In the past, customers of ppl electricity rates Utilities who didn’t shop for their energy supply were stuck with the utility’s default rate — sometimes called the “Price to Compare” or PTC. Now, thanks to Pennsylvania’s electricity choice program, customers can get a better deal by switching their provider for their generation services.

In fact, if they act now, they can lock in a plan that’s 7% below the utility’s current PTC before it goes up on Dec. 1. That’s a savings of $50 per month for a home that uses 2,000 kilowatt-hours a month.

Navigating PP&L Electricity Rates: A Guide to Understanding and Managing Your Energy Costs

The reason behind this jump is simple: wholesale prices rose sharply during the coldest weather of the year. This, combined with higher energy usage, drove up many bills. PPL argued that it had no choice but to increase its standard offer rate to reflect these market forces. Energy suppliers, however, argued that the utility would have a hard time defending such a move at a PUC hearing.

The PUC sided with the energy suppliers and rejected the utility’s request to change its standard offer plan. In a separate action, the PUC also ruled that customers who are automatically rolled over to new suppliers at the end of their contracts must affirmatively choose to stay with those providers. This will help to protect consumers from high energy rates and encourage shopping in this unregulated market. PPL is a utility company that owns and operates the power lines, poles and meters that deliver electricity to your home.