More than 360,000 electricity customers in western Pennsylvania will see a 16.8% increase on their West Penn Power electric bills this summer. West Penn Power, a electric utility company who services around 550,000 residential power consumers, will increase their generation supply rate from 5.386 cents to 6.29 cents. The substantial electric rate increase will only apply to those West Penn Power customers who have not shopped the competitive marketplace for lower power rates. These customers pay a default rate for power supply known as the Price to Compare.

Electricity customers can avoid this price increase by finding a low electric rate offered by a competitive supplier. Through Pennsylvania electricity choice, when a customer chooses to buy their power from a competitive supplier the competitive rate replaces the utility price to compare. West Penn Power, formerly known as Allegheny Power, has had low default price compare rates over the last two years that has kept the overall switch rate in the area below 30 percent. However, with the default rate now poised to increase by almost 17 percent, the number of West Penn Power shoppers is expected to increase exponentially.

When shopping for lower electric rates in West Penn Power, make sure that the rate is an apples to apples comparison to the West Penn Power price to compare. The rate should include generation, transmission, the gross receipts tax (GRT), and should not have any additional monthly fees or switching fees.