What Is The Price To Compare?
The Price to Compare is the default-service supply benchmark used in some electric choice states to compare utility supply against competitive supplier offers.
Glossary definition; state rules vary. Educational context is not legal advice or live pricing.
Key takeaways
- PTC is usually expressed in cents per kWh.
- It is a supply benchmark, not the customer's entire bill.
- Use the correct utility, customer class, and effective date before comparing.
Definition
Price to Compare is a benchmark rate for default electric supply service. If a customer has not chosen a competitive supplier, the utility default-service supply price can be compared with supplier offers.
The PTC is usually stated in cents per kilowatt-hour. It can change by utility, customer class, and effective period.
What it does not include
The PTC does not represent the entire electric bill. Delivery charges, taxes, riders, usage changes, demand charges, late fees, and other bill elements may remain outside that benchmark.
That means a plan comparison should not stop at PTC versus supplier rate. The customer still needs to review term, fees, renewal, rate type, source date, and plan documents.
How to use the Price to Compare
Use the Price to Compare as one input in a transparent review. If switching does not make sense under the documented assumptions, the recommendation should say so.
Price to Compare pages should show a source date and official source links. Live values should appear only when the data source, effective period, customer class, and review workflow are current.
Direct answers
What is the Price to Compare?
The Price to Compare is the utility default-service supply price that customers can use as a benchmark when reviewing competitive electric supplier offers. It typically applies to the supply or generation portion of the bill.
Does every state use the phrase Price to Compare?
No. Some states use PTC language, some use other default-service terms, and some markets are structured differently. Always use the terminology and source from the specific state and utility.
Sources checked
Educational context only. Offers should be revalidated before enrollment.
Next step
Start a review and compare the supply benchmark against terms, fees, and renewal risk.
Use PTC in a review →