ALLENTOWN, PA — PPL Electric Utilities has filed a request with the Pennsylvania Public Utility Commission (PUC) for a distribution rate increase, its first since 2016. If approved, the rate hike would add approximately $13 a month to the bill of a typical residential customer using 1,000 kilowatt-hours (kWh) per month, representing about a 7% increase.
The Allentown-based utility company stated that the requested increase is necessary to fund an estimated $300 million in investments. These funds will be used for significant upgrades to the electric grid, including strengthening infrastructure to better withstand increasingly severe weather events, implementing advanced smart-grid technologies to prevent outages and speed up restoration times, and improving customer service systems.
The proposal comes as the utility looks to modernize its aging infrastructure and enhance reliability for its 1.5 million customers. The PUC will now review the request, and if approved, the new rates are expected to take effect in July 2026.