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FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE |
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State
Rep. Rick Mirabito
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Mirabito asks PPL to reconsider rate hike request
'Now is not the time to ask families to pay more'
HARRISBURG, March 16 – State Rep. Rick Mirabito, D-Lycoming, has joined with members of the Northeast Democratic Delegation of the Pennsylvania House of Representatives in asking PPL to reconsider its plans to seek a distribution rate increase.
"The timing of this request couldn't be worse," Mirabito said. "Many customers, even those who switched electric suppliers, saw their bills jump when rate caps expired. Now is not the time to ask families to pay more for the power needed to light their homes and run their appliances.
"In addition, businesses struggling with the recession may not be able to expand and create jobs, or may even be forced to lay people off, if they are forced to pay higher electric bills," he said.
The increase would affect all PPL customers, even if they had switched to another supplier for electric generation.
In the letter sent to PPL, lawmakers noted that the current distribution charge generates roughly $700 million annually to pay for maintenance and replacement of poles, wires and other components, and questioned why an additional $115 million a year is needed right now.
PPL is expected to file the rate request by the end of this month.
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EDITORS NOTE: A copy of the letter from the Northeast Democratic Delegation to PPL is attached.
