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PPL Explains Higher Energy Prices, Will ‘Cooperate Fully’ With PUC Investigation Into Billing Issues | WDIY Local News

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Pennsylvania Public Utility Commission

A major electric company says it will cooperate with a state regulatory commission’s investigation into issues with abnormally high bills. WDIY’s Sarit Laschinsky has more.

On Jan. 31, The Pennsylvania Public Utility Commission announced that it had started an investigation into the circumstances surrounding the unusually high bills sent by PPL Electric Utilities.

According to a release, the commission is also looking into the accuracy and integrity of PPL’s billing practices.

The matter is being investigated by the commission’s independent Bureau of Investigation and Enforcement, which enforces Pennsylvania’s public utility code and PUC regulations.

PPL said it will fully cooperate with the PUC in its investigation.

The utility company issued a letter to customers last week apologizing for the high bills, which PPL said reflected estimated electricity usage and were caused by a technical issue that has since been fixed.

The utility said it has corrected customers’ bills, and taken additional steps such as waiving late fees.

In a follow up statement, PPL said that separate from the billing issue, higher energy prices have been the primary driver of higher energy bills, and that prices increased sharply over the past two years.

The company said this includes a Dec. 1 increase to its default, which reflects PPL’s cost to buy power for customers who do not shop for their electricity supply.

PPL said it passes this cost on to customers at no profit to itself. The company also encouraged customers to visit www.papowerswitch.com to shop for better electricity supply deals.

The PUC encourages customers to contact PPL with concerns about the size and accuracy of their bills, and to work with the utility.

The commission also said consumers who do not believe PPL has responded appropriately to their situation, cannot reach PPL agents, or do not receive a response from the utility should contact the PUC Bureau of Consumer Services at 1-800-692-7380 to report these issues.

(Original air-date: 2/8/23)

Sarit "Siri" Laschinsky was WDIY's News and Public Affairs Director until 2023.
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