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The Energy Age

Tag: utilitybills

  • SKYROCKETING Utility Bills in Pennsylvania

    theenergyage

    Utility bills are going up.

    Pennsylvania’s consumer advocate wants to bring rates down to earth.

    By Anya Litvak | Pittsburgh Post-Gazette | April 28, 2024 excerpt

    Southwestern Pennsylvania residents are paying some of their highest utility bills ever and are bracing for further increases next year.

    Both electric utilities that serve the region — Downtown-based Duquesne Light and West Penn Power, a subsidiary of Akron-based FirstEnergy Corp. — have filed for rate hikes in the past few months. Duquesne is asking for what would amount to a 6.5% rise in the average monthly residential bill. West Penn Power’s proposal calls for a 10.6% increase.

    • Duquesne Light 6.5%
    • West Penn Power 10.6%
    Note: Supply charges only make-up part of the total utility bill.

    “Costs are outrageous for consumers. People can’t pay their bills. Period.”

    Patrick Cicero, Pennsylvania’s consumer advocate
    Note: Supply charges only make-up part of the utility bill, which amounted to 18% of the total bill in May 2023.

    And North Shore-based Peoples Natural Gas and Columbia Gas of Pennsylvania, which is part of the Indiana utility conglomerate NiSource Inc., also have filed for increases, starting next year. Peoples’ request, if granted, would add between 7.6% and 21.4% to monthly bills, depending on which division of the company serves the customer. Columbia is proposing a 15.9% hike.

    • Peoples 7.6% to 21.4%
    • Columbia 15.9%