If you live where you are allowed to pick an electricity supplier, one number on your bill now does a lot of work. In late May, PhillyVoice reported that PECO’s price to compare “is increasing to 11.76 cents per kilowatt-hour” starting in June, and that only “PECO customers who receive default supply, rather than purchasing their energy from a supplier, will be impacted.”
That second detail is the whole point of this guide. When grid costs move, the price to compare is where default-service customers feel it first, and it is also the yardstick for judging any supplier pitch that shows up in your mailbox or at your door.
Where it stands: PJM, the regional grid that includes Pennsylvania, said in July that its latest capacity auction “was the third consecutive auction with the price collar,” again clearing at the cap. WHYY reported that capacity prices from earlier record auctions “will continue to phase in June 1,” which is part of why default rates in the region have been climbing.
What the price to compare actually is
Pennsylvania’s utility commission runs a shopping site, PAPowerSwitch, with a plain definition: “The price to compare (PTC) is the price per kilowatt hour (kWh) your electric distribution company will charge.” It covers the supply of electricity only, not the poles and wires.
That matters because, as the same site notes, “generation supply costs make up most of an average electric bill.” Delivery charges stay with your local utility no matter who supplies the power, so a supplier can only ever beat the supply portion.
The federal Energy Information Administration explains why the supply number moves: residential prices “include other expenses such as transmission and distribution upgrades, capacity market auction prices in some regions, among other expenses.” In the PJM states, those capacity auction prices are the part tied to the data center debate. WHYY listed the pressures on PECO’s rates as “increasing power demand on the regional grid driven by data centers, more widespread use of electricity for cars, heating and manufacturing, and utility investments in infrastructure and extreme weather preparedness.”
How to find yours in five minutes
You do not need a spreadsheet for this. Grab your most recent bill and work through these steps.
Step 1: Find the supply section. Look for words like “supply,” “generation” or “energy charge.” Delivery or distribution charges are a separate block.
Step 2: Look for the price to compare. Many utilities in shopping states print it right on the bill. If yours does not, check the utility website or your state commission’s shopping site, or call the number on the bill and ask for it.
Step 3: Note when it changes. Default rates reset on a schedule. Ask the utility, or check its rate page, for the next reset date so you are not comparing an offer against a number that is about to move.
Step 4: Write down your usage. The kWh figure for the last few months tells you how much any difference in supply price actually matters for your household.
Lining up a supplier offer against your price to compare
The comparison only works when both numbers measure the same thing. PAPowerSwitch says that “when asked, the competitive supplier also will provide you with a PTC, allowing you to make an apples-to-apples comparison on price for the generation portion of your bill.” Its advice, word for word: “Be sure to ask how long the price is effective.”
| Question to ask | Why it matters |
|---|---|
| Is the rate fixed or variable? | Variable rates can rise with the market |
| How long is the term? | Fixed prices end; what follows may differ |
| Is there a cancellation fee? | Leaving early can cost money |
| Any monthly fee? | A fee can erase a lower per-kWh price |
| What happens at renewal? | Doing nothing may move you to a new rate |
The Pennsylvania commission also requires suppliers’ contract summaries to carry a “plain language” statement “that the supply price may not always provide savings to the customer.” Take that at face value. A supplier offer is a bet on where wholesale prices go, and nobody, including us, can promise how that bet turns out.
Fixed vs. variable: the fine print that bites
A fixed rate, per the commission’s shopping site, “will remain the same for at least three billing cycles or the term of the contract, whichever is longer.” The catch is the ending. “Unless you act prior to the expiration date in your contract, your rate may change to a monthly variable rate.” The site also warns that “long-term fixed price contracts may have cancellation fees.”
Variable rates carry a different risk. The commission notes that “wholesale electric prices may increase dramatically during extreme weather,” and a variable plan can follow those prices up. With PJM auctions clearing at the cap three times running, that is not a theoretical concern in the region.
Renewal notices are your safety net if you read them. Pennsylvania says customers “will receive two renewal notices before your contract expires – one 45-60 days prior and the other 30 days prior.” Put the contract end date in your phone calendar the day you sign.
If you already switched, or want to go back
Pennsylvania’s rules give shoppers a few escape hatches:
- “Switching back to your electric distribution company comes with no cost,” according to PAPowerSwitch, though your supplier’s own cancellation fee may still apply.
- Per the same site, “early cancellation fees do not apply in the last 30 days of your contract,” so that window is a natural time to shop.
- The commission’s Standard Offer Program “offers 7% below the EDC’s price to compare at the time of enrollment,” and participants “can cancel anytime – even before their one year term ends.” It is not everywhere: the commission says “at this time, the Standard Offer is available in PECO, Met-Ed, Penn Power and West Penn Power territories.” The discount is measured against the price to compare on the day you enroll, so it is not a promise about later bills.
Other shopping states have their own rules on switching back, fees and notices, so check your state commission’s site before you sign or cancel anything.
When the price to compare is not the problem
Sometimes the supply rate is fine and the bill is still too high. If usage is the issue, our roundup of electric bill discounts to ask for before the cold months and our look at time-of-use electricity plans cover the other side of the ledger. If paying is the issue, see our guide to shutoff protections and LIHEAP. For the bigger picture on why grid costs are moving, read what data centers mean for electric bills.
For a sense of scale on the PECO change itself: the utility said a typical residential customer using 700 kilowatt-hours a month would see the bill rise “by $4.94 per month — a 3.1% increase,” from June 1. That is one utility’s estimate for one usage level, and PJM reminds customers that “wholesale costs make up a portion of retail electricity bills.”
Frequently Asked Questions
What does price to compare mean on my electric bill?
It is the rate your utility charges for the electricity supply itself, usually shown in cents per kilowatt-hour. It does not include delivery charges. A supplier offer is only cheaper if its per-kWh supply price is lower than this number for the months you will actually be on it.
Where do I find my price to compare?
Many utilities print it on the bill, often near the supply or generation charges. If yours does not, it is usually on the utility website or the state commission shopping site, and the utility can tell you by phone.
Does my price to compare change?
Yes. Utilities reset their default supply price on a schedule set by the state, and those resets reflect wholesale costs. PECO, for example, raised its price to compare in June 2026.
Is it risky to sign up with an electricity supplier?
It can be if you skip the fine print. Variable rates can rise with the market, fixed rates can roll into variable rates when the term ends, and some contracts charge cancellation fees. Read the contract summary and note the end date.
Can I go back to my utility after switching suppliers?
In Pennsylvania, the state commission says returning to your utility for default service costs nothing, though your supplier contract may carry its own cancellation fee. Rules differ in other states, so check with your commission.
Sources
- Some PECO customers’ bills will increase in June. Here’s why — PhillyVoice, May 22, 2026
- PECO bills will rise by about $5 on average starting June 1 — WHYY, May 29, 2026
- PJM Capacity Auction Procures 138,318 MW of Generation Resources as Work Continues To Address Growing Electricity Demand — PJM Interconnection (news release), July 14, 2026
- Short-Term Energy Outlook — Electricity, Coal, and Renewables — U.S. Energy Information Administration, October 6, 2026
- Understanding Your Bill — PAPowerSwitch (Pennsylvania Public Utility Commission), accessed October 21, 2026
- Fixed, Variable and Unlimited Rates — PAPowerSwitch (Pennsylvania Public Utility Commission), accessed October 21, 2026
- Understanding Contracts — PAPowerSwitch (Pennsylvania Public Utility Commission), accessed October 21, 2026
- Standard Offer Program — PAPowerSwitch (Pennsylvania Public Utility Commission), accessed October 21, 2026
This article is general consumer information, not financial advice. Rates, bills and programs vary by utility and state and change over time; check your own utility and state regulator for current figures.
