PPL Seeks $356M Pennsylvania Rate Increase

PPL Electric Utilities has filed with the Pennsylvania Public Utility Commission for its first distribution base-rate increase since 2016, seeking roughly $356 million in additional revenue (more than $300 million net) that would take effect July 1, 2026 if approved. The company says the proposal would raise an average residential bill by about $13 a month (roughly a 6.7–7% increase for a 1,000 kWh household), increase commercial bills by roughly $8–9, and raise some large industrial accounts by about $500 a month. PPL says the new revenue is needed to modernize and maintain its network — including nearly 47,000 miles of lines and 1 million poles — by funding storm-hardening, smart-grid technologies, resilience against cyberattacks, and customer-service improvements. The filing follows recent generation-side price increases and cites rising maintenance costs and more severe weather as drivers of the request. The PUC will review the proposal, typically suspending and investigating such requests for months, and has the authority to approve, reduce, or reject the requested increase; PPL noted existing assistance programs and directed customers to PPLElectric.com and the PUC website for more information during the review process.