Summer utility bills are expected to swell as temperatures jump into the 90s over the next week in Western Pennsylvania.
But while some energy experts believe the cost for electricity will rise by as much as 8% in the northeastern U.S., local energy providers suggest year-over-year utility costs actually may drop.
The National Energy Assistance Directors Association predicted cooling costs will be the highest they’ve been in 10 years, with the national average cost of cooling a home from June through September projected to be $719 — up from $661 during the same period a year ago.
But Todd Meyers, senior communications representative at West Penn Power, said Pennsylvania is known as a shopping state when it comes to electricity. For customers who do not shop for electricity on their own, energy companies like West Penn purchase electricity for customers through an auction process regulated by the Pennsylvania Public Utilities Commission.
There is always a fixed rate, but what changes every six months is the price to compare. Meyers said West Penn Power’s rates dropped by 12% on June 1 from 10 cents per kilowatt-hour to just under 9 cents.
According to the Public Utility Commission, eight of 10 electric distribution companies saw their rates fall in June.
“Our (price to compare) rates right ahead of summer have dropped,” Meyers said.
The typical West Penn Power residential customer who uses 750 kilowatt-hours per month would see their monthly bill fall from $111.78 to $102.68, year over year.
Duquesne Light’s rates ahead of summer went up 0.7%, from 10.46 to 10.53 cents per kWh.
Mandy Welty Zalich, CEO of Westmoreland Community Action, a nonprofit that provides assistance and guidance to families struggling financially, said that they anticipate increases in electricity bills as the summer months approach. Two summers ago, bills increased by 40% to 50%, she said.
Zalich said that as clients use the majority of their financial resources to keep up with utility bills in the summer, they request more assistance in other areas, such as child care, health care and transportation assistance. The increased need for support in other areas creates a cascade of financial strain for community organizations.
“The spiral continues when folks make those choices. It leads to a systemic problem,” Zalich said.
Keeping cool
Akshaya Jha, a climate expert and an associate professor of economics and public policy at CMU, said that choosing not to use air conditioning in the summer months is a serious safety risk.
“Definitely stay safe and turn on the air conditioning if needed,” Jha said. “There is evidence of heat waves and nonuse of air conditioning … leading to increased mortality or increased hospitalizations from heat-related issues.”
With the electric bill spike a common summer season problem for residents of Westmoreland, Meyers suggests customers sign up for budget programs and follow energy-saving tips.
With the energy assistance directors’ report anticipating a price increase across the nation, Meyers said he can’t pinpoint why exactly West Penn Power’s cost has dropped.
On top of variability in rates, Meyers said a customer’s bill will vary based on a variety of personal factors, such as individual usage, house size, insulation and the age and type of cooling equipment.
“There’s a lot of assumptions to be made. You can see an overall picture, but everyone’s experiences are different,” Meyers said. “There’s not an exact trend.”
Despite the lower rates for electric bills at West Penn Power, Meyers said climate change continues to impact utility bills in a myriad of other concerning ways.
“The weather has been getting more severe and has been more violent in the past few years,” Meyers said.
Intense storms
Jha said that while rising temperatures can be associated with rising cooling costs, extreme weather conditions also are a factor.
“Most people think of increases in temperature, but there’s also increased incidences of extreme weather,” Jha said. He used the winter storm that blew through Texas in 2021 as an example.
During intense storms, power poles often come down, which leave people out of power and can impact future rates. Meyers also points to increased closures of power plants. As global temperatures rise, he asks what gaps we might see in energy sources in the future.
“It’s hard to predict what people will spend less on,” Jha said. He said many researchers believe agriculture will be heavily influenced by climate change, impacting the price of seasonal produce and farm-raised meats. For low-income energy consumers, increased climate change and cooling costs may push households to sacrifice one essential service in order to pay for another.
“A lot of our folks have seen continued rising costs with support services, and it’s hard to balance it all out,” Zalich said. “Sometimes, people will opt to pay utility bills and not pay something else. The requests we get may look unrelated, but they are because folks are having to choose what to pay.”
When it comes to saving money on electric bills, Meyers reminds customers that they are not boxed into their own provider. Pennsylvania residents can use the Pennsylvania Public Utility Commission’s website to find an offer that works best for them.
There also are practical ways of saving energy when temperatures get too high. Jha said that turning off the air conditioning when leaving the house can be an easy way to save money and electricity.
“You can’t control the weather, but you can control what’s in your control,” Meyers said.