The Public Utility Commission this week approved a new demand side response rate (time of day pricing) for eligible PPL Electric Utilities customers.

The Commission voted unanimously to allow PPL to establish a program that will enable eligible customers to lower their electric bill by shifting electricity usage from on-peak periods when wholesale electricity demands and prices are higher to off-peak periods when demand and prices are lower.

The plan is voluntary and available for the first 1,200 PPL residential customers who sign up. Under the plan, the company will establish separate on-peak and off-peak periods for summer and winter seasons with corresponding rates. Higher rates will be charged for on-peak hour and lower rates will be charged for off-peak hours.

The company also will establish a website dedicated to the program that will allow customers to determine if they will benefit from the program. Customers will receive e-mails to alert them to changes in their usage as well as actions they can take to save money including access to their historical hourly electric usage so they can gain better understanding of how to take advantage of the program.

The state's Office of Consumer Advocate and a consumer filed comments in support of the program.

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