Feb 14, 2025 | Safety and Security
What occurred?
In June 2023, a third-party vendor notified PPL Electric Utilities that the vendor was impacted by a widespread breach of the MOVEit file transfer software that they and thousands of organizations use. Please know, the initial MOVEit software vulnerability was resolved by the vendor in 2023.
Importantly, data exposed did not include banking or credit card information, social security numbers or account passwords, as no such information is shared with this vendor. It did not extend beyond basic information such as name, address, phone number, email address and utility account number.
This issue is completely unrelated to PPL’s systems and critical infrastructure across all our service areas.
Why are you hearing about this now?
While no sensitive information was released, we are communicating with you as recent media reports may cause concern or confusion.
If you use an identity theft or dark web monitoring service, you may receive an alert that your data was exposed. Please be assured, no banking or credit card information, social security numbers or account passwords were exposed.
What can you do?
As always, we urge you to stay vigilant and always be on the lookout for scams. A few tips to keep in mind:
PPL will never:
- Demand immediate payment through phone, email, or in person.
- Request personal financial information, such as credit/debit card or checking account numbers.
- Require payment using prepaid cards, gift cards, cryptocurrency, or wire transfers via third-party payment apps.
- Threaten to shut off your service unless immediate payment is made.
If You Suspect a Scam:
- Stop and Think: Pause before making any payment or sharing personal information.
- Contact Authorities: Report the scam to your local police department or the Federal Trade Commission (FTC).
- Report to PPL Electric Utilities: Call 1-800-342-5775 to report the scam attempt.
For more scam prevention tips, visit our website.
Feb 3, 2025 | Customer Service
Do you ever have a random question about your electric bill, but don’t have the time or energy to call us and ask? You might be curious about something but never reach out because of the hustle and bustle of your daily schedule. So, you continue making your monthly payments but never truly understand the variation in your bill, or what we always refer to as “mutual assistance” during major storms.
Well, this month we are answering those questions.
Keep an eye on our social sites during February because we’ll be sharing our top 10 most frequently asked questions and answers. We’ll post them all here, so don’t worry if you miss them.
We hope this series helps provide a little insight and education on how we do business.
Our Top 10 FAQs
Question #1: How many days are in a billing cycle?
- Answer: An average billing cycle may range from 26 to 35 days depending on a variety of things, such as the number of business days within the month.
Question #2: Do I need a past due balance to apply for help with my bill?
- Answer: No. This is a common misconception. You don’t need to be past due to apply for help. We offer a variety of payment assistance options for customers regardless of income or balance. Learn more and apply at pplelectric.com/BillHelp.
Question #3: Can you be enrolled on the OnTrack program and still receive a LIHEAP grant?
- Answer: Yes! You can maximize your OnTrack benefits by applying for a LIHEAP grant. If the money we receive from LIHEAP is more than your monthly OnTrack payment, we’ll use the LIHEAP grant to cover your bill each month until the credit is exhausted.
Question #4: Is electricity the same price no matter what time of day you’re using it?
- Answer: If you’re on the PPL Electric default rate, then yes, you’ll pay the same price for electricity no matter when you use it. However, if you are specifically enrolled on our Time-of-Use (TOU) rate, you’ll pay different prices for usage during different times of day. To save money with this price structure, you may need to shift your usage to the off-peak hours and avoid usage during on-peak periods. If you shop for your electricity supply through a supplier, you may receive time-varying rates, depending on what your supplier offers. Learn more here.
Question #5: Can I enroll on Auto Pay if I have a payment arrangement?
- Answer: Good question. You are not eligible to enroll on AutoPay if you’re on a payment arrangement to pay off a past due balance. Once your bill is current, you can certainly enroll. Until then, you can make a one-time payment for free with a bank account on our website or use any of our other payment options at pplelectric.com/PayBill.
Question #6: How do I know if I am enrolled on AutoPay?
- Answer: If you’re viewing a paper bill or a digital version from your online profile, you’ll see “AutoPay” in the amount due box at the top of page 1 of your bill. On the Account Summary page of your online profile, you’ll also see “AutoPay” under the billing details section with the date your payment will be automatically withdrawn from your bank account.
Question #7: Why isn’t my bill due date the same date each month?
- Answer: Your actual due date may vary depending on the number of business days within the month or billing cycle. You may notice your bill is due a few days later in months where there are multiple holidays. It could also vary if you’re shopping with an electricity supplier.
Question #8: You talk about mutual assistance a lot during storms. What is that?
- Answer: We’re members of two mutual assistance groups who can provide hundreds of additional resources within 24 hours to help us restore power to our customers. These additional crews and resources help us get our customers’ lights on faster than if we were working alone. When other areas experience major storms or hurricanes, and our region is safe, we often respond to the call and send crews to help them, too.
Question #9: Can I add my account to two different online profiles?
- Answer: The short answer is no. However, the owner of any online profile can share access to an account with another user with a different email address. To do this, the owner would add their account to their online profile. Then, enter the email address of the other user to share the account with. That user will receive an email where they can sign into their own online profile and view the shared account.
Question #10: Why do I see electricity on my usage graph for days I wasn’t at home?
- Answer: Although you may be away or on vacation, things like appliances or electronics that are plugged in will still use electricity, so it’s unusual you would see zero usage for any given day unless your main breaker is shut off completely.
For any additional questions you might have, visit pplelectric.com and select the “More” option to see a variety of content, such as billing and payment options. And as always, we’re available to answer your questions via social media or over the phone at 1-800-342-5775.
Jan 29, 2025 | Bill Help
We understand each household across our territory is unique. That’s why we offer a range of options to help manage your bill and make it as affordable as possible, regardless of your income.
We have options for all customers, whether you own or rent your home and whether you have a past due balance or not. We also have assistance programs for income eligible customers. These options may include free grants to help pay your bill.
It’s easy to apply. Sign into your online account at pplelectric.com and click “Get help paying.” Answer a few questions about your household income and we’ll match you with a program that will benefit you most.
Check out all the options that may be available for your family.
Options for all customers:
Payment arrangements: Get help paying a past-due balance over time.
Budget billing: We’ll take the average of your last 12 months of electric use to make your monthly payments more predictable.
Due date extension: If you’re current with your bill but need a little extra time to pay, apply for an extension.
Due date changes: If your balance is paid in full, you can select a due date that fits your pay schedule or budget.
Options for income-eligible customers:
OnTrack: Get a fixed monthly payment based on your income. You may qualify for debt forgiveness, too.
Operation HELP: Grants for homeowners and renters to help pay your electric bill.
WRAP: Free energy-saving products and services to help reduce your electric use.
LIHEAP: Grants up to $2,000 to help pay your winter heating bills or prevent a shut-off.
To learn more about our programs and apply, visit pplelectric.com/BillHelp.
Nov 12, 2024 | Community Involvement
Powering our communities goes beyond delivering the safe and reliable electricity you depend on every day. We don’t just work in our communities; we also live and raise our families in cities and towns across our territory.
Here are just a handful of events that helped our communities throughout the year:
We started 2024 in the Lehigh Valley by reading to children at Brigadier General Anna Mae Hays Elementary School for Read Across America and Black History Month events, fostering the importance of education for our local children.
During Earth Month, our employees planted trees in Harrisburg, Bethlehem and across Lycoming County to help preserve the environment.
In June, more than 60 of our interns participated in our annual Intern Impact Day by cleaning classrooms and assembling bikes for young riders in Allentown.
To help charge an exciting future for students, we helped the Steelton-Highspire and Bethlehem Area school districts roll out their first EV buses.
But our favorite event of the year was our Annual Day of Caring in September. More than 460 of our employees assisted 20 nonprofit organizations and sites by cleaning, painting, packing food and planting trees.
We know how important it is to give back. And while we’re happy to have made a positive impact in 2024, we’re looking forward to doing even more in 2025.
For more about our community involvement, see how we’re working behind the scenes to power the moments that matter this holiday season: pplelectric.com/HappyHolidays.
Oct 10, 2024 | Customer Service
Customer Service Week is a time to recognize the heart of our customer experience— our Customer Service Representatives (CSRs) and Associates (CSAs).
So far this year, we have received over 7.4 million customer interactions across various channels. Of these interactions, 1,183,980 were calls answered by our dedicated representatives.
These frontline employees are essential to our operation, caring for customers and resolving issues with compassion, patience and professionalism day in and day out.
To conclude this year’s National Customer Service Week, we’d like to highlight a specific role that requires lots of knowledge and experience.
Our team of Senior CSRs bridge the gap between supervisors and associates, helping each other and customers simultaneously. They offer their peers support on complicated issues and reinforce processes when they’re unsure how to handle a particular scenario. They also speak directly with customers on complex problems, even calling them back personally to follow-up.
Meet two of our Senior CSRs!
Dana is from the Lehigh Valley and has worked at PPL Electric for 25 years! When speaking with our customers, she strives to resolve their issues, while demonstrating genuine empathy and care.
Val is from our Scranton area and has worked at PPL Electric for 37 years! She takes pride in listening to customers’ concerns and offering actionable solutions. She especially enjoys providing assistance to our elderly callers.
We truly appreciate Dana and Val’s tenure and commitment to our customers. Whether you’ve had the pleasure of speaking with them over the phone, or one of our other dedicated representatives, we hope your questions were answered and you enjoyed the interaction.
Happy Customer Service Week to all those working in the service industry!
