Green Shoots? Two Pennsylvania Utilities See Growth in Residential Shopping

Two Pennsylvania electric distribution companies are now seeing an increase in residential shopping, but most service areas continue to see a decline, according to the June 11 stats on PA Power Switch.

Due to default service rate hikes, and in some cases significant hikes, at most of the major utilities on June 1, the next few weeks will provide an important insight regarding the long-term damage to the Pennsylvania retail market from the polar vortex. Due to the time it takes for switches to be executed, any growth prompted by the June 1 rate hikes (which were not confirmed until late May), will not likely be seen en masse until late June or early July.

However, at least two utilities are now seeing residential electric shopping growth -- Met-Ed and Penn Power

However, this is tempered by PPL, which saw a surprise (although modest) default service rate hike on June 1, seeing a tripling of its weekly loss in residential shopping versus the immediately prior week.

From about June 5 to June 11 (reporting date varies slightly by utility) the weekly change in the number of residential customers on competitive supply was:

Duquesne Light         (566)
Met-Ed                  194
PECO                   (860)
Penelec                (212)
Penn Power               85
PPL                  (1,586)
West Penn Power        (225)

For reference, from about May 29 to June 4 (reporting date varies slightly by utility) the weekly change in the number of residential customers on competitive supply was:

Duquesne Light         (907)
Met-Ed                 (266)
PECO                   (501)
Penelec                (387)
Penn Power               20
PPL                    (433)
West Penn Power        (447)