Pennsylvania's average residential electricity price was 20.3¢/kWh in February 2026 —
the 13th-highest price of the 51 states+DC (EIA). Across its major utilities in 2024, average all-in rates ranged from
16.2¢/kWh at PECO Energy to
21.7¢/kWh at Duquesne Light Co — a spread worth about
$602/yr at typical usage (10,800 kWh/yr).
Pennsylvania lets households choose their electricity and natural-gas supplier (the supply portion only — details below).
For home heating, utility natural gas was the cheapest fuel at
$13.97 per million BTU vs $59.50 for electric resistance heat.
Residential rates by utility (EIA-861, average all-in ¢/kWh)
| Utility | 2023 ¢/kWh | 2024 ¢/kWh | Customers (2024) | Ownership | vs state avg, $/yr |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Borough of Chambersburg | 10.49 | 11.95 | 9,914 | Municipal | -$570 |
| Citizens Electric Co | 17.41 | 13.63 | 5,958 | Investor-owned | -$389 |
| Somerset Rural Elec Coop, Inc | 13.52 | 13.96 | 12,322 | Co-op | -$353 |
| Adams Electric Cooperative Inc | 14.17 | 14.42 | 32,231 | Co-op | -$303 |
| REA Energy Coop Inc | 14.56 | 14.53 | 20,932 | Co-op | -$291 |
| Bedford Rural Elec Coop, Inc | 13.88 | 14.55 | 8,837 | Co-op | -$290 |
| Valley Rural Electric Coop Inc | 15.01 | 14.87 | 18,180 | Co-op | -$255 |
| Northwestern Rural E C A, Inc | 14.30 | 15.58 | 18,190 | Co-op | -$178 |
| PECO Energy | 16.18 | 16.16 | 1,205,013 | Investor-owned | -$115 |
| Wellsborough Electric Co | 20.05 | 16.45 | 5,158 | Investor-owned | -$84 |
| PPL Electric Utilities | 19.55 | 16.99 | 797,773 | Investor-owned | -$26 |
| Central Electric Coop, Inc | 17.05 | 17.03 | 23,629 | Co-op | -$22 |
| FirstEnergy Pennsylvania Electric Co | — | 17.37 | 1,464,054 | Investor-owned | +$15 |
| Claverack Rural Elec Coop Inc | 18.05 | 18.25 | 16,742 | Co-op | +$110 |
| UGI Utilities, Inc | 18.68 | 18.93 | 54,485 | Investor-owned | +$183 |
| Tri-County Rural Elec Coop Inc | 20.78 | 20.08 | 18,206 | Co-op | +$308 |
| Duquesne Light Co | 22.07 | 21.74 | 434,171 | Investor-owned | +$487 |
Average price = residential revenue ÷ residential sales from each utility's federal EIA-861 filing (bundled service — supply + delivery + riders, not a quoted tariff rate). State average = 17.23¢/kWh, volume-weighted across these utilities (2024). Your distribution utility is fixed by address; these gaps measure what households in different territories actually paid. A further 86 competitive suppliers / solar lessors report energy-only or behind-the-meter sales in Pennsylvania; their prices cover only part of the bill and are not comparable to the all-in figures above.
Can you choose your electric company in Pennsylvania?
Electric supply choice: yes · Gas supply choice: yes
Electric choice (PAPowerSwitch, PTC per EDC) and gas choice (PAGasSwitch) statewide.
How to switch suppliers in Pennsylvania (3 steps)
- Find the price to compare (default supply rate) on your utility bill — you only save when an offer beats it for the same period.
- Compare licensed supplier offers on the state's official shopping site: papowerswitch.com. Check term, early-exit fees, and whether the rate is fixed or variable.
- Sign up with the supplier — they handle the switch. Your utility still delivers the power, owns the wires, and responds to outages; only the supply line of the bill changes.
Heating: which fuel is cheapest per million BTU in Pennsylvania?
| Fuel | Native price | As of | $ per MMBTU |
|---|---|---|---|
| Utility natural gas | $1.397 /therm | Feb 2026 | 13.97 |
| Propane | $3.083 /gal | Mar 30, 2026 | 33.71 |
| Heating oil (No. 2) | $5.160 /gal | Mar 30, 2026 | 37.26 |
| Electricity (resistance) | 20.30 ¢/kWh | Feb 2026 | 59.50 |
Utility natural gas is the cheapest heating fuel in Pennsylvania at $13.97/MMBTU — heating oil costs 2.7× as much per BTU. Conversions: 1 kWh = 3,412 BTU; 1 therm = 100,000 BTU; heating oil 138,500 BTU/gal; propane 91,452 BTU/gal. Site-energy prices — appliance efficiency changes delivered-heat cost: a 95% AFUE gas furnace delivers heat near the gas figure, while a heat pump at seasonal COP 2.5–3 cuts the effective electric figure by 60–70%.
Electricity price trend, last 12 months
Pennsylvania's average residential price went from 18.00¢/kWh in Feb '25 to 20.30¢/kWh in Feb '26 — up 13% year-over-year. The 12-month peak was 20.49¢ in Oct '25.
| Month | Feb '25 | Mar '25 | Apr '25 | May '25 | Jun '25 | Jul '25 | Aug '25 | Sep '25 | Oct '25 | Nov '25 | Dec '25 | Jan '26 | Feb '26 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| ¢/kWh | 18.00 | 18.42 | 18.96 | 19.29 | 19.69 | 19.51 | 19.93 | 20.46 | 20.49 | 20.16 | 20.08 | 20.19 | 20.30 |
Head-to-head utility comparisons in Pennsylvania
- FirstEnergy Pennsylvania Electric Co vs PECO Energy — who's cheaper?
- FirstEnergy Pennsylvania Electric Co vs PPL Electric Utilities — who's cheaper?
- PECO Energy vs PPL Electric Utilities — who's cheaper?
- FirstEnergy Pennsylvania Electric Co vs Duquesne Light Co — who's cheaper?
- FirstEnergy Pennsylvania Electric Co vs UGI Utilities, Inc — who's cheaper?
- PPL Electric Utilities vs UGI Utilities, Inc — who's cheaper?
Questions people ask
- Who has the cheapest electricity in Pennsylvania?
- PECO Energy, at an average 16.2 cents per kWh for 2024 among Pennsylvania utilities with at least 50,000 customers (EIA-861). The most expensive, Duquesne Light Co, averaged 21.7 cents — a difference of about $602 per year at 10,800 kWh.
- Can I choose my electric company in Pennsylvania?
- You cannot choose the utility that delivers power — that is set by your address. Pennsylvania does allow residential supply choice: you may buy the supply portion from a licensed competitive supplier if it beats your utility's price to compare. The official shopping site is papowerswitch.com.
- Is gas or electric heat cheaper in Pennsylvania?
- Per million BTU of site energy, utility natural gas was $13.97 (Feb 2026) versus $59.50 for electric resistance heat, $37.26 for heating oil. A heat pump delivering 2.5-3 units of heat per unit of electricity brings electric heating to roughly $20-24 per MMBTU.
- What is the average electric bill in Pennsylvania?
- At Pennsylvania's February 2026 average price of 20.30 cents/kWh and typical usage of 900 kWh per month, a household pays about $183 per month ($2192 per year) for electricity. Actual bills vary with usage, utility territory, and tariff.
About these numbers. Rates shown are averages computed from federal regulatory filings (EIA Form 861)
and public tariff databases — confirm with your utility before making decisions; your actual rate depends on your tariff,
usage, and riders. Distribution utility is determined by address and generally cannot be chosen; in retail-choice states
you may choose your supplier for the supply portion of the bill. Savings figures use 10,800 kWh/yr
(US average residential usage) and are estimates, not quotes. EnergySavings is an independent data project by CertiHomes
and is not affiliated with any utility, supplier, or government agency.