Pittsburgh Electricity Rates

Contents

1 Pittsburgh Electricity Rates
2 Pittsburgh Utility Companies
3 Pittsburgh Power Outages
4 Pittsburgh Price to Compare
5 Energy Deregulation in Pittsburgh
6 Pittsburgh Renewable Energy
7 Selecting an Energy Plan
8 Is There an Early Cancellation Fee?
9 Are There Hidden Fees?
10 Do You Offer 100% Renewable Energy?
11 What Happens at the End of my Term?
12 View by City
13 Clean Energy
14 Electricity Rates

If you live in Pittsburgh, PA, then you have the power to choose your electric supplier and lower the supply rate on the electric bills. Pittsburgh electricity rates have seen a downward trend since Pennsylvania deregulated the electricity markets back in 1996. The introduction of competing energy suppliers into the market has helped push down energy rates in the state while giving Pittsburgh residents access to more energy plans to choose from. Shopping for an alternate electric supplier can help lower the electric bill by 10-30%!

The city of Pittsburgh has a population of just over 300,000. The city is located on the western side of Pennsylvania, 300 miles west of Philadelphia. Given its geographical location, the city is subject to cold winters averaging just under 30 inches of snowfall per year.

Pittsburgh Utility Companies

If you’re planning on relocating to Pittsburgh, then you will need to set up the electricity account with Duquesne Light. Duquesne Light is a utility company in Pittsburgh that is responsible for maintaining and managing the power lines that deliver electricity to its customers. This cost is known as the delivery charge and represents the regulated section of the electric bill. A Duquesne Light customer will not be able to switch to another utility company for delivery services.

Pittsburgh Power Outages

If you change electric suppliers and experience a power outage, then you will need to contact the utility company. Duquesne Light is responsible for fixing all issues with power outages within its service area. Thanks to advancements in the power grid system, potential power outages can usually be detected and diverted before they can take place.

Duquesne Light Power Outage Number: 412-393-7000
Duquesne Light Residential Customer Service Number: 412-393-7100
Duquesne Light Business Customer Service Number: 412-393-7300

Pittsburgh Price to Compare

Along with delivering power to its customers, Duquesne Light is responsible for providing a default rate for supply services to customers that choose not to switch electric suppliers. The default rate is not a secure rate and changes throughout the year. This rate is commonly referred to as the price to compare. Duquesne Light customers shopping for an alternate electric supplier can use the price to compare to determine savings. If an energy supplier is offering a supply rate that is lower than the price to compare, then the customer will be saving money by switching to the new provider.

Energy Deregulation in Pittsburgh

Pittsburgh is one of many cities in Pennsylvania to benefit from energy choice. Pennsylvania deregulated the electricity markets in 1996 with the introduction of the Electricity Generation Choice and Competition Act. This act unbundled the responsibilities of the utility companies and gave more power to customers to switch energy suppliers for a lower supply rate. Before energy deregulation, utility companies had a monopoly on the generation, transmission, and delivery of power. A customer unhappy with the supply rate was not able to change suppliers.

With the introduction of energy choice, electricity prices have dropped across Pennsylvania. As more electric suppliers enter the market the competition increases, thus pushing down energy prices. Electric suppliers that provide services in Pennsylvania must be licensed by the Pennsylvania Public Utility Commission (PAPUC). A list of qualified electricity suppliers can be found on PAPUC’s website.

Pittsburgh Renewable Energy

Pennsylvania has set regulations on energy suppliers that require a set percentage of power sold in the state to be generated from renewable energy sources. The Pennsylvania Renewable Portfolio Standard will steadily increase this percentage requirement until ideally 100% of all power is generated from renewable energy sources. This regulation has helped create an artificial supply of solar and wind farms in the state.

As more facilities are developed for the generation of renewable energy, a growing number of energy suppliers are offering 100% renewable energy plans. These plans promise to generate 100% of the power the customer is estimated to use from renewable energy sources that will then be uploaded to the power grid. Most of the time this is done indirectly by the energy supplier through Renewable Energy Credits (RECs).

Selecting an Energy Plan

If you’re new to energy choice, then having to choose between different energy plans may seem like a daunting task. Don’t let this discourage you! Selecting a new energy plan and getting off the utility’s default rate is an easy way to save money. Energy choice gives more flexibility to the customer as plans can be customized based on the user’s needs. The right energy plan for you may not be the same one that is right for your neighbor. Below are a few questions to keep in mind while shopping for a new energy plan.

Is There an Early Cancellation Fee?

Most energy plans will contain an early cancellation fee if the customer changes electric suppliers before the expiration of the agreement. The plan’s terms and conditions will lay out any early cancellation fees. These fees can cost up to $300 so be sure to make it to the end of the term before changing energy suppliers!

Are There Hidden Fees?

If you come across a supply rate that seems too good to be true, then it probably is. It is common for energy suppliers to advertise a low rate separate from the additional fees, such as a meter base fee. These additional fees can add up making the cost of the total plan more expensive than initially thought. The terms and conditions will lay out all fees included in the plan.

Do You Offer 100% Renewable Energy?

More energy suppliers are offering customers 100% renewable energy plans. These plans tend to be more expensive than conventional plans that generate power from sources such as coal and oil. However, if you want to lower your carbon footprint, it won’t be hard to find an energy supplier offering 100% renewable energy.

What Happens at the End of my Term?

Most energy suppliers will put their customers on a monthly variable rate once the initial plan expires. Once this happens don’t be surprised to have the electric bill double or even triple in a single billing period. We recommend locking in a new rate a month before the expiration of the term.