PECO Bills Will Increase By 6 Percent This Winter

PENNSYLVANIA — PECO customers in Pennsylvania will see pricier electric bills starting this winter after a rate increase was approved by the state last week. The move is needed to fund improvements to PECO's infrastructure and efforts to lessen the utility's environmental impact.

The average customer will now pay 6.6 percent more than they were paying before, per month. For the typical resident who uses about 700 kWh throughout the course of a month, this means that their bill would increase from $100.29 to $106.95.

The changes will go into effect on Jan. 1, 2022.

It's actually a significantly lower increase than PECO had requested from the Pennsylvania Public Utility Commission. The original request from PECO had been a 9.6 percent increase.

The new scheme will afford PECO an additional $132 million in net revenue for their operating costs. The utility company says the increase is needed to fund improvement projects across southeastern Pennsylvania, including efforts to lessen environmental impact.

As part of the agreement with the PUC, PECO committed to two programs to encourage the adoption of electrical vehicles. The company will provide $1 million to a "transit charging program" to support infrastructure for electric buses. They've also set aside $500,000 for grants to offset vehicle charging ports around the region, particularly in low income areas.

"I believe electric utilities play a key role in supporting the prudent development of the EV marketplace," Gladys Brown Dutrieuille, chair of the PUC, said in a statement. "I commend PECO and the Settling Parties for the inclusion of these programs."

PECO serves 1.7 million residents of Bucks, Chester, Delaware, Montgomery, Philadelphia, and York counties.