compared.

Since 1996, Pennsylvania has let you choose who generates your power.^[1] Your utility—PECO, PPL Electric, or Duquesne Light—still owns the wires. They still read your meter. They still restore power after storms. That never changes.

What changes is who produces your electricity. And what you pay for it.

The default rate is called the Price to Compare. Beat it, you save. Miss it, you don't. Dozens of licensed suppliers compete for your business. Some win on price. Some offer green energy. Some lock rates for years. You pick what matters.

Your Pennsylvania electric bill has two parts. Only one is shoppable.

Generation is the electricity itself. This is where competition happens. Accept your utility's Price to Compare or find a cheaper supplier. This chunk runs 50-60% of your total bill.

Distribution is infrastructure. Poles. Wires. Transformers. The PA PUC sets these rates. Same charge no matter who supplies your power. No shopping here.

When you switch, your utility still reads your meter and sends one bill. Only the generation line changes. Same service. Same outage response. Different rate.

Typical PA household uses 880 kWh monthly. A 1-cent difference? That's $105 per year. Not life-changing. But why pay more than you have to?

The PA PUC licenses every electricity supplier in Pennsylvania. No license, no legal sales.

Getting licensed requires background checks and financial reviews. Staying licensed means following marketing rules, clear contracts, honoring cancellation rights. Cut corners, lose your license. The PA PUC has done it before.

3 business days to cancel.^[4] Any new supplier contract. No penalty. No questions. Just call.

Problems? Call 1-800-692-7380. The PA PUC investigates complaints and orders refunds. They've forced suppliers to refund thousands to customers burned by misleading contracts. The system works if you use it.

PAPowerSwitch.com lists every licensed supplier offer in Pennsylvania. Free. Run by the PA PUC.

Enter your ZIP. See every plan available: price per kWh, contract length, monthly fees, cancellation penalties. Filter by price or renewable percentage.

Every listing shows your utility's Price to Compare. Below that number? You save. Above it? You lose.

Two warnings. Prices update monthly—hot deals might be gone. And the lowest rate isn't always the best deal. A 5.8¢ rate with a $12 monthly fee costs more than 6.5¢ with no fee for most households.

For real-time comparisons, ElectricRates.org calculates total costs automatically.

Switching takes five minutes. Your power never blinks.

Grab your bill. Find your account number and current rate. Compare offers on PAPowerSwitch.com or ElectricRates.org. Pick a plan. Enroll online or by phone.

That's it.

Your new supplier notifies your utility. Takes one or two billing cycles. You keep getting one bill—but the generation charge drops to your new rate.

Switch as often as you want. One catch: existing contracts might have early termination fees ($50-150 typical). Check your terms. But even with a fee, switching might save money if rates dropped significantly since you signed.

Seven utilities serve Pennsylvania. Where you live determines which one.

PECO: Philadelphia and surrounding counties. 1.6 million customers.^[3]

PPL Electric: Central and eastern PA—Allentown, Harrisburg, Lancaster.

Duquesne Light: Pittsburgh and Allegheny County.

FirstEnergy runs four utilities: Met-Ed (south-central), Penelec (northern/western), Penn Power (northwest), West Penn Power (southwest).

Each utility sets its own Price to Compare. Rates change quarterly through wholesale auctions.

Pennsylvania bills split into two charges: generation (shoppable) and distribution (fixed).

Generation is priced per kWh. Your utility's Price to Compare changes quarterly. Beat it, you save. Miss it, you don't.

Three plan types dominate. Fixed-rate plans lock your price for 6-36 months. Predictable. Protected from spikes. Variable-rate plans change monthly. Sometimes cheaper. Sometimes they spike when everyone cranks the AC. Indexed rates track wholesale markets with a markup. Transparent but volatile.

Average PA residential rates run 16-18¢ total^[5], with generation making up half to two-thirds.

Watch the fees. That 4.9¢ rate with a $9.95 monthly fee costs 6.0¢+ per kWh for average usage. Quick math: divide any monthly fee by your typical usage to find the true rate.

Pennsylvania law protects you. Know these rules.

Suppliers must disclose all rates, fees, and terms before you sign. In writing. Don't trust verbal promises.

3 business days to cancel. Any new contract. No penalty. No explanation. Just call.

"Slamming" (switching you without permission) and "cramming" (adding unauthorized charges) are illegal. Report violations to the PA PUC.

Your utility can't shut off power during a supplier dispute. The PA PUC investigates complaints and orders refunds. Real teeth.

One catch: if you receive CAP or other low-income assistance, verify your benefits won't change before switching. Some programs have specific requirements.