By Jordan Watts
Summer is here and so are new electricity rates for Pittsburgh residents serviced by Duquesne Light Company. The utility company’s rate increase went into effect on June 1, 2025 raising the price for energy by over 15%. While these new electricity rates were approved by the Pennsylvania Public Utility Commission (PUC) that doesn’t mean they’re the most cost effective for consumers. Many Duquesne Light Company customers can avoid the significant increase by shopping for an alternative supplier.
The new Price to Compare (PTC) for residential customers in Duquesne Light’s service area (including cities like Pittsburgh) will spike to 9.7093 cents per kWh, over 15% higher than the previous rate of 8.4472 cents per kWh for the generation portion of your bill. In light of the recent increases, Duquesne Light has stated that residential customers will see an average increase of $9 per month on their electricity bills.
Pro Tip: Remember that the PTC only covers the cost of the electricity itself; it doesn’t include distribution, transmission, or customer service fees. These subsidiary fees remain regulated or set by your local utility provider.
Duquesne Light Company, along with many other utility companies across the state of Pennsylvania, are increasing their electricity rates for a number of reasons. Most notably, increases in demand on the grid have created a surge in capacity costs– as demonstrated by an 833% increase in pricing at last summer’s PJM Interconnection capacity auction. PJM Interconnection manages the grid for Pennsylvania and a handful of surrounding states.
Capacity refers to the costs associated with ensuring there’s enough power generation available to meet the area’s electricity demands, especially during extreme weather. The capacity cost increase means a 10-20% increase in Pennsylvania residential electricity bills and up to a 29% increase for businesses starting in June 2025.
On top of this, the cost of natural gas is rising– meaning the cost of electricity generation in the area is climbing. Coupled with investments in upgrading and maintaining the electricity grid, the price of power is adding up. However, since these investments are necessary to ensure reliability of the electricity grid and prevent outages, the costs are unfortunately being passed through to customers.
Duquesne Light Company customers have a couple of options available to compare competitive electricity suppliers and shop for a fixed-rate plan to avoid PTC fluctuations:
Operated by the Pennsylvania Public Utilities Commission, the PA Power Switch website offers a comprehensive marketplace with hundreds of competing energy offers. While this may provide a vast array of choices, it’s often overwhelming to navigate and find plans that fit your specific needs.
EnergyBot has helped thousands of customers just like you find the right electricity plan for their home or business. With over a thousand 5-star reviews, we’re committed to helping you find exactly what you need. Use our guided shopping flow to narrow down plans to those that fit your needs best– whether that’s the cheapest electricity rates, superior customer service, or green options.
Pro Tip: These plans use energy bought on the wholesale market, at wholesale prices, often resulting in greater savings for your home or business. All providers are reviewed by EnergyBot to ensure you receive the best bang for your buck.
It’s no surprise that significant increases in electricity bills can create financial strain for many folks, especially as it’s getting hot out. To help, Duquesne Light Company offers several programs so that customers in need can receive proper aid.
The Low-Income Home Energy Assistance Program, also known as LIHEAP, is a federally funded program that provides cash assistance to eligible low-income households to help pay for essential heating and cooling bills. Each state has different guidelines, but you can find more information on their resources here.
This program offers eligible low-income consumers a reduced monthly bill, based on your income and energy usage.
Duquesne Light Company can, and will, work with customers to set up flexible payment plans to manage past-due balances. To learn more about these programs and determine if you’re eligible after the recent rate changes, you can visit their website or contact them directly.
Pro Tip: To prevent disruptions in service, make sure that you act quickly in anticipation of any difficulties paying your energy bill. The sooner you can request assistance, the more likely you are to receive the necessary tools.
While the recent rate spike will certainly impact household budgets, most Pittsburgh residents can mitigate the cost by taking proactive steps to reduce energy usage and decrease the cost of electricity. By taking advantage of resources, like EnergyBot, to review alternative electricity suppliers you can make an informed decision about your energy costs.
