Aug 11, 2016 | Safety and Security
As part of our ongoing You Ask, We Answer campaign, we’re answering questions we frequently receive from customers. Here’s one we hear quite a bit:
Someone came to my door saying they could save me money on my electric bill. They wanted to talk to me about my energy use. Were they legitimate? What should I do in that situation?
Many competitive energy suppliers are licensed to operate in our service territory. We’re aware that some of them try to solicit business by going door to door.
Here’s the advice we give our customers on how to deal with door-to-door energy solicitors:
– Be aware that PPL Electric Utilities does not send employees to solicit door to door. If the solicitor claims to represent PPL or come from PPL, it’s a scam.
(We may occasionally send an employee or contractor to your door to talk with you about work taking place on or near your property. They won’t try to sell you anything.)
– If you choose to discuss your energy use with the solicitor, cover the part of the bill with your PPL Electric Utilities account number. For security, account numbers should not be posted in public places or shared with others.
– We recommend that our customers visit the Pennsylvania Public Utility Commission’s website at PAPowerSwitch.com before signing any energy contract with a competitive supplier. You may be able to get a better offer than the one being made by the door-to-door solicitor.
Before signing any contract with a competitive energy supplier, be sure you’re familiar with all terms. Is the rate fixed or variable? Is there a cancellation fee? How long does the contract last? All of these factors can affect whether the deal is right for you.
To see prior You Ask, We Answer posts, click here.
Aug 9, 2016 | Bill Help
As part of our ongoing You Ask, We Answer campaign, we’re answering questions we frequently receive from customers. Here’s a guide on how to shop for energy supply.
I’ve heard that shopping for energy can save me money but I don’t know where to start. How do I shop? And what am I buying?
Here’s how it works:
Most of your monthly bill is made up of two costs – the cost of the energy you use, and the cost of operating and maintaining the delivery grid that brings it to you.
You can choose the company that supplies the energy you use. Or, you can let PPL Electric Utilities buy energy for you. No matter which option you choose, we’ll deliver your energy over our delivery grid, and we’ll continue to provide safe, reliable service.
Many competitive suppliers serve our area, and some offer lower prices for energy supply than we do. You can save money by switching to another supplier that offers a lower price. Almost half of our customers have switched.
We pass on the cost of supplying energy, without any markup or profit, to the customers who choose to buy it from us. So it doesn’t hurt us financially if you choose to sign up with another supplier. In fact, we encourage you to look for better offers. Many of our own employees shop.
You can see all available offers at www.PAPowerSwitch.com, a website operated by the state Public Utility Commission. You’ll also see our current price for energy – called the price to compare – which you can use to evaluate other offers.
If you decide to shop, we urge you to look at all terms of the deal. Is the rate fixed or variable? Is there a cancellation fee? What is the length of the supply contract? All of these things can affect whether a deal is right for you.
To see prior You Ask, We Answer posts, click here.
Jan 11, 2016 | Energy Efficiency
Another winter. Another polar vortex. Another round of high electric bills?
Not necessarily. There’s plenty of opportunity to manage your home energy use and keep your bill under control. In fact, you could say the coldest snaps offer the biggest chances to save.
Here are some tips on how to save energy and money during this cold week, and during cold weeks to come:
– Heating is the average home’s single biggest energy expense, so improvements here can make a real difference. Try to set your thermostat at 68 degrees, and use a programmable thermostat to turn down the heat when everyone is asleep or out and about.
– Make sure the hot-air vents in your home are open and free from obstruction, so you get all the heat your furnace is churning out. (Kids, especially, have a knack for dropping stuff on top of the vents and leaving it there.)
– It’s best to get your heating system inspected and tuned up for maximum efficiency before cold weather arrives. But, if you haven’t done it yet, you can still get it done, to save energy the next time Canada decides to send us a bulk shipment of arctic air.
If it’s too late to get a full tuneup, you can start by replacing your furnace filter so your furnace doesn’t have to work as hard.
– Simple, quick steps that can keep hot air inside your house include installing special insulators inside electrical outlets and weather-stripping doorjambs.
– If you only want to warm up a small area, a portable heater might be a more efficient choice than cranking up the thermostat. Be sure to use these heaters safely, keeping them away from curtains and furniture and turning them off when you no longer need them.
– Since the cost of generation supply makes up the largest portion of most bills, you can save by buying your electric supply from a competitive supplier. Check out PAPowerSwitch.com to see other offers available to you. Remember to check out the terms of each offer, such as whether the rate is fixed or variable, and whether there are cancellation fees.
We invest in our delivery system year-round to keep it reliable at times like this – replacing old equipment, installing smart grid technology and trimming trees. We had no major system issues from last year’s cold weather and we’re aiming for the same performance this year. If you do have an outage at any time, please report it by calling 1-800-DIAL-PPL (342-5775) or online at pplelectric.com/outage.
Finally, if you or someone you know is concerned about paying their electric bills, you can find out more about our payment assistance programs online, or call 1-800-DIAL-PPL and talk with a customer service representative between 7 a.m. and 10 p.m.
Nov 25, 2014 | Energy Efficiency
Last winter, many customers on variable-rate plans for their generation supply faced high bills, resulting from a combination of high usage during the prolonged cold weather and volatile market prices.
We suggest a three-step plan to help customers avoid paying more than they have to for electricity:
1. Use energy wisely
We have many low-cost and no-cost tips to help you save energy. They include turning the thermostat down, if you can. Heating accounts for more than 30 percent of an average home’s energy bill. Turning the thermostat down about 1 degree saves about 2 percent on your heating bill, while turning it down 5 degrees saves about 10 percent. Also, seal your house against drafts, and have your ductwork checked for air leaks.
2. Shop for electricity
Shopping for everything from groceries to gasoline is part of almost every family’s routine. So why not shop for electricity, too? The Pennsylvania Public Utility Commission has a website that makes shopping easy: PAPowerSwitch.com.
3. Shop smart
Customers have two choices when they shop for their electricity: fixed rate and variable rate. If you have a variable rate, it means the price you pay per kilowatt-hour can change anytime, based on factors like weather and market conditions. A fixed-rate plan offers pricing stability for a defined period of time. There are many fixed-rate offers below PPL Electric Utilities’ price to compare — the rate PPL Electric Utilities charges customers who don’t shop.
Even if you’re already on a fixed-rate plan, it’s a good idea to check the terms and expiration date of your supply agreement. Sometimes fixed-rate plans automatically shift to variable-rate plans when they expire.
As with any purchase you make, it’s always good to double-check what you’re buying, and know the terms of your energy contract and the price you’ll pay this winter.
No matter where you buy your electricity, it will still be delivered safely and reliably by PPL Electric Utilities.
