Category: General

Met Ed, short for Metropolitan Edison Company, is the regulated utility that delivers power to homes and businesses in a large portion of southern and southeastern Pennsylvania. The company is a subsidiary of First Energy and serves over 570,000 customers in the state. The company is committed to providing reliable and affordable electricity to its customers while also promoting sustainability in its operations. Its generation portfolio includes both fossil fuel and renewable resources. Its transmission and distribution networks are among the largest in the country.

Since Pennsylvania deregulation in the late 1990s, Met Ed electric rates have risen and fallen with changing energy prices. Many electricity suppliers now offer rates lower than those charged by the utility. Consumers can save on their Met Ed bills by choosing a competitive electricity supplier to take control of the supply portion of their utility bill. They can still rely on Met Ed for delivery, maintenance and emergency response.

Before Pennsylvania energy deregulation, the electricity industry was dominated by local utilities that owned and operated their own generating stations. These generating companies would then transmit their electricity over high-voltage transmission power lines to Met-Ed’s electrical switch yards, and from there the electricity was distributed to consumers across Met-Ed’s controlled grid. The Met-Ed electric rates were established through a process of auctions held by the Pennsylvania Public Utility Commission. The current Met-Ed electric rates include a charge for generation and a charge for transmission.

In recent years, the number of Met-Ed electricity options has increased significantly. More than half a million residential customers in the Lehigh Valley now have the opportunity to shop for alternative electric supplies. These independent energy suppliers are able to offer a wide variety of plans with different features and price structures. Many of these offers are available at rates much lower than the default generation rate (PTC) set by Met-Ed for those who do not select a PTC provider.

Purchasing electricity from a competitive provider can be as simple as filling out an online form to start service. A few days later, customers will receive an email confirmation from their new supplier and a letter from Met-Ed detailing the change to their bill. The competitor’s supply rate will replace the transmission and generation charges on the Met-Ed bill.

As the PA electricity choice market continues to evolve, savvy shoppers are finding that they can save by switching providers. This is possible because of the competition in the industry. There are now more than 100 retail electricity providers in the state, with plans that vary widely in price, terms and quality. Some may even provide green electricity. The best way to find out what is available in your area is to visit the official Pennsylvania power switch website, PA Power Switch. This site allows you to compare hundreds of offers from both the major electricity suppliers and smaller niche providers. If you have questions about comparing Met-Ed electricity rates or the PA electric choice market, the site’s helpful experts are available by phone or live chat.