Compare Electricity Rates in Pennsylvania

About Duquesne Light Company

Duquesne Light Company is headquartered in downtown Pittsburgh and provides electricity to more than 600,000 customers across southwestern Pennsylvania. Duquesne Light Company holds an exclusive geographic franchise to provide electric distribution services in Allegheny and Beaver Counties, including the City of Pittsburgh, covering a service territory of approximately 817 square miles. Duquesne Light Company provides transmission and distribution service, along with billing, account services, and outage support across its territory.

Duquesne Light Company Electricity Options

Duquesne Light Company delivers electricity to customers within its service territory. Pennsylvania customers served by Duquesne Light Company can also purchase their electricity supply from competitive energy providers. Customers can use Duquesne Light Company’s Price to Compare when reviewing offers from competitive suppliers.

Utility vs ESCO(CPG): What’s the Difference?

Category	Utility	City Power & Gas (CPG)
What they handle	Your utility takes care of getting electricity or natural gas from the local distribution system to your home.	CPG handles the supply of the electricity or gas you use and provides competitive energy pricing with transparent plan options.
Delivery system	The utility remains responsible for the infrastructure that makes delivery possible, including the local poles, wires, and gas pipes.	ESCOs is not responsible for maintaining the delivery infrastructure. Your existing utility continues to manage the poles, wires, and pipes serving your property.
How rates work	If you remain on the utility’s default supply, you receive its standard rate, which is typically adjusted every two weeks in a month as market conditions change.	With a CPG fixed-rate plan, the supply price is locked for the duration of your agreement. Available terms include 3, 6, and 12 months, helping keep the rate from moving with the market during that period.
Available choices	Customers in the utility’s territory generally receive a single standard supply rate when they use the default utility option.	ESCOs offers a range of plans, including 100% renewable options at affordable rates. Customers can choose flexible terms of 3, 6, 9, or 12 months.
Making a switch	Your utility is automatically associated with your address for delivery and default supply when you have not selected another supplier.	You decide whether to move your energy supply to ESCOs. You can also switch back to your previous supplier later without changing or interrupting the utility service that delivers energy to your home.

Energy Deregulation in Pennsylvania

Energy deregulation in Pennsylvania gives customers greater control over their energy supplier. Rather than automatically purchasing electricity or natural gas at the utility’s default rate, customers can choose a supplier that offers a plan suited to their preferences. The local utility still remains responsible for delivering the energy and handling service outages.

The presence of competing suppliers also means customers can compare different plans and pricing instead of depending on a single supply option from the utility. You don’t have to make a switch if you don’t want to. Customers who remain with their utility’s default supply will continue paying the applicable default rate, which changes with movements in the energy market.

CPG provides fixed-rate plans for customers who want their supply price to remain consistent throughout their agreement. Depending on your needs, you can choose a 3, 6, 9, or 12-month term. CPG also offers affordable, renewable-friendly pricing options, giving you different ways to approach your energy supply while planning your costs with greater predictability.

FAQs

1. What areas does Duquesne Light Company serve?

Duquesne Light Company serves more than 600,000 customers in southwestern Pennsylvania, including the City of Pittsburgh and surrounding communities. Its electric service territory covers approximately 817 square miles, primarily across Allegheny and Beaver counties.

Duquesne Light is an electric distribution utility, so its role is to deliver electricity to customers through its local distribution system. The competitive supplier you choose for electricity can be different from the utility responsible for delivery.

2. What does Duquesne Light Company cover if I switch to an ESCO?

Switching to a competitive electricity supplier like CPG changes who supplies your electricity, but Duquesne Light continues to deliver it to your property.

Duquesne Light remains responsible for the utility infrastructure and delivery services, including:

• Maintaining the electric distribution system
• Delivering electricity to your property
• Responding to power outages
• Providing emergency and utility service support

Your physical connection does not change simply because you choose a different electricity supplier.

3. Can I switch back to Duquesne Light Company after choosing an ESCO?

Yes. You can return to Duquesne Light’s default electricity supply service after choosing a competitive supplier, subject to the terms of your supplier agreement. Choosing an EGS is not a permanent change to your utility service.

Before switching back, check your current supplier agreement for:

• Contract length
• Cancellation requirements
• Early termination fees
• Renewal terms

Duquesne Light continues to provide electricity delivery regardless of which eligible supplier provides your electricity supply.

4. Does choosing an ESCO affect my Duquesne Light Company bill?

Yes, it can change the supply portion of your bill, but Duquesne Light’s delivery charges still apply. Your utility continues to deliver electricity through its distribution system after you choose a competitive supplier.

Your bill can be separated into two main parts:

• Supply: the cost of the electricity provided by your chosen supplier
• Delivery: the charges associated with delivering that electricity through Duquesne Light’s system

Duquesne Light’s Price to Compare can be used as a benchmark when evaluating competitive electricity offers. Compare the supplier’s rate and contract terms with the current Price to Compare rather than looking at the advertised rate alone.

5. Why do Duquesne Light Company’s rates change?

Duquesne Light’s Price to Compare can change because the cost of electricity supply changes over time. The Price to Compare is the benchmark used to compare Duquesne Light’s default electricity supply with offers from competitive suppliers.

The important distinction is that the Price to Compare applies to the supply portion of the bill, while delivery charges are separate.

If you are considering a fixed-rate plan, compare:

• Current Price to Compare
• Supplier’s price per kWh
• Fixed or variable pricing
• Contract length
• Cancellation and renewal terms

A fixed-rate plan can keep the contracted supply rate stable during the applicable contract term, but the supplier’s agreement determines the actual terms.

6. My neighbor has a different electricity plan than me even though we’re both with Duquesne Light Company. How is that possible?

That is possible because Pennsylvania allows customers to choose a competitive electricity supplier. Two neighbors can receive electricity delivery from the same utility while purchasing their electricity supply under different supplier contracts.

For example, one household could remain on Duquesne Light’s default supply service while another chooses an EGS such as CPG.

The utility remains the same, but the supply arrangement can differ based on:

• Supplier
• Rate
• Contract length
• Fixed or variable pricing
• Other terms of the customer’s plan

7. If I sign up with a supplier and my rate goes up unexpectedly, is that Duquesne Light Company’s doing?

Not necessarily. If you have chosen a competitive supplier, the supply rate is determined by the terms of that supplier’s agreement. Duquesne Light remains responsible for delivering the electricity, but the supplier controls the pricing terms for the electricity supply you purchased.

If your supply rate changes, check your supplier agreement to see whether you selected a fixed-rate or variable-rate plan and what conditions allow the price to change.

Duquesne Light’s Price to Compare is relevant when you are comparing its default supply service with a competitive supplier. It does not determine the price charged under a separate supplier contract.

8. I’m moving within Duquesne Light Company’s service area. Do I need to redo anything with my energy supplier?

You should contact both Duquesne Light and your electricity supplier when you move, even if your new address is still within Duquesne Light’s service territory. Your utility account is tied to the service location, and your supplier may have its own requirements for transferring or ending your plan.

When moving, check:

• Your supplier’s rules for transferring the plan
• Whether the same rate and contract terms apply at the new address
• Any cancellation or termination requirements
• Duquesne Light’s process for starting service at the new property

Do not assume that a supplier plan automatically transfers to a new address. Confirm it with the supplier before moving.

9. Does it cost anything extra to have Duquesne Light Company deliver electricity from a different supplier?

Choosing a competitive electricity supplier does not mean you need a separate delivery connection. Duquesne Light continues to provide the delivery service because it remains the utility for the property.

However, it would be inaccurate to say that every customer pays exactly the same delivery charge. Delivery charges can depend on the applicable utility rate class and other charges on the account.

The key distinction is:

• Supplier: determines the electricity supply price under your contract.
• Duquesne Light: provides the electricity delivery service.
• Delivery charges: continue to apply according to the applicable Duquesne Light rate and charges.

So switching suppliers changes the supply arrangement, not the utility responsible for delivering electricity to your home.