Short-Lived? PECO Sees Return to Declining Residential Migration

After seeing the number of residential electric customers on competitive supply increase for the first week in several months, PECO has seen a return to declining residential migration, according to the latest stats from the Pennsylvania PUC.

Specifically, from August 28 to September 3, PECO saw the number of residential electric customers on competitive supply decline by 48 accounts, versus last week's growth of 223 accounts.

As previously noted, last week's growth was apparently driven by the start of PECO's customer referral program.

However, the current weekly migration report for PECO includes the Labor Day holiday, and the timing of switches, especially those executed through the customer referral program, may have been impacted. Specifically, the customer referral program relies on referrals from PECO's non-emergency call center, which is typically open Monday through Friday from 8 a.m. to 5 p.m. and Saturday 9 a.m. to 1 p.m. It was unclear if the non-emergency call center operated on Labor Day. But if not, it would explain a drop in customer referrals.

Duquesne Light also continues now to see a weekly loss in residential migration, with residential shopping declining by over 430 accounts in the most recent week.

Statewide, from about August 29 to September 4 (reporting date varies slightly by utility), Pennsylvania saw residential electric shopping increase by an aggregate of about 4,600 accounts, versus growth of 4,100 accounts a week ago.

Specifically, from about August 29 to September 4 (report date varies slightly by utility), the weekly growth (loss) in residential electric customers on competitive supply at each EDC was:

Duquesne Light         (433)
Met-Ed                  785
PECO                    (48)
Penelec                 495
Penn Power              706
PPL                   2,073
West Penn Power       1,056

Link to 9/4 Weekly Migration Report

Link to Matters' comparison of 8/28 stats and 9/4 stats