PENNSYLVANIA (WETM) – With cold weather already upon us, officials in Pennsylvania are reminding people who pay for their heat about ways to tackle their higher winter bills.

The Pennsylvania Public Utility Commission released a reminder to customers saying that the main parts of their monthly bills come from delivery/distribution charges (cost for operating and maintaining wires, poles, and pipelines), and generation/supply charges (cost of electricity or natural gas).

Applications for Low-Income Home Energy Assistance Program opened on Nov. 1 and can provide money for the 2022-23 winter season’s heating bills. Applications for LIHEAP and other assistance programs can be found here.

PUC also provided tips on how customers can manage their bills and usage:

  • Pay attention to the thermostat: every degree of change could impact the cost by up to 3%
  • Have your furnace serviced
  • Insulate and seal leaks around your home
  • Install or repair ceiling fans in high-traffic rooms
  • Consider resetting your water heater thermostat

PUC also announced that several utility companies are adjusting their Prices to Compare (PTC) starting December 1:

  • Citizens Electric, up from 9.3667 cents to 12.2259 cents per kWh (31%);
  • Duquesne Light, estimated increase from 9.36 cents to 11.25 cents per kWh (20.2%);
  • Met-Ed, up from 9.397 cents to 10.303 cents per kWh (10%);
  • PECO, up from 8.508 cents to 9.855 cents per kWh (15.8%);
  • Penelec, down from 10.021 cents to 9.889 cents per kWh (-1%);
  • Penn Power, up from 10.348 cents to 10.511 cents per kWh (2%);
  • Pike Co. Light & Power, Dec. 1 PTC not finalized – currently at 12.8994 cents per kWh;
  • PPL, up from 12.366 cents to 14.612 cents per kWh (18%);
  • UGI Electric, no PTC change on Dec. 1 from the current 12.903 cents per kWh;
  • Wellsboro Electric, up from 9.592 cents to 12.816 cents per kWh (34%); and
  • West Penn Power, up from 8.306 cents to 8.517 cents per kWh (3%).
  • Columbia Gas of PA, up from $0.32613 to $0.7457 per therm (128%);
  • National Fuel Gas, down from $0.9038 to $0.8778 per Ccf (-2.9%);
  • PECO, down from $0.8346 to $0.8179 per Ccf (-2%);
  • Peoples Natural Gas Co., down from $8.713 to $8.1342 per Mcf (-6.6%);
  • Peoples Gas Co. LLC, down from $8.713 to $8.1342 per Mcf (-6.6%):
  • Philadelphia Gas Works (PGW), down from $0.9381 to $0.8999 per Ccf (-4.2%):
  • UGI Utilities, up from $0.85979 to $0.86063 per Ccf (1%); and
  • Valley Energy, up from $0.41748 to $0.82047 per Ccf (96.5%).