A group of Democratic state lawmakers from Bucks County have come out opposing a proposed 2027 rate hike by PECO.
The utility company filed a request Monday with the Pennsylvania Public Utility Commission (PUC) seeking to raise electric rates by 12.5 percent and natural gas rates by 11.4 percent. Company officials said the increase will help fund system improvements.
If the plan is approved, average households would see monthly increases of $20.08 for electricity and $14.52 for natural gas.
State Reps. Tim Brennan, Tina Davis, Brian Munroe, Jim Prokopiak, and Perry Warren issued a joint statement opposing the proposal.
The lawmakers said the timing of the rate increase, which comes on top of recent hikes, is a threat to the economic stability of middle- and working-class residents.
“As ordinary Pennsylvanians struggle to pay for groceries, rent, and electricity, PECO has decided to worsen the economic burden instead of alleviating it,” said Munroe, who represents part of Central Bucks County. “I am strongly opposed to this rate hike.”
The lawmakers noted that energy costs are already climbing, citing the expansion of AI data centers as a strain on the state’s electric grid.
In response to those concerns, all five representatives recently voted for House Bill 1834, which would require data centers to pay for their own electricity, which passed the Democratic-majority House and is headed to the Republican-led Senate.
Several of the lawmakers called the increase out of touch with the current economic climate.
“The proposed rate increase far surpasses even the high inflation rate since January 2025,” said Warren, who represents Newtown and other parts of Lower Bucks County.
Prokopiak, who represents parts of the Levittown area, called the utility’s proposal “irresponsible, unethical, and frankly, idiotic.”
“Working class and middle-class families are already underwater,” Davis added. “If PECO thinks we are going to let them do this without a fight, they’ve got another thing coming.”
The five representatives have launched a petition to mobilize public opposition to the proposal. Residents can sign the petition at https://www.pahouse.com/Petition/?id=1891.
The lawmakers are encouraging constituents to file formal complaints with the PUC through the commission’s website at https://www.puc.pa.gov/complaints/formal-complaints/.
