Pennsylvania Power & Light
Pennsylvania Power & Light was founded in 1920 from the merger of eight smaller utilities. It expanded its service area to encompass central and eastern Pennsylvania in the course of time. The company is now an FORTUNE 500 company that provides electricity to 1.4 million customers in 29 counties throughout the state. PPL manages about 50 000 miles of power lines throughout the state. PPL also owns an nuclear power plant as well as a hydroelectric power plant of 21 megawatts located in Raystown, PA. The company also owns a 10% stake in the 2,100 megawatt Susquehanna Steam Electric Station, Berwick, PA.
Customers can receive financial assistance for utility bills through the PPL Customer Assistance Program. To avail the benefits of this program, customers must provide information about their household as well as proof of identity and their most recent income. There are rebate programs that can help reduce the cost of monthly bills. Other energy efficiency programs can also be utilized to boost the efficiency of your home’s energy use. The company also offers energy-efficient mortgages.
In 2010, PPL bought two regulated utilities in Kentucky. The Pennsylvania Public Utilities Commission (“Pa PUC”) supervises the delivery of electricity, including the distribution rates. Auctions are held twice a year to determine prices at which PPL sells electricity. These rates are known as “Price to Compare” or “PTC” rates. The rate is the cost for a specific amount electricity for a set time. This rate can be used to comparing electricity costs over the long-term and short-term.
Other alternative suppliers are not controlled by the Pa PUC, but they shop for wholesale deals. Customers can lock in a supply rate for a specified period of time using competitive fixed rate plans. These suppliers can offer special prices and rebates. The Pennsylvania Energy Choice program gives customers the opportunity to choose from a variety of competitive energy retailers.
The Pennsylvania General Assembly passed the Electricity Generation Choice for Customers of Electric Cooperatives (EGCC) Act. This law grants customers of PPL Electric cooperatives access to retail electricity providers that are competitive. The law is similar to the Competition Act for regulated electric utilities in Pennsylvania however it provides an additional system for electric cooperatives.
The law allows electric cooperative members to select among competitive retail electricity suppliers and to get electricity at a “Price to Compare” rate. The price to compare rate, also known as a controlled rate, is one that provides electricity at a lower cost than the actual cost of providing it to customers. The Pennsylvania Public Utility Commission (“PAPUC”) supervises the PTC rate as well as the utility’s ability to sell electricity at a default rate to customers.
The Pennsylvania Energy Choice program was introduced to residents of the state in 1997. The program offers competitive retail electricity providers and allows customers to change their energy provider at any time. This is done via the PPL Rate Comparison Tool. The tool can be found at pa.gov/pl-pl. To get the full benefit of Energy Choice, consumers should review the Terms of Service, the contract summary, and learn about the various plans.