YORK, Pa. — Update, 10 a.m. (Feb. 1): PPL Electric Utilities issued the following statement in response to the PUC's investigation:
As PPL Electric Utilities shared in a letter to customers yesterday, energy prices have risen sharply over the past two years. This included a December 1increase in our default rate for electricity supply, also known as our price to compare.
Higher energy prices have been the primary driver of higher energy bills, and PPL Electric’s default rate reflects our cost to buy power for customers who don’t shop for electricity supply. We pass this cost on to customers at no profit to us.
While we don’t control the price of electricity supply, we continue to share steps that customers can take to potentially save money and manage their electric bills. This includes encouraging customers to visit www.PAPowerSwitch.com to shop for a better deal on electricity supply.
Separate from higher prices, a significant number of PPL Electric Utilities customers recently received bills reflecting estimated electricity usage. This was caused by a technical issue that temporarily prevented our billing system from accessing data collected by our meters. We have since fixed this issue.
Given an unusually large number of estimated bills sent in late December, we are taking steps to support our customers. We are waiving late fees for January and February. Any late fees already charged to customers in January will be credited to their accounts. We will not shut off power for non-payment from now through March 31. We are adding more agents to our Call Center to address customer calls regarding their electric bills, and we continue to offer payment plans and assistance for customers who are struggling to pay their bill.
Estimated bills sent in recent weeks were based on historical electric usage. If customers’ bills were based on estimates that wound up being higher or lower than their actual usage, we have adjusted their next bills so they only pay for the electricity they use.
We will cooperate fully with the Pennsylvania Public Utility Commission in their investigation.
Previously
PPL is continuing to face backlash after customers faced unexpected price hikes on their electric bills. The increased prices were caused when the company charged people for an estimated bill amount, rather than an actual meter reading.
“My normal electric bill is $150, $200 with the recent inflation," said Logan Sterling from Mechanicsburg. "All of a sudden, I get a bill that says I owe $515.”
Sterling said he's frustrated after spending six hours on hold with PPL today while trying to get answers on why his electric bill had increased.
“[PPL] literally took out the whole day and I still have zero answers," said Sterling.
Robyn Hodgson from Akron says her sudden price hike forced her to purchase her medication using a credit card.
“It’s just too much with everything that’s going on with the high prices," said Hodgson. “They don’t seem to care about the effect on real people with real lives, who need to pay for medication, who need to eat, who need to take care of their families.”
The Pennsylvania Public Utility Commission (PUC) has launched a comprehensive investigation into the circumstances surrounding unusually high bills received by PPL Electric Utilities customers.
In a press release, the office stated that they will also investigate the accuracy and integrity of PPL's billing practices.
The matter has been referred to the PUC's independent Bureau of Investigation and Enforcement for investigation, which enforces the state public utility code and PUC regulations.
In addition to the investigation, the Commission continues to encourage customers to contact PPL with concerns about the size and accuracy of their bills.
Customers who believe that PPL hasn't addressed their issues or believe that the utility has not responded appropriately to their situation should contact the PUC's Bureau of Consumer Services (BCS) at 1-800-692-7380.
Additionally, customers who are unable to reach PPL agents or do not receive a response from PPL should contact BCS to report those issues.