2000 Consumers turn to Internet for electric bargains Businesses and homeowners are finding cheaper rates for utilities on the Web.
Traditional rates are due to rise.
In Pennsylvania, where competition in the electricity marketplace is well under way, more and more consumers are getting their power through fledgling online suppliers and brokers at rates that are as much as 20 percent lower than those of traditional utilities. Residential customers average 600 kilowatt-hours per month, although usage can vary greatly from month to month. The lowest offerings are coming electronically. This is certainly a good time to shop around, because Peco isn't the only supplier in the area whose rates are on the rise. For example, Exelon Energy is now charging 5.58 cents per kilowatt hour, up from 4.89 cents when it first began selling electricity in January 1999.