Pennsylvania customers see electric utility bills rise

• Some areas of the state will see service price spikes as high as 46%.

The big picture: Rising costs for both generating power and natural gas are pushing prices up for customers, said Greg Smore, a spokesperson for PECO Energy, which serves nearly 1.7 million customers in Philadelphia and the surrounding suburbs.

• Natural gas is the primary source of generating electricity in the region, and prices are soaring nationwide as inventories decline and the war in Ukraine fuels uncertainty, Axios' Nathan Bomey reports.

Between the lines: Residential customers will see the price increases tacked onto the "price to compare" (PTC), which accounts for the energy usage and averages roughly 50% of a total utility bill.

• Utility companies adjust this price on a quarterly or biannual basis.

Zoom in: PECO's electric charges increased by 8.1% — the smallest increase in the state.

• The increase will account for a roughly $5 increase per month, Smore said.

By the numbers: Other companies reported the following increases, according to PUC:

• UGI Electric: 45.7%.
• West Penn Power: nearly 45%.
• PPL Electric (which covers parts of Bucks, Chester, and Montgomery counties): 38%.
• Penelec: 35.4%.
• Met-Ed: 16.1%.