Shop for Electricity and Natural Gas in the Penn Power Footprint

About Penn Power

Penn Power's history starts at the foundation of the first Pennsylvania Power Company in 1904 in Ellwood City. Through mergers and buy-outs, the company expanded through out the state's western counties. Then in 1944, Ohio Edison acquired all of Penn Power's outstanding common. Later in 1997, Ohio Edison merged with Centerior Energy Corporation to form FirstEnergy. Today, Penn Power distributes electricity to more than 160,000 customers. And it continues to give back to the community through its charitable programs like the FirstEnergy Foundation, the Community Connections Program, or supporting education through its STEM Grant.

Penn Power Service Territory

Penn Power distributes electricity to more than 160,000 customers in some or all of these western Pennsylvania counties:

Allegheny	Beaver	Butler
Crawford	Lawrence	Mercer
Venango

Penn Power serves these cities:

Butler

Ellwood City

Grove City

New Castle

Pittsburgh

How to Start New Penn Power Service

Starting a service with Penn Power is easy and convenient. Simply Fill out their online Start Service form. Processing the request usually takes around 2 days, and you will receive an email confirming the start date. If you'd like to start your service with Penn Power sooner, you can contact them through the Penn Power Contact Center.

You'll need to give the following information when you apply for service:

• Name
• Date of birth
• The service Addres
• Phone number
• Desired start date
• Social Security number

Will I need to pay a deposit?

All Pennsylvania electric utilities can charge a deposit based on a customer's credit worthiness. The amount cannot be greater than two months of estimated usage. Customers have 21 days after the utility sends the deposit request notification to make a payment. However, customers have three months to pay the full deposit.

Penn Power will do a soft credit check to determine if you will need to pay a deposit.

Tip -- Don't forget to unfreeze your credit! If any major credit agencies hold a frozen credit account for you, they need to be temporarily unfrozen before you submit your service request.

If based on your credit history, Penn Power determines that a security deposit is necessary, they will notify you in writing within 3 business days. They'll also include the specific reason why they're requesting a deposit.

Not all customers must pay a security deposit, and in some instances, the security deposit may be waived.

Customers can contact Penn Power customer service at 1-800-686-0021 or via the Penn Power Customer Service webpage.

Understand Deregulation in Pennsylvania

When Pennsylvania deregulated its energy market in 1997, customers were allowed to shop around for their electricity supplier, rather than be bound to the local utility rate. Under PA deregulation, utility companies like Penn Power Power that wanted to participate in the consumer choice market were obliged to sell off their generators, becoming distribution companies instead.

To protect energy customers from service disruptions the PA PUC requires PA utilities to provide electricity supply at a default rate without mark up to customers who choose not to shop for a retail supplier.

These utility default rates are also called the "Price to Compare" or PTC. These default rates are overseen and must be approved by the PA PUC.

What is the difference between Penn Power and a retail electricity supplier?

The primary difference between Penn Power and an electricity supplier is that Penn Power owns and maintains the distribution network in its service area. This includes all of substations, poles, lines, and meters that bring electricity to your home.

Customers should contact Penn Power when they have a problem with their billing or cannot pay the amount due according to their monthly statement. In case of an emergency or outage, Customers should also contact Penn Power at at 1-888-LIGHTSS (1-888-544-4877) or through the FirstEnergy current electric outages webpage.

Lastly, Penn Power is the "last resort" supplier if your supplier stops serving customers in PA. This way, your electricity service will not be interrupted if your supplier leaves the state.

What are Penn Power delivery and supply charges?

Pennsylvania residential customers now pay separate charges for the cost to deliver their electricity and for the amount of electricity supply that they use.

Because Penn Power owns and maintains the distribution network, all electricity customers must pay a fixed distribution charge (sometimes called a "tariff"). This way, all Penn Power customers pay the same distribution rate (depending on their service class) no matter which supplier they have.

Utility distribution rates are overseen by the PA PUC and can periodically change. Assuming an average usage of 864 kWh per month, the Penn Power distribution portion of a monthly bill could look like this:

	Rate of $0.03487 per kWh	Monthly Customer Charge	Total
Monthly Distribution Charges (excluding riders)	$30.13 for 864 kWh Used	$7.44	$37.57

The supply charge is the amount you pay for the electricity that you actually use. Penn Power customers may choose the "Price to Compare" (PTC) for their electricity supply. However, PA consumers can also choose to buy electricity from competitive retail electricity suppliers.

Retail electricity suppliers purchase energy from generator companies on the wholesale markets. They then sell this power to their customers to use. Rates vary between competing retail suppliers and this acts as an incentive for companies to keep their prices as low as possible. Customers can switch to a new retail supplier at any time but may incur an early termination fee if they break a contract with a retailer.

What is the Penn Power Price to Compare (PTC)?

The Price to Compare is the price the utility pays generator companies for electricity. It includes the price to generate the electricity, as well as the cost to transmit it over high voltage transmission power lines to Penn Power's local electrical switch yards. From there, the electricity is distributed throughout the Penn Power grid and delivered to businesses and homes.

Penn Power sets its PTC rates by holding auctions 4 times per year: March 1, June 1, September 1, and December 1. auctions are over, the PA PUC must approve the prices for both the generation supply and transmission. As a result, Penn Power's PTC rates change every three months.

For customers, PTC electricity rates fluctuate throughout the year and can vary with the seasons; low some months, and higher during others.

Understand your Penn Power Bill

Your Penn Power bill includes a substantial amount of information that may be confusing to customers. But understanding your bill can give you great insight into your usage and rates. To help you better understand, we break down the most important bill items below.

Penn Power Sample Bill

Penn Power Coupons, Energy Promotions, Discounts, Rebates and Promo Codes

As your local electric utility, Penn Power offers several rebate and energy efficiency programs to help customers reduce their monthly bill by upgrading their home's energy performance. Some programs also offer money-saving incentives while others could make paying your monthly bills much easier during those expensive winter months.

Program Name	Program Type	Benefit
Appliance and HVAC Rebates Program	Energy Efficiency Rebate Program	Penn Power and FirstEnergy customers can take advantage of rebates on ENERGY STAR certified appliances and HVAC systems. You can earn rebates on energy-efficient washers, dryers, refrigerators, freezers, and dehumidifiers within a $25-75 range. You can also earn $50 rebates on system tune-ups and up to $600 on a new HVAC system if you work with a participating HVAC contractor.
Appliance Turn-In Program	Energy Efficiency Rebate Program	FirstEnergy customers residing in Pennsylvania can earn $50 by recycling their old working fridges and freezers. Plus, you can also save money on your electric bill. Refrigerators and freezers must be 10 to 30 cu. ft., plugged in, and operating (cooling) at the time of the scheduled pickup. You must own the appliance(s).
Energy Efficient New Homes	Energy Efficiency Rebate Program	Energy efficient homes not only reduce energy costs but also increase comfort. The Pennsylvania Energy Efficient New Homes Program provides financial incentives for construction of more energy-efficient single-family, multifamily and manufactured homes.
Home Energy Analyzer	Energy Efficiency Rebate Program	The First Energy Home Energy Analyzer isn't just useful. It's also free! Just register online with your account number and zip code, and get personalized advice on how you can save with your energy usage.
Residential Energy Audit Program	Energy Efficiency Rebate Program	FirstEnergy customers can take advantage of the low-cost Home Energy Audit Program. A certified energy auditor will conduct a full inspection of your home, and identify areas of improvement. They'll install energy-saving products at no additional cost, and recommend upgrades that can save you money on your energy bill.
Lighting Discounts and Water Heating Rebates	Energy Efficiency Rebate Program	As a FirstEnergy customer, you can get a discount on qualified ENERGY STAR certified light bulbs. And you can also receive a $500 discount on qualified heat pump water heaters at participating retailers.
Penn Power Payment Arrangements	Bill payment assistance	Residential customers can arrange to pay their Penn Power account balance in monthly installments. These are billed along with your current monthly charges, and both must be paid in full and on time. Payment arrangements depend on your balance, income, household size, and history of prior payments. Contact customer service to find out more.
WARM Program	Residential Energy Efficiency	This program helps eligible customers access weatherization and energy conservation for their homes. Customers must be using over 375 kWh of electricity per month to qualify.
Medical Certificate	Bill payment assistance	A medical certificate delays termination of service for up to 30 days if you or anyone living in your home is seriously ill. A licensed physician, physician's assistant or nurse practitioner must notify Met-Ed in writing.
LIHEAP Cash and Crisis Grants	Bill payment assistance	This program offers bill payment assistance to qualifying residential customers whose household income is, or falls below, 150% of the Federal Poverty Level. Applications are usually open from early November to Early April.
Dollar Energy Fund	Bill payment assistance	Penn Power partners with Dollar Energy Fund to provide help to limited-income households. The maximum grant you can receive from this program is $500. You are eligible to receive one grant for your Penn Power electric account each program year.
Penn Power Customer Assistance & Referral Evaluation Service (CARES) program	Bill payment assistance	This bill payment assistance program is open to Penn Power customers in financial hardship. Call Universal Services Center at: 1-888-393-7600.
Pennsylvania Customer Assistance Program (PCAP)	Bill payment assistance	PCAP helps residential customers avoid service termination and repay any overdue balance over time. To apply, customers will need to supply the following information: Income information, including source of income, for all household members. Names, social security numbers and birth dates for all household members. Participants are billed approximately the same amount each month in order to manageably reduce their debt. Apply through the Dollar Energy Fund.

How to Shop for Retail suppliers

Retail electricity suppliers in PA can strike different deals on the wholesale electricity market than utilities companies can, and their rates are not controlled in the same way. This gives PA shoppers access to a number of different rates, plan lengths, and types. Therefore, their rates are not dictated by Pennsylvania Public Utility Commission (PA PUC) the same way that utilities are.

While Penn Power's PTC rates change every 3 months, the PTC provides a useful baseline figure for electric rates. This makes it a useful tool for assessing the value of plans offered by retail suppliers by providing a price for a set period of time to compare with retailer's prices. This way, you can compare the relative costs of electricity over both the short term and long term.

When you're shopping for retail suppliers, you can choose a fixed rate, or a variable rate plan.

• Variable rates change often to reflect market prices, which means your monthly bill will fluctuate. Typically, variable rate plans only last one month and do not have a contract. However, their rates can fluctuate monthly; low some months, higher in others.
• Fixed rate plans will charge you the same rate throughout the course of your contract. That can save you money because a fixed-rate contract can protect customers from seasonal PTC rate hikes. You can secure this rate for anything between 3 and 36 months. However, if you need to terminate the contract early you will usually need to pay an exit fee. That's why it's essential to carefully consider which type of electricity plan is right for you.

Electricity retailers offer a wide range of different plans to suit different customers. Some suppliers offer plans with renewable energy sources or other greener options such as investing back into solar or wind energy. Additionally, keep an eye out for any kind of perks or deals you may be able to take advantage of. Some retailers may offer reimbursement in the form of gift cards, discounts, or specialty pricing if conditions are met.

Be aware that the Penn Power PTC rate changes 3 times per year. Depending on when your supplier contract expires, this means the PTC has very likely changed since last time you shopped for an energy deal. Keep this in mind, because you can make big savings by picking the cheapest price for your energy!

Penn Power Shopping Questions

When you're comparing retailer rates to PTC rates, you need to keep more in mind than just the price. The best way for a PA energy customer to avoid making a bad choice is to ask the right questions. When you shop for electricity service in Pennsylvania, always be sure to ask these important questions:

• Is the rate variable or is it fixed?
• Is the rate competitive with the current Penn Power supply rate?
• How long is the contract?
• Does the plan's contract term last longer than Penn-Power's PTC rate?
• Are there any recurring monthly charges?
• Are there any restrictions on the rate being offered? These can be things like new customers only, active military only, seniors only, etc.
• Does the plan have an early cancellation fee?
• Are there any incentives or rewards programs? Do they fit your lifestyle?
• Does the contract automatically renew? If so, what are your options?

Compare Current supplier Rates!