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his handbook describes what Electric Choice is about and explains what you need to know to shop for electricity.
Under Pennsylvania law, all electricity customers in the state can choose the company that generates their electricity. This means you can buy your electricity from any number of competing suppliers. That electricity still will be delivered to you over existing wires by PPL Electric Utilities.
You can shop by price. You can shop based on your environmental priorities. Or you can shop for a company that offers special services.
How will this benefit you?
You may save money. Your savings will vary depending on which supplier you choose and on how much electricity you use.
Inside this handbook:
• Components of
your bill
• Questions and answers
about
Electric Choice
• Consumer protection
checklist
• Energy-saving tips
• Shopper’s worksheet
T
This information is part of PPL Electric Utilities’ effort to help you learn more about Electric Choice and become an informed electricity consumer. PPL Electric Utilities delivers electricity to 1.3 million customers in 29 coun-ties of eastern and central Pennsylvania.
1. Generation Many Suppliers
2. Transmission
PPL Electric Utilities 2. Distribution PPL Electric Utilities
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2
3
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What are you
shopping for?
Generation.
Generation: Making electricity.
Transmission: Moving electricity from where it’s made to the wires that supply your neighborhood.
Distribution: Delivering electricity to your home or business. With Electric Choice, you may shop for the company that makes the electricity you use, just as you shop for other goods and services.
Whether or not you choose a new electric generation supplier, you can count on PPL Electric Utilities to continue delivering safe, reliable electric service to your home or business.
Electric Choice is easier to understand when you picture the three steps involved in getting electricity to your home or business.
PPL Electric Utilities
PRIOR BILLING
Total from last bill
$61.25 Payment receiv ed Jan. 15 - Thank-You! -61.25 Balance as of Jan. 2 9, 1999 $0.00
Charges for Electric Gener
ation Supplier Generation: 700 KWH at .xx c ents per KWH x.xx Transmission: 700 K WH at .xx cents per K WH xx.xx
Total Generation S
upplier Charges
$xx.xx
Charges for Electric Dis
tribution Company Distribution: Customer Char ge x.xx 700 KWH at .xx c ents per KWH xx.xx Transition Char ge: 700 KWH at .xx c ents per KWH xx.xx
Total Electric Dis
tribution Company Char
ges xx.xx
Pa. Tax Adjustmen
t Surcharge
xx.xx
TOTAL ELECTRIC BILL
$xx.xx
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Parts of your bill under
Electric Choice
(This example is for a customer who has selected a new electric generation supplier, and receives one bill from PPL Electric Utilities.*) FOR YOUR INFORMATION Next meter reading on or about Feb 26 Questions about this bill?
Please contact us by Feb 19 For: John Doe 100 Main Street Anytown, PA 00000 Customer Service 123 Main Street. Anytown, PA 12345-67892 1-800-555-5555
Customer Charge: The monthly charge to cover PPL Electric Utilities’ basic costs for billing, metering and meter reading.
Distribution Charge: The price for delivering elec-tricity to your home or business.
Transition Charge: A charge on every customer’s bill to cover an electric utility’s transition or stranded costs, as allowed by the Public Utility Commission. These costs are not new; they have always been part of your bill. (Transition costs are those costs a utility would have been able to collect in a regulated environment
but will not be able to collect in a competitive environ-ment.)
Your Customer Number Use when calling or writing
12345-67890
PRIOR BILLING
Total from last bill
$61.25 Payment receiv ed Jan. 15 - Thank-You! -61.25 Balance as of Jan. 2 9, 1999 $0.00
Charges for Electric Gener
ation Supplier Generation: 700 KWH at .xx c ents per KWH x.xx Transmission: 700 K WH at .xx cents per K WH xx.xx
Total Generation S
upplier Charges
$xx.xx
Charges for Electric Dis
tribution Company Distribution: Customer Char ge x.xx 700 KWH at .xx c ents per KWH xx.xx Transition Char ge: 700 KWH at .xx c ents per KWH xx.xx
Total Electric Dis
tribution Company Char
ges xx.xx
Pa. Tax Adjustmen
t Surcharge
xx.xx
TOTAL ELECTRIC BILL
$xx.xx
5
700 KWH at .xx cents per KWH
Generation Charge: The amount your electric genera-tion supplier charges for making your electricity.
*If you select a two-bill option, you will receive a bill for Genera-tion and Transmission charges from your electric generaGenera-tion supplier, and a separate bill for your Distribution, Customer and Transition charges from PPL Electric Utilities.
Transmission Charge: The cost of moving electricity from a generating plant to the PPL Electric Utilities distribution system.
When you select an electric generation supplier, that supplier, not PPL Electric Utilities, will bill you for Transmission charges.
Pa. Tax Adjustment Surcharge: A surcharge on your total Distribution charges from PPL Electric Utilities, which reflects changes in various state taxes already included in your bill. This surcharge may change periodically.
For more information, call PPL Electric Utilities at 1-888-668-4775, visit our Web site www.pplweb.com/choice, call the PUC at 1-888-782-3228 or call the Office of Consumer Advocate at 1-800-684-6560.
Why would I want to shop for electricity?
Shopping for an electric generation supplier could save you money, and you may shop for a supplier based on your needs and preferences. Do I have to choose an electricity supplier?
No. If you don’t choose a supplier, PPL Electric Utilities will supply as well as deliver the electricity to your home or business.
What do I need to know to shop? You need your “Price to Compare,” your monthly electricity use and a list of licensed suppliers serving your area.
What is the “Price to Compare?” This is the price per kilowatt-hour you need to compare offers and potential savings from other electric generation suppliers. It represents PPL Electric Utilities’ charges for the generation and transmission part of your electric service. For informa-tion about your “Price to Compare” call PPL Electric Utilities.
Where can I find my electricity use?
You can find it on the front page of your PPL Electric Utilities bill, next to the usage chart.
How do I find out who are the suppliers in my area?
You can get a list of licensed suppli-ers from PPL Electric Utilities. You also can call the Pennsylvania Public 6
Questions and
answers about
electric choice
For more information, call PPL Electric Utilities at 1-888-668-4775, visit our Web site www.pplweb.com/choice, call the PUC at 1-888-782-3228 or call the Office of Consumer Advocate at 1-800-684-6560.
7 Utility Commission (PUC) toll-free at
1-888-782-3228 or visit the Web site at www.utilitychoice.org
For the prices charged by residential suppliers, call the Office of Consum-er Advocate toll-free at 1-800-684-6560 or visit their Web site www.oca. state.pa.us.
How much money will I save? That will depend on how much electricity you use, your “Price to Compare” and the price charged by your supplier.
What if I have questions about my bill?
You should address your questions to the company that sent you the bill. If you choose a new supplier, you may select the option of receiving one combined bill from PPL Electric
Utilities (see pages 4-5). Some suppli-ers may offer you the choice of get-ting two bills – one from the supplier and one from PPL Electric Utilities – or a single bill from the supplier. After I choose a supplier, can I switch again?
Yes, You may switch at any time, un-less you have agreed to other terms with your supplier.
What if my supplier goes out of business or stops serving me? You will not lose your electricity supply. PPL Electric Utilities will immediately resume supplying your electricity.
Will my electricity supply be reliable if I switch suppliers?
Yes. Reliability and safety are high
priorities in Electric Choice. PPL Electric Utilities still is required to maintain a reliable, safe delivery system.
Where do I call if my power goes out?
For PPL Electric Utilities customers, that toll-free number is 1-800-342-5775 (1-800 DIAL PPL).
Will PPL Electric Utilities still provide assistance for low-in-come customers?
Yes. Special payment programs for low-income customers will continue. Call toll-free at 1-800-DIAL-PPL (800-342-5775)
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Consumer Protection Checklis
t
✔ Licensing — Electric generation suppliers must be lic
ensed by the PUC. For the current supplier list you may call PPL Electric Utilitie
s, contact the PUC toll-free at 1-888-782-3228 (1-888 PUC FACT) or visit the PUC W
eb site www.utilitychoice.org
✔ Prices — Be sure you understand how prices are c
alculated. Be sure to ask if the price includes generation, transmission and other charges. Cont
act the Office of Consumer Advocate for detailed price information at 1-800-684-6560 or visit their Web sit
e at www.oca.state.pa.us.
✔ Telemarketers — You may be contacted by telemark
eters. Listen carefully and get all the information you need before you commit to an
y offer. You may want to use the “Shopper’s Worksheet” on pages 10 and 11 to record the information.
✔ Sales contracts — Read them carefully and understand all o
f their terms.
✔ Errors? — Pay close attention to your bill to be sur
e it lists the supplier you chose and the price and terms you agreed to. If it doesn’t, you might ha
ve been switched to a supplier without your permission. (This is called “slamming.”)
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Tips for saving money on your
electric bill
✔ Heating and cooling systems are the lar
gest users of electricity in your home. Seal any air leaks in ducts, and service the unit annually.
✔
During warm weather, you can save 3 to 5 percent on your air-conditioning c osts for every degree you raise the thermo
stat. During the winter, you can reduce energy costs by turning down your thermostat. ✔ Use low-flow shower heads to save thous
ands of gallons of hot water each year and reduce your energy costs. ✔
Insulation — Make sure you have the recommended amount on outside walls and in the at tic.
✔ Major appliances — Buy high-efficienc
y models, and service them regularly. Look for the yellow Energy Guide label on new appliances.
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Shopper’s worksheet
Sample : May 1st John Doe 3.5 cents/ 0.5 cents/ 0.2 cents/ None 10% XYZ Company kwh kwh kwh Supplier Name Date of Talked to Total Price Incentive Est. Savings
Call Generation Transmission Other Bonus on Total Bill
Use this section while shopping to ask questions and record information you get from electric generation suppliers.
Your “Price to Compare” _________________ *
*The “Price to Compare” represents PPL Electric Utilities’ charges for generation and transmission services. Use the price to compare to decide whether or not an offer from an electric generation supplier will save you money. To help you determine your “Price to Compare,” use PPL Electric Utilities’ “Price to Compare” brochure.
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1 or 2 Bill Contract Minimum Energy Used to Community Notes
Option Required Term** Produce Electricity Record
Both Yes 1 year Coal, oil, gas, Education Will send more available days nuclear, renewable programs information in 7
40M 4/06
