Press Release

PUC Schedules Additional June Public Input Hearings for $510 Million Electric and Natural Gas Rate Increases Proposed by PECO Energy Company

Published on 5/24/2024

Filed under: Electric Gas

Philadelphia In-Person Hearings and Telephonic Hearings Added to Allow More Customers and Other Concerned Parties to Offer Input on Impact of Proposed Rate Increases

HARRISBURG – The Pennsylvania Public Utility Commission (PUC) announced the scheduling of additional hearings in June to gather public input on the request by PECO Energy Company (PECO) to increase rates for electric and natural gas distribution services – including two hearings on June 12^th in Philadelphia, along with two telephonic hearings on June 13^th. 

Additional PUC Public Input Hearings

In-person hearings have been scheduled for the following:

• Wednesday, June 12 – Philadelphia
  Hearing #1 starts at 1 p.m.
  Hearing #2 starts at 6 p.m.
  Free Library of Philadelphia (Montgomery Auditorium)
  1901 Vine Street
  Philadelphia, PA, 19103
  
  

Telephonic hearings are scheduled for the following:

• Thursday, June 13
  Telephonic hearing #1 will begin at 1 p.m.
  Telephonic hearing #2 will begin at 6 p.m.
  
  

PUC Administrative Law Judges Marta Guhl and Darlene D. Heep will preside over the public input hearings.

NOTE: These new hearings are in addition to previously announced public input hearings on June 6 and June 10 in Delaware and Chester counties.

Registering for the Telephonic Hearings

If you wish to testify at the telephonic public input hearing, you must pre-register with the PUC’s Office of Administrative Law Judge (OALJ) by 4 p.m. on June 12, 2024. 

To pre-register, contact the OALJ by phone at 215-560-2105 or by email to sdelvillar@pa.gov and provide the following:

• Your first and last name.
• The date (June 13, 2024) and time (1:00 P.M. or 6:00 P.M.) of the public input hearing you wish to attend.
• The phone number you will be using to call into the public input hearing.
• A phone number where you can be reached prior to the hearing if it is necessary to contact you.
• Your address.
• Your email address if you have one.
• If you require an interpreter to participate in the hearing, the language of the interpreter.

NOTE: Pre-registration is not required to testify at an in-person public input hearing. There will be a sign-up sheet in the hearing room.

Requests for Interpreters

If you require an interpreter, please contact the OALJ as soon as possible. If you contact OALJ too close to the hearing date, there may not be enough time to arrange for an interpreter. If you request an interpreter, every reasonable effort will be made to have one present.

Hearing Exhibits

If you have any hearing exhibits to which you will refer during the hearing, please email them to OALJ at sdelvillar@pa.gov.  The OALJ will forward the exhibits to the judges and all parties.

• Exhibits for the public input hearing on June 12 must be received by Tuesday, June 11.
• Exhibits for the public input hearing on June 13 must be received by Wednesday, June 12.

If you have any questions, please do not hesitate to contact the OALJ at 215-560-2105 or sdelvillar@pa.gov.

Offering Testimony at a Public Input Hearing

The PUC offers tips on how to participate in a public input hearing, including:

• Prepare what you are going to say beforehand. Even though it is not required, you may want to write out your statement, which can be read.
• Any formal testimony that is offered during the hearing will become part of the record on which the PUC will issue its final decision.
• Understand that parties in the case may want to ask you a question to clarify something you said.
  
  

PECO Rate Increase Requests

PECO provides electric distribution service to approximately 1.7 million customers in Southeastern Pennsylvania and portions of York County, as well as natural gas distribution service to more than 552,000 customers in southeastern Pennsylvania.

For electric distribution services, PECO is requesting an annual overall electric rate increase of approximately $464 million. PECO is also proposing a one-time credit of $64 million, resulting in a net electric rate increase of $399 million (25.1%) in 2025.  As proposed, the total monthly electric bill for a residential customer using 700 kWh would increase by $16.67 from $135.85 to $152.52 (12.3%) in 2025.  In 2026, the total monthly bill for a residential electric customer would increase by an additional $2.70.

For natural gas distribution services, PECO is proposing an annual increase of $111 million (23.1%).  As proposed, a PECO residential natural gas customer using 80 Ccf per month will increase from $97.98 to $114.13 per month (16.5%).

A final PUC decision on PECO’s rate increase requests is due by Dec. 27, 2024.

About the PUC

The Pennsylvania Public Utility Commission balances the needs of consumers and utilities; ensures safe and reliable utility service at reasonable rates; protects the public interest; educates consumers to make independent and informed utility choices; furthers economic development; and fosters new technologies and competitive markets in an environmentally sound manner.

Visit the PUC’s website at puc.pa.gov for recent news releases and video of select proceedings. You can also follow us on X (formerly Twitter), Facebook, LinkedIn, Instagram, and YouTube. Search for the “Pennsylvania Public Utility Commission” or “PA PUC” on your favorite social media channel for updates on utility issues and other helpful consumer information.

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Docket Nos.:
R-2024-3046931
R-2024-3046932

Contact:

• Nils Hagen-Frederiksen
  Press Secretary
  717-418-2701
  nhagen-fre@pa.gov
• David Hixson
  Deputy Press Secretary
  717-772-2766
  dhixson@pa.gov