Pittsburgh Post-Gazette: February 15, 2026

 

If you’ve opened your electric bill lately and felt a shock that had nothing to do with static electricity, you’re not alone. Across Pennsylvania, electric bills have been steadily climbing — and most consumers think they know why. Many assume rising bills are tied to generation costs, the price of the electricity itself. But that’s not what’s happening.

In fact, generation prices — the part of your bill that reflects the cost of producing electricity — have been remarkably stable over time, thanks to Pennsylvania’s competitive energy market. In fact, Pennsylvanians who exercise their energy choice are paying roughly the same for electricity in 2024 as they did in 1996.

So, if generation isn’t to blame, what is?

The answer lies in the parts of your bill you can’t control — the monopoly charges for transmission and distribution. These are costs utilities impose for delivering electricity through their poles, wires and infrastructure. These charges are set by utilities and approved by state regulators, not determined by market competition — and they’re among the fastest-growing part of your electric bill.

Pennsylvanians have the power to choose who supplies their electricity, but they have no say in how much they pay to get that power delivered. Without changes in how these monopoly costs are reviewed and managed, consumers will continue to see their bills rise for reasons entirely outside their control.

Colin Fitzsimmons
The writer is the director of government affairs in Harrisburg for Vistra Corp.