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NBCPhiladelphia.com - Tracy Davidson
PECO customers are no doubt being bombarded by ads from electricity suppliers urging you to make the Pa. Power Switch. But before you do anything, it's important to know exactly what this power switch is all about.
The expiration of Pa. energy rate caps gives PECO customers a chance to choose your electric power company.
To help you sort through the choices, come to our FREE Pa. Power Switch event at the King of Prussia Mall and don't forget to bring your PECO bill.
Pa. Power Switch
Wednesday, January 19
Noon - 6 p.m.
The Pavillion in King of Prussia Mall
NBC10 Consumer Reporter Tracy Davidson, the P.U.C. and the alternate providers will be there to answer your questions and walk you through the process. You can sign up for a new provider on the spot or you can get a printout of some price comparisons to take home.
Here are some key points to know from the Pa. Public Utility Commission:
Pennsylvania electric rates were capped in 1997, to help ease the transition to a more competitive market. Since then the market price of electricity has gone up. Now that the rate caps have expired, many customers may see an increase in their bills.
The ability to switch electric suppliers is expected to give customers more control over their electric bills. Choosing a new electric supplier means choosing the company that generates the electricity. Generation supply costs make up the majority of the average electric bill.
Choosing the electric supplier is just one of the three parts of the electric service:
It's important to note that choosing a new electric supplier, the company that will handle the generation and transmission of electricity, will not change the electric utility that distributes the electricity. That means, for example, that PECO customers choosing a new electric supplier, will still have PECO as the electric distributor. So, any questions or problems would still be handled by PECO.
The PUC has also put together fact sheets to answer basic questions.
