PPL to Raise Rates for Residential Customers
What is the PPL Rate Increase?
Many Central Pennsylvania residents are about to be affected by a PPL rate increase that will take place beginning June 1, 2013. The local company stated that the average residential customer will see a $7 increase on their utility bill. The increase of 13.7% for PPL residential customers will increase the price per kilowatt-hour by one-cent.
Wait there’s more…
PPL also announced that beginning July 1st, 2013 their customers will also be paying an additional charge on their electric bill in order to generate revenue for replacing old, damaged, and deteriorating utility poles, substations, power lines, and other aging equipment. The additional fee was approved by the PA legislature and the Public Utility Commission.
How can you ease the pain of an increase?
There are various ways for you to lessen the strain on your wallet when the local power companies raise rates or add fees to your utility bills. One great way to alleviate the pain of ever-increasing bills is to visit www.papowerswitch.com and shop around for the best electric supplier for your usage needs. PPL actually encourages their customers to check out the PA Power Switch website and choose the best power supplier for your homes needs and electric usage times.
There are many more great steps you can take to avoid raising energy costs. Many of these ideas are easy to implement yourself and usually are affordable solutions. Check out the list below.
- Install LED lights – You probably switched your old standard incandescent bulbs over to the “curly” CFL bulbs within the last few years. Hopefully you noticed some energy savings from doing this! But now there’s a new kid on the block, the LED light bulb. LED light bulbs can save you even more on your average utility bills and can last longer than CFL & Incandescent bulbs.
- Replace Your Old Air Conditioner – With the hot summer months bearing down on us, you are bound to run your air conditioner more to keep yourself comfortable. This means your electric bills are about to jump for the next few months, especially if you own an old, inefficient air conditioner. By having a new air conditioner installed in your home, you will be able to keep comfortable without fighting yourself over where the thermostat is set.
- Install Energy Efficient Windows – New windows can be a great addition to your home, especially if you are concerned about energy savings! New energy efficient windows are a great way to keep your home comfortable and stylish year round.
- Install timers or occupancy sensors – “Are you done in this room? Can you turn the lights off?” If these questions are too common around your home (I know they are at my home), you should consider having a professional electrician install timed switches or occupancy sensors in your home to help turn off lights when they are accidentally left on.
Consider a Solar Energy System – Solar panels are becoming more and more efficient every day and they are becoming more attractive too. We just installed new high output all black solar panels on a customer’s home near Hershey with great results. The panels are very attractive with all black frames and cells. Solar panels are becoming more aesthetically pleasing and much more powerful than ever before.
Consider a Solar Energy System – Solar panels are becoming more and more efficient every day and they are becoming more attractive too. We just installed new high output all black solar panels on a customer’s home near Hershey with great results. The panels are very attractive with all black frames and cells. Solar panels are becoming more aesthetically pleasing and much more powerful than ever before.The fact is our utilities and daily necessities aren’t (usually) getting any more affordable, so it makes sense to become more aware and conscious about your energy and resource consumption. It can start with something simple like replacing your light bulbs with LED bulbs, to more progressive solutions such as high efficiency air conditioning systems, solar installations, and geothermal heat pumps.
What’s the next step?
There are tons of solutions out there for saving energy and many of them you may be able to do yourself or with a little advice from your local hardware store. If you are looking to take your energy savings to the next level and have a high efficiency HVAC system or solar installed, call us today at 717.254.4555 and we’ll get one of our experts to your door!
Still Interested in Solar?
Check out a recent installation of the new X Series Pure Black panels from SunPower! Solar Installation Video.
Read more about natural gas rate increases in Central Pennsylvania
