Not even a pandemic could keep us from supporting the organizations and people who make up the 29 counties we serve. While we work safely day and night to keep your lights on, we also remain committed to volunteering in the communities we call home.
Each year, our employees volunteer more than 7,000 hours. Here are just a few of our favorite events from 2021.
In October, 140 employees rolled up their sleeves and volunteered at 10 organizations across the Lehigh Valley for the United Way Day of Caring.
During the summer, we sponsored “Kids Zone” at the Little League World Series in South Williamsport, teaching kids about infrared cameras and transformer switches.
In May, a group of employees spent the day at Wildlands Conservancy planting 100 trees to help preserve the environment.
Want to stay up to date on our community engagement? Follow @PPLElectric on social media!
We’re committed to preserving the environment in everything we do. Whether our employees are in the office or out in the field, we’re always thinking of innovative ways to reduce, reuse and recycle common materials.
Every day, we receive numerous shipments of fragile materials that are wrapped in clear plastic to help keep the items secure. Thanks to our employees at the Lock Haven Service Center, who initiated a new program, we’re making sure that plastic is recycled.
Through this program, employees recycle plastic by placing it in large bins in their service center. As an incentive for collecting 500 pounds of recyclable materials, Trex®, a manufacturer of wood alternative products, will provide us with a Trex® bench that we’ll be donating to a local park!
Our goal is to collect enough plastic for a Trex® bench in a local park in every region of our service territory. To date, we have collected over 400 pounds of materials and expanded the program by placing bins in three other service centers in the Susquehanna region including Sunbury, Bloomsburg, and Montoursville.
We join utilities across the nation to warn customers about scams. This year, the Utilities United Against Scams (UUAS) campaign is ‘End the Call. End the Scam.’ The campaign focuses on utility impostor scam calls and the advanced tactics that scammers use to target customers. Since the pandemic began, the number of scams has escalated, and scammers have increased their efforts to take advantage of financial challenges many customers have faced.
So, what can you do to stop a scam and avoid these scammers’ tactics?
UUAS has tips to help:
If you receive a call from a possible scammer, slow down, verify, and stop before you act.
Slow down. Scammers may ask you for personal information and immediate payment. Don’t let them rush you into making a decision.
Verify. Scammers often pose as employees. If you are unsure whether the call is from PPL, hang up and check your online account at pplelectric.com or contact us directly.
Stop before you act. Think about the information the caller is asking of you. If it seems unsafe or incorrect, rethink the situation and ask questions.
Scammers are extremely sophisticated and use strategies that can make you believe they are not an impostor. Here are a few common scams and tips to protect yourself:
Scammers often threaten immediate service termination. They ask for personal information or demand payments to stop a termination. We’ll never demand immediate cash to avoid shut-off.
They’ve been taking advantage of increased online activities and are asking for payments through digital payment apps or direct transactions with banking institutions.
They prey on households with tight budgets. They’ll inform you that you overpaid a bill and are due a refund, but first they’ll ask for your bank account information to process a transfer.
They also are posing as utility employees by claiming the number on the caller ID does not match the utility’s phone number because of COVID-19 remote work policies.
As creative as these scammers get, it’s important to be vigilant and remember that anyone can be targeted. If a scammer targets you, they may also target your neighbor. That’s why we must continue to raise awareness. Together, we can #StopScams.
We’ve noticed that the prices of many energy supply sources are on the rise due to external market conditions, including overall inflation. But if you’ve been to the store lately, you’ve probably noticed that prices are going up on almost everything.
Just like you’d shop around for the best price on everyday goods, it’s important to know that you can do the same with your electricity supply. And now is a good time to shopfor an electricity supplier as you may be able to avoid or minimize these cost increases.
Shopping Explained
PPL Electric Utilities delivers your electricity, but we don’t own or operate the power plants where that electricity is generated. In Pennsylvania, you can shop around and choose the electricity supplier that is right for you.
When you do venture into the electricity marketplace, remember to shop smart.
Beware of variable rates, which start small and then increase depending on the price of power.
Watch out for deceptive marketing tactics and hidden early termination fees, and always be sure to read the fine print on any contract you sign with a supplier.
Review your most recent bill to check the price to compare, as well as your current rate if you’re already shopping, so you can make an informed decision on a new electricity supplier.
If you choose not to shop, are enrolled on our OnTrack program, or cancel with an existing supplier without choosing a new one, you’ll automatically pay the price to compare, also known as the PPL default rate. This rate changes every June 1 and December 1 and is updated on our website.
Your Options
Standard Offer Program
Participating suppliers offer a 7% discount off the price to compare, at a fixed price for a year, with no early cancellation fees.
Access your online account and enroll in the Standard Offer Program by December 1 to take advantage of the 7% discount off the existing price to compare.
Choose a Supplier
Check out papowerswitch.com to find a supplier that offers the service, energy source and price that’s right for you.
When you sign up with a new supplier, they’ll notify us to make the switch.
PPL is pleased to be named a 2021 Adoption Advocate by The Dave Thomas Foundation for Adoption. In addition, PPL has been ranked one of the top five adoption-friendly workplaces in the energy and utility sector for its financial reimbursement and paid leave benefits for families that adopt a child.
“We believe that every child deserves a permanent home and a loving family,” said Angie Gosman, vice president and chief human resources officer of PPL. “We also understand that all families are unique. That’s why we provide flexible benefits to provide all families the chance to nurture their loved ones.”
This is PPL’s first time making the list, which recognizes organizations with robust adoption benefit programs. The foundation partnered with RTI International, an independent, nonprofit research institute, to survey employers across the United States and score participants based on three criteria: financial reimbursement, paid leave and the percentage of employees eligible for those benefits.
More than 25 years ago, Dave Thomas, founder of Wendy’s® and the Dave Thomas Foundation for Adoption, led an initiative advocating for better adoption benefits in the workplace. The foundation has carried that legacy forward through its signature Adoption-Friendly Workplace program and 100 Best Adoption-Friendly Workplaces list, which is in its 15th year.
“Thank you to all the organizations on this year’s list for the commitment to supporting employees who grow their families through adoption,” said Rita Soronen, president and CEO of the Dave Thomas Foundation for Adoption. “Adoption expenses or the inability to take time off of work to bond with a foster or adoptive child should not stand in the way of a family pursuing adoption.”
For the complete list of Adoption-Friendly Workplaces and Adoption Advocates, visit: davethomasfoundation.com/AFW.
