PPL Electric seeks rate increase, says customers' bills would rise by about $13 a month

PPL Electric, a major power company in our region, is seeking regulatory approval to raise rates next summer .

The company announced in a news release Tuesday that it wants to increase distribution rates to raise about $300 million in new revenue. That money would fund improvements to the grid to better withstand severe weather and cyberattacks, and customer service improvements that would reduce call center wait times.

PPL says a residential customer using 1,000 kilowatt hours a month would see their bill increase by about $13 a month if the price hike is approved.

This comes after the utility raised rates on the electric generation side effective June 1, citing increased prices for generation through the grid, PJM Interconnection. PPL does not generate electricity and instead buys g