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Penelec Service Territory

Penelec serves nearly 600,000 customers in some or all of these central and western Pennsylvania counties:

Penelec serves these cities:

• Altoona
• Erie
• Huntingdon
• Johnstown
• Shippensburg

How to Start New Penelec Service

Getting set up with Penelec is easy and convenient. Just visit the Penelec web site and simply fill in the online Start Service form.

Start requests take at least 2 days to process and First Energy will send you an email confirming your start date.

Customers should call the Penelec Contact Center if they need their service turned on sooner.

Be ready to supply:

• Service Address: The address where you want your service turned on or switched.
• The start date for electricity service.
• Personal Information: You will need your name, phone number, email address, and your Social Security Number. These will be required.
• Penelec will do a soft credit check to determine if a deposit is required.

Will I Need to Pay a Deposit?

Credit Rating -- Penelec has the right to check your credit history and level of credit risk to determine whether a security deposit is necessary. Other factors include whether the customer was previously disconnected or has unpaid energy bills.

TIP -- Be sure to unfreeze your credit. If you have frozen your credit with any of the major credit agencies, you will need to have it temporarily unfrozen before you submit a new service request.

Pay a Deposit -- Penelec must notify you in writing within 3 business days about the specific reasons why you are required to pay a security deposit. PA law states that deposits cannot be greater than an estimated two months usage.

Customers have 21 days after the utilty sends the deposity request notification to make a payment. However, customers have three months to pay the full deposit. The utlity can hold the deposit for 24 months. If the customer pays their bill in full and on time for 12 consecutive months, the deposit will earn interest.

Customers also have the right to use a guarantor who is a credit-worthy customer with Penelec and can pay your bills if you fail to do so.

Understand Penelec Delivery and Supply Charges

In Pennsylvania, residential customers pay for both the cost to deliver their electricity as well as for the amount of electricity supply that they use.

• Delivery Charges are fixed rate charges (tariffs) representing the cost of transmitting electricity to your home via Penelec's powers. The charges cover the Penelec local infrastructure operating costs, maintenance, and ensures them a profit. Other usage-based charges are small costs from riders to fund projects, cover fees, etc. Penelec's delivery charges must be approved by the Pennsylvania Public Utilities Commission (PAPUC). All Penelec customers pay the same set Delivery rates no matter who supplies their energy.
• Supply Charges represent the price for the amount of electricity that you use. Penelec customers can choose the "Price to Compare" (PTC) for their electricity supply. However, because of Pennsylvania's Energy Choice program, customers are free to also choose energy from competitive retail electricity suppliers.

Understand Penelec PTC Charges

When deregulation began in Pennsylvania, all utilities that wanted to participate in consumer choice had to sell off their generators. However, the PAPUC requires these utilities to provide electricity supply at a default rate to customers in their service territory who don't shop for a retail supplier. As a result, these utilities must purchase their electricity supply for the default rate from generator companies.

The PAPUC oversees Penelec's default service rates since these represent generation supply costs that are passed directly through the utility onto their customers without mark up. This default rate is also called the "Price to Compare" or PTC.

Price to Compare (PTC)

The PTC default rate represents the actual price (both generation and transmission) the utility pays for the electricity. It not only includes the generator company's price for making the electricity but also the cost to transmit it from power stations over high tension power lines to Penelec's local electrical switch yards. From there, the electricity is distributed throughout the Penelec local electrical grid for delivery to homes.

In Pennsylvania, First Energy's utilities set PTC rates by holding auctions to line up their electricity supplies. Auctions are held four times a year to cover four delivery periods. Consequently, Penelec's PTC rates change every March 1, June 1, September 1, and December 1. When the auctions are completed, the PAPUC must approve the prices for both the generation supply and transmission.

For customers, it means these electricity rates can vary seasonally; low some months, higher the next.

Penelec Current PTC Residential Rate:

10.474 cents per kWh, expires 8/31/2025

NOTE: There are approximately thirty-five borough-owned public power systems in Pennsylvania. These purchase energy for their local residents. Many prohibit residents from shopping for their own provider. If you live in one of these communities, check with your local government to learn more.

How Much Do Penelec PTC Charges Cost?

The DOE EIA estimates that the average Pennsylvania residence uses an average of 864 kWh each month. Therefore, an average PTC bill roughly breaks down like this:

Understand Pennsylvania Energy Choice

Pennsylvania electric consumers are free to choose their own competitive retail electricity supplier. These alternative suppliers shop deals with different producers on the wholesale market to offer competitive rates. As such, their rates are not controlled by PAPUC the same way that utilities are. This way, retail suppliers are able to offer competitively priced fixed rate plans for a variety of term lengths.

Though it can seem confusing, shopping electricity plans is an easy process. The trick is finding the one that meets your needs. That's why retail energy suppliers in Pennsylvania offer two types of plans:

• Fixed Rates have their price rate set for the same price over the term of the contract. Customers can count on stable energy rates on plans lasting from 6 to 36 months. However, many fixed rate plans come with early cancellation fees for breaking a contract early.
• Variable Rates Want to avoid getting tied to an electricity plan for months or years? Then choose a variable plan. Variable plan rates on these contracts can change from month to month depending on the price of the electricity supply. But while there's no contract, there's nothing to prevent your rate from going up one month or down the next. However, these plans don't have any termination fees and this allows customers the flexibility to shop for new rates and switch to better deals without paying any penalty.

Your Energy Usage and Understanding Your Penelec Bill

While your energy usage habits are unique to you, any Pennsylvania native will tell you that winters can be bitterly cold and summers can be hazy, hot, and humid. While most PA homes rely on natural gas for heating, roughly 1.6 million (29%) of homes in the state use electricity.

• Approximately one third (32%) of home electricity usage goes to electronics, lighting, appliances, and air conditioning.
• Pennsylvania residents spend on average 5% of their annual energy costs on air conditioning. Half of PA households have central AC.
• The remainder of energy use goes to water heating, refrigeration, lighting, electronics, clothes dryers, cooking, and small appliances.

Want to learn more about your home energy usage? Penelec customers can track 12 months of their electric usage plus other relevant information on each monthly bill or by logging on to your First Energy account.

The best way to cut your electricity bill is to reduce your usage:

• Seal your doors and windows against winter and summer drafts. Not only does it keep out the cold or hot air but it also reduces the amount of mold, pollen, and other allergens getting into your home.
• Add insulation to your attic, basement, and duct work.
• Install a programmable or smart thermostat. Programming it to set-back the temperature when you're away or inactive can improve your home's energy efficiency and help cut your electric bills.

Your utility company can provide a wealth of resources and offers programs to help you improve your home's energy performance.

Understand Your Penelec Bill

Your Penelec bill contains many details that can be confusing to customers. But there's lots of useful information to help you better understand your usage and rate. Below, we break down the most important items on a sample Penelec Electric bill.

Penelec Sample Bill

• A, B, & C: Bill Overview. It includes your address and personal account number with Penelec, the billing period, the amount due, and the date that the bill is due.
• D & E: Messages and current PTC rate. Here you find important notifications from Penelec as well as current Price to Compare rate offered by Penelec.
• F: Account Summary shows the amounts of any unpaid balances, current Penelec distribution charges, current supply charges, the total bill and the due date.
• G: Meter Summary: This shows the usage information measured by the electric meter at your address.
• H: Charges from Penelec include the type of rate you are being charged, the monthly customer charge, the distribution charges, and the total.
• I: Charges from Electric Generation Supplier show the name and address of your electricity supplier, their base rate charged, and the total supplier charges due.
• J: Account Balances by Company lays out the amounts that have been paid or are owed to Penelec and your supplier.
• K: Shows your usage history per bill over the course of the past year to help you compare your energy use over time and understand trends.
• L: Payment Stub. Just detach and return with your payment. It also includes your account number, amount paid, amount due, and the due date.

Penelec Coupons, Energy Promotions, Discounts, Rebates and Promo Codes

As your local electric utility, Penelec offers several rebate and energy efficiency programs to help customers save money off their monthly bill by upgrading their home's energy performance. Some programs also offer money-saving incentives while others could make paying your monthly bills much easier during those expensive winter months.

Read Penelec Reviews

Since Penelec serves a large east coast market segment, southeast Pennsylvania residential customers can get a better picture of how good a job it does by comparing it to similar large-scale utilities. Penelec is not accredited with the BBB but the utility is well-rated in J.D. Power's 2021 utility residential customer satisfaction study. The utility also rated well in Escalent's 2021 Utility Trusted Brand & Customer Engagement™: Residential study.

How Do I Get the Cheapest Penelec Rate?

Shopping for a new Penelec Customer Choice Plan can seem bewildering at first. Once you understand how it works, though, it's an easy and straightforward process. That said, you should have these three things with you when you shop for electricity.

1. Your current bill. Your past usage per billing period can help you estimate a how much a plan might cost you each month.
2. The current Penelec PTC and expiration date. Knowing the current Penelec supply price lets you compare rates offered by retail energy suppliers. This way, you can get a better feel for what suppliers are offering, for how long, and if any of their incentives make their price work for your family's need.
3. Your Penelec of Pennsylvania customer account number. This 12 digit number is located on your bill. Having it handy lets you sign up with a retail supplier right away.

Bill Questions? Electricity Out? Contact Penelec!

Having problems or interruptions with your Penelec electricity? Here's the proper people to call.

Penelec Billing Problems

The PAPUC requires all PA public utilities to offer "budget billing" where annual electricity costs are averaged out over the cost of the year. This ensures that customers aren't presented with unexpectedly high bills at peak times.

• First thing to do is contact Penelec. If you are having trouble paying your monthly bill call Penelec's Customer Service: 1-800-545-7741. Have your account number ready.
• Need extra time to pay your energy bill? Customers can apply to the Customer Assistance Program (CAP) by calling Customer Service or by applying on-line.
• Residential Customers aged sixty (60) years of age or older or a residential customer receiving Social Security or an equivalent monthly pension payment can request to extend the due date of such customer's bill from 20 days to 30 days.

Penelec Emergencies and Outages

All power lines are extremely dangerous! Never attempt to move a downed power line by yourself. Call 911 and then notifiy Penelec.

• Report safety hazards involving power lines immediately to Penelec at 1-888-LIGHTSS (1-888-544-4877).
• You can also report downed lines or outages at Penelec's website.
• Check Penelec's current electric outages as they are being repaired.

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