Utility comparison
Duquesne Light vs Met-Ed electricity rates
Two of Pennsylvania's higher-rate utility territories, operated by very different parent companies. The rate gap is smaller than it looks.
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Written by John Spencer
Updated May 2026
Free comparison · No credit check required · 886 plans from PA suppliers
What you're actually comparing
Duquesne Light and Met-Ed are both Pennsylvania utilities, but you can't choose between them. Your address determines which utility serves you. What you CAN compare is how each utility's customers shop for electricity — and why both face relatively high default rates.
- Duquesne Light customers in the Pittsburgh metro (Allegheny and Beaver counties)
- Met-Ed customers in central and southeastern PA (Berks, Lancaster, York, Adams, Cumberland counties)
The 0.79¢/kWh gap is one of the smaller differences between major PA utilities, but both utilities' customers can save substantially by switching to competitive suppliers.
Duquesne Light
Owner
Duquesne Light Holdings (independent)
Customers
~600,000
Service area
Pittsburgh metro (Allegheny, Beaver counties)
PTC updates
Twice yearly
Met-Ed
Owner
FirstEnergy Corporation
Customers
~570,000
Service area
Central/southeastern PA (Berks, Lancaster, York, Adams, Cumberland counties)
PTC updates
Quarterly
How the rate gap matters in practice
At 850 kWh/month (average PA usage)
Duquesne supply cost
$116.88/mo
Met-Ed supply cost
$110.20/mo
Difference
$6.68/mo
$81/year
At 1,200 kWh/month (high usage)
Duquesne supply cost
$165.00/mo
Met-Ed supply cost
$155.58/mo
Difference
$9.42/mo
$113/year
The gap is modest, but what matters more for both utility territories is whether you're paying the default rate or shopping for a competitive supplier.
Best electricity plans in each territory
Compare the top-rated plans available to Duquesne Light and Met-Ed customers, sorted by rate.
Best Duquesne Light plans (May 2026)
American Power & Gas of Pennsylvania LLC
Our famous 25% rebate is available to all of our customers. We have sent out over $2,400,000 in rebates this year! Are you getting one? Interested in upgrading to 100% green energy for an additional 3 cents? Call us to learn more!
Available in Duquesne Light Co territory
Clearview Energy
ClearGuarantee24Plus: 24 Month fixed rate term with a base fee of $19.99. For more details on this product, please call us at 1-888-512-8994 or visit us at www.clearviewenergy.com.
Available in Duquesne Light Co territory
Clearview Energy
ClearGuarantee6Plus: 6 Month fixed rate term with a base fee of $19.99. For more details on this product, please call us at 1-888-512-8994 or visit us at www.clearviewenergy.com.
Available in Duquesne Light Co territory
American Power & Gas of Pennsylvania LLC
This offer is exclusively for new customers only*. Switch to our electric plan today and enjoy the freedom of a 3-month fixed rate that gives you short-term flexibility! This plan has no cancellation …
Available in Duquesne Light Co territory
AAA Energy by Santanna
Santanna’s Competitive Fixed Price for initial term duration of 6 months. Available for New Customers only. Requires enrollment in both gas and electric service. Santanna customers get rewarded — ente…
Available in Duquesne Light Co territory
Duquesne Light customers can save by switching from the 13.750¢ default rate. The best fixed-rate plan is 10.79¢/kWh — 22% below default.
Best Met-Ed plans (May 2026)
American Power & Gas of Pennsylvania LLC
Our famous 25% rebate is available to all of our customers. We have sent out over $2,400,000 in rebates this year! Are you getting one? Interested in upgrading to 100% green energy for an additional 3 cents? Call us to learn more!
Available in Met-Ed territory
American Power & Gas of Pennsylvania LLC
This offer is exclusively for new customers only*. Switch to our electric plan today and enjoy the freedom of a 3-month fixed rate that gives you short-term flexibility! This plan has no cancellation …
Available in Met-Ed territory
Public Power, LLC
With a fixed rate from Public Power, you'll get the peace of mind knowing your rate stays the same for 6 months. Special offer for new, online customers.
Available in Met-Ed territory
Major Energy
A great time for new customers to lock in a fixed rate. With this energy plan, your supply rate stays put for 3 months, guaranteed. There is no monthly service fee and no early termination fee. This p…
Available in Met-Ed territory
Town Square Energy
4 monthly bill cycles fixed at 11.87 cents/kWh. See full terms in terms of service.
Available in Met-Ed territory
Met-Ed customers can save by switching from the 12.965¢ default rate. The best fixed-rate plan is 11.49¢/kWh — 11% below default.
Which utility's customers benefit more from switching
Duquesne Light customers face the highest default rate in PA at 13.75¢/kWh. Met-Ed customers face 12.965¢/kWh, also above the state average. In absolute dollar terms, both utility territories offer substantial savings potential for customers who switch.
The competitive supplier market is similarly robust in both territories with 50+ suppliers each. Duquesne Light customers have slightly more headroom between the default rate and the best available plans, but Met-Ed customers can achieve comparable percentage savings.
| Utility | Default | Best fixed rate | Annual savings (850 kWh) |
|---|---|---|---|
| Duquesne Light | 13.75¢ | 10.79¢ | $302 |
| Met-Ed | 12.965¢ | 11.49¢ | $150 |
What's the same across both utilities
- Same wholesale market (PJM Interconnection)
- Same legal right to switch suppliers
- Same utility/supplier separation (utility handles delivery, supplier handles generation)
- Same bill structure (delivery + supply + fees)
- Both utilities pass PJM capacity auction costs through PTC increases
For more on how capacity costs affect rates, see our PJM capacity auction analysis.
Find plans for your address
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Frequently asked questions
Can I choose between Duquesne Light and Met-Ed?
No. Your address determines your utility. Duquesne Light serves the Pittsburgh metro including Allegheny and Beaver counties. Met-Ed serves central and southeastern PA including Berks, Lancaster, York, Adams, and Cumberland counties. You can choose your electricity supplier within your assigned utility's territory, but not the utility itself.
Why are both rates relatively high compared to other PA utilities?
Both utilities face elevated PJM capacity costs that get passed through to customers. The 2025/2026 PJM capacity auction cleared at record prices ($269.92/MW-day), and these costs are now reflected in default supply rates across Pennsylvania. Both Duquesne Light and Met-Ed customers see rates above the state average as a result.
Do Duquesne Light and Met-Ed share any infrastructure?
Both utilities are members of PJM Interconnection, which manages the regional power grid from New Jersey to Illinois. They don't directly share transmission infrastructure — Duquesne serves western PA and Met-Ed serves central/southeastern PA — but they buy and sell electricity through PJM's wholesale markets.
Which utility has more competitive supplier options?
Both territories have robust competitive markets with 50+ suppliers each. The shopping rates available in each territory are comparable, so savings potential is similar despite the different default rates.
How does FirstEnergy ownership affect Met-Ed compared to independent Duquesne Light?
Met-Ed is one of four FirstEnergy utilities in Pennsylvania (along with Penelec, Penn Power, and West Penn Power). This means Met-Ed coordinates procurement strategies with its sister utilities. Duquesne Light operates independently as the only utility owned by Duquesne Light Holdings. Both operate under the same PA PUC regulations for customer choice.
Related resources
How we gather this information
We pull supplier plan data directly from PA Power Switch, the official Pennsylvania PUC shopping website. Our automated system refreshes this data weekly.
Utility default rates (Price to Compare) come from official utility filings with the PA PUC. Plans are sorted by rate with no paid placements.
Ready to compare rates?
Whether you're in Duquesne Light or Met-Ed territory, switching to a competitive supplier can save you money.
886 plans across PA · Updated May 2026