PECO Abandons Proposed Utility Rate Hike Amid Rising Political Pressure
Philadelphia, Friday, 17 April 2026.
Yielding to executive pressure, PECO abruptly withdrew its utility rate hike. This critical reversal prevents a $510 million cost burden for 1.7 million Pennsylvania consumers amid ongoing affordability challenges.
The Mechanics of the Withdrawn Proposal
On March 31, 2026, PECO filed two formal requests with the Pennsylvania Public Utility Commission (PUC) to increase utility rates [1][2]. The proposal, which was slated to take effect in January 2027, targeted a 12.5 percent increase for residential electricity customers and an 11.4 percent increase for natural gas users [1][2]. In practical terms, this would have raised the average monthly electricity bill by $20.08 and the natural gas bill by $14.52, resulting in an approximate combined monthly increase of $34 for dual-service households [1][2].