Customers who shop for energy suppliers pay more. Regulators disagree on what the numbers mean.

This story was originally published by Spotlight PA HARRISBURG — Faced with stark evidence that residents who shop for electricity suppliers pay higher bills and face more frequent shut-offs, Pennsylvania regulators approved a significant policy change sought by the state’s largest electric company. In a 3-2 vote in late October, the Public Utility Commission agreed to allow FirstEnergy Pennsylvania to limit suppliers’ access to its “purchase of receivables” program based on the prices they cha...