How to Shop for Your Electricity
From PPL Electric Utilities
Once in a blue moon, things that sound too good to be true actually are true.
Like this: You may be able to pay less for electricity, in return for a few minutes of your time and attention. There’s no trick involved and no sacrifice: You don’t have to go without A/C in the summer or heat in the winter to save.
What’s the not-so-secret tip? Shop for your electricity supply.
You can buy the electricity for your home or business from a number of state-licensed suppliers, who offer a variety of prices and terms. This could save you money.
Or, if you take no action, PPL Electric Utilities will buy power for you and pass it along at no markup. We do our best to get a good price for you, but many suppliers sell power more cheaply. No matter which option you choose, PPL will bring the electricity to you safely and reliably over our delivery network.
All you really need to do to shop is visit PAPowerSwitch.com, a website operated by the state Public Utility Commission. The site lists PPL’s current price to compare, along with all the other current offers from state-licensed suppliers serving your area (If you don’t have a computer, you can call the PUC, which will send you a printout of the list).
Additionally, Columbia Montour Chamber members can utilize one of the Chamber’s affinity programs through ChamberChoice, which works with OnDemand Energy Solutions, the largest energy broker in Pennsylvania, to get the cheapest electricity generation rates for its customers. If you don’t have time to shop yourself, OnDemand has energy brokers that can shop for you with your permission and without any obligation to buy. OnDemand also recently enhanced its already numerous offerings for commercial customers through its acquisition by Kinect Energy back in January. Members of the Chamber staff can help facilitate this process for individual members, or interested members can contact energy consultant Cheryl Hefft at 717-575-4807 or email, and reference the Columbia Montour Chamber.
You’ll need to take the time to carefully look at the offers from other suppliers. How long is the offer good for? Is the rate fixed, or is it variable – which means that it can change over the term of the contract? Is there a cancellation fee if you decide to end the contract before its term runs out?
If you find an offer that’s lower than PPL’s price to compare, and the terms of the offer suit you, you can start the process of switching suppliers right then and there. And that’s how you pay less for electricity.
At PPL Electric Utilities, we encourage customers to shop for their electricity supply. It can save you money. And shopping doesn’t hurt PPL financially, since the company doesn’t make any profit from the supply part of customers’ bills. In fact, many of our employees shop for their power. We’ll still be there to deliver the electricity, whenever you use it.
We also encourage you to consult PAPowerSwitch.com and know all your options before signing any electricity supply contract. If you’re contacted by a door-to-door solicitor, don’t be pressured into rushing into an agreement. Another company might have a better offer.
Finally, if you switched suppliers two or three years ago but haven’t looked at the market since, we encourage you to take a fresh look. There may be better deals available than the terms you are currently paying. For any and all questions about shopping, you can also visit our website at pplelectric.com/shopping.
About 45 percent of our customers shop for their electricity supply. As the season of air conditioning, pool pumps and high temperatures approaches, it’s worth giving some thought to joining them.