Commercial electricity in Pennsylvania, without the guesswork.
PA businesses have been able to choose their electricity supplier for years — but most still pay the default rate. We shop vetted suppliers for you and lock in a fixed rate that fits your usage.
Rates checked October 2026
Pennsylvania's commercial average: 14.21¢/kWh
That's the statewide average commercial electricity rate — what PA businesses pay per kilowatt-hour, averaged across utilities, co-ops, and contract types. Source: U.S. Energy Information Administration commercial retail data, via Integrity Energy.
Massachusetts businesses pay 25.64¢/kWh on average — nearly 3x Texas. If you think PA rates sting, New England is another world.
Averages are context, not your price. Your bill depends on your utility, your usage pattern, and your contract — more on that below.
How energy choice works in PA
Pennsylvania deregulated electricity supply in the late 1990s, with choice fully phased in across utilities by the early 2010s. Here's the short version:
Your utility still delivers
PECO, PPL, Duquesne Light, or your FirstEnergy company (Met-Ed, Penelec, Penn Power, West Penn) keeps delivering power and fixing outages. That never changes.
You choose who supplies it
Instead of the utility's default Price to Compare, you can buy your electricity supply from a competing supplier — often at a lower fixed rate.
We do the shopping
We compare offers from vetted suppliers against your actual usage, negotiate terms, and handle the switch. You approve the rate before anything changes.
Your utility, your watch-list
We don't publish per-utility rates — they move too fast for a webpage to stay honest. Here's what to watch at each major PA utility instead:
PECO
Philadelphia region
Your default is the Price to Compare — it resets periodically, and most businesses just drift on it. That's the first number we beat.
PPL Electric Utilities
Central & eastern PA
PPL's default shifts with auction cycles. Compare it against fixed supplier offers before assuming it's fine.
Duquesne Light
Pittsburgh area
A smaller territory where fewer businesses shop — which is exactly why the ones who do often find the best spreads.
FirstEnergy
Met-Ed, Penelec, Penn Power, West Penn
Four utilities, four default rates. If you have sites in more than one territory, you're juggling multiple Price to Compare numbers — we line them up side by side.
Your exact number depends on your utility and your usage — upload your bill and we'll tell you what you're paying and what you should be paying, in one business day.
Why the official average lies (a little)
That 14.21¢ is real EIA data — but it's a statewide average, and averages hide as much as they reveal. It blends municipal utilities and co-ops (not in the choice market at all) with bundled utility rates and competitive supply contracts. It averages corner delis with 24-hour factories.
Treat it as the weather report for Pennsylvania: useful context, not your price. Your price comes down to three things — which utility delivers your power, how and when you use it, and whether you're on the default rate or a competitive contract.
What drives YOUR bill in PA
The Price to Compare trap
Your utility's default rate adjusts periodically. Businesses that never shop are effectively on a variable plan — paying whatever the current default is, with no protection when markets spike.
Capacity and transmission tags
Because PA sits in the PJM grid, part of your bill is set by your usage during a handful of peak hours each year (your PLC and NSPL tags). One unmanaged peak can inflate costs for twelve months.
Auto-renewal clauses
Many PA supply contracts roll over automatically — often onto variable rates. Mark your end date and shop 3–6 months early, not the week it expires.
Demand charges
Larger commercial accounts pay for their highest 15–30 minutes of demand each month. Shifting heavy equipment off peak hours can cut this line item without cutting production.
Two of these deserve their own guides: demand charges, explained — and what happens when your contract expires.
Know your number, not the average.
Upload your bill and we'll tell you your exact rate, when your contract ends, and what you should be paying — free, back to you in one business day.
Upload My BillPennsylvania FAQs
What is the average commercial electricity rate in Pennsylvania?
About 14.21¢/kWh statewide, per EIA commercial retail data (checked October 2026). But that's an average across utilities, co-ops, and contract types — your bill depends on your utility, your usage pattern, and whether you're on the default Price to Compare or a competitive fixed contract.
Why is my commercial rate higher than the Pennsylvania average?
The three usual suspects: you're on the utility default instead of a competitive contract, your demand charges or PJM capacity tags are inflated, or an old contract quietly rolled to a variable rate. A free bill review identifies which one, usually within a business day.
Which utility delivers my power in Pennsylvania?
Check the delivery section of your bill. In most of the state it's PECO, PPL Electric Utilities, Duquesne Light, or a FirstEnergy company — Met-Ed, Penelec, Penn Power, or West Penn Power. Your delivery utility never changes when you switch suppliers; only the supply rate does.
Do I have to switch electricity suppliers in Pennsylvania?
No — switching is optional. If you don't choose, your utility (PECO, PPL, Duquesne Light, etc.) supplies your electricity at its default service rate, called the Price to Compare. But that default rate changes periodically and is rarely the cheapest option for a business.
Will my power go out if I switch suppliers?
No. Your utility still delivers the electricity, maintains the lines, and restores outages. Only the supply portion of your bill changes — the company name on the supply line and the rate you pay.
What are capacity charges on my Pennsylvania commercial bill?
Pennsylvania is in the PJM grid, which charges for capacity based on your usage during peak hours (your PLC tag) and transmission based on a separate peak (your NSPL tag). For many businesses these charges rival the energy itself — and managing them is a big part of what we do.
How far in advance should I shop for a new rate?
Start 3–6 months before your contract ends. That gives time to compare real supplier offers instead of rushing into whatever's available the week your contract expires — which is when most businesses overpay.
Paying the PECO or PPL default rate?
Send us your bill. We'll show you exactly what you're paying, when your contract ends, and what a fixed rate would look like — free, no obligation.
Get My Free Bill Review