In short: Lancaster city is on PPL Electric; York is on FirstEnergy’s Met-Ed. In 2024 Met-Ed’s parent averaged 221 minutes of outages per customer on normal days, more than twice PPL’s 90 (EIA). FEMA rates both counties very high for winter weather, and PPL pays battery owners at peak hours.
This page covers what is different in Lancaster and York counties: two utilities with different records and programs, a borough electric system in Ephrata, the cities’ permit offices and local hazards. For statewide rules, see our Pennsylvania energy guide.
Lancaster and York at a glance
- PPL Electric Utilities: serves Lancaster and much of Lancaster County. Homes on PPL supply paid about 17.0¢ per kWh on average in 2024. Outages: 455 minutes per customer with major events, 90 without; 1.25 interruptions a year (EIA-861, 2024).
- Met-Ed (FirstEnergy Pennsylvania): serves the city of York. FirstEnergy Pennsylvania as a whole: about 17.4¢ per kWh; 403 minutes of outages with major events, 221 without; 1.85 interruptions a year (EIA-861, 2024).
- Other local utilities: the Borough of Ephrata runs its own electric system in Lancaster County; Adams Electric Cooperative (about 14.4¢ per kWh in 2024) and the boroughs of Goldsboro and Lewisberry serve parts of York County (EIA-861).
- Price to compare (October 2026): PPL 13.08¢ and Met-Ed 13.95¢ per kWh for regular home service, supply only (PAPowerSwitch).
- Sun: about 3.86 kWh per square meter per day (NASA POWER, 2001 to 2020); our rough estimate is about 1,130 kWh a year per kW of panels.
- Top hazards: FEMA’s National Risk Index (December 2025) rates both Lancaster and York counties “very high” for winter weather and “relatively high” for hurricanes, flooding, lightning and strong wind. Lancaster County’s overall risk is “relatively high”.
- Public charging: 145 public ports at 62 locations in Lancaster and 76 at 29 in York (AFDC, October 3, 2026).
Your utility and what it means
The two cities sit on different grids, so the same project can follow different rules in each. Your bill names your utility. PPL and Met-Ed customers can buy supply from another company; compare offers with the price to compare on PAPowerSwitch, the Public Utility Commission’s official site.
- PPL (Lancaster): solar exports build a kWh bank; year-end excess is paid at the price to compare. PPL’s June 2026 rate settlement also changed net metering; an industry report says many new systems will get hourly-price export credits. Distribution rates rose about $6.48 a month for a 1,000 kWh home from July 1, 2026 (PPL). PPL pays for batteries and EV charging that shift load off peak hours (below).
- Met-Ed (York): inverter systems up to 10 kW use FirstEnergy’s simplest interconnection application, and you send proof of an electrical inspection by an authorized agency before switch-on (FirstEnergy). FirstEnergy has proposed net metering changes; see the state page. We found no Met-Ed battery or EV reward program we could confirm.
- Ephrata, Adams Electric and the boroughs: each sets its own interconnection and net metering rules and sells its own power. Ask them before you get quotes.
Backup power in Lancaster and York
Winter weather is the top risk in both counties, and FEMA also rates them relatively high for hurricanes, strong wind and flooding. For a York home on Met-Ed, the normal-day outage figure alone is over three and a half hours a year (FirstEnergy Pennsylvania average). On farms and rural homes across both counties, a long outage also means no well pump and, on dairy and poultry farms, no ventilation, milking or cooling, which is a business problem as much as a household one.
For a city row home or twin, a portable power station or a home battery covers lights, Wi-Fi, the fridge and a furnace blower without fumes. For rural homes and anything with a well, a generator sized for the pump’s starting load, on a transfer switch installed by a licensed electrician, is the usual answer. Run any generator outdoors only, at least 20 feet from buildings, exhaust away from windows, doors and vents, never in a garage or barn doorway (CPSC). Compare in backup power, size with the generator sizing tool or battery backup calculator, and read generator installation. Farms and businesses can also see commercial generators.
Solar in Lancaster and York
By our rough estimate, panels here make about 1,130 kWh a year per kW, a bit less than in Philadelphia. Open farmland and barn roofs give many rural owners room for larger or ground-mounted arrays, which is where the utility’s rules matter most: a system much larger than your use earns year-end excess only at the price to compare, and in PPL territory new systems may get hourly-price export credits. Size to your own use first. Run the solar potential tool and the solar savings calculator with a real quote, and read solar installation and net metering explained.
Batteries in Lancaster and York
In Lancaster on PPL, the Optimized Battery program pays $150 per kW your battery supplies to your home during peak hours, up to $400 a season. Seasons are June to August (weekdays 4 to 7 p.m.) and January to February (6 to 9 a.m. and 6 to 8 p.m.). PPL says it never fully drains the battery, so some backup stays in reserve. In York on Met-Ed, a battery is a backup purchase: with a normal-day outage figure more than twice PPL’s, the case rests on keeping the heat, fridge and well pump running. See home battery installation and battery cost.
EV charging in Lancaster and York
Lancaster has 145 public ports, more than Harrisburg, and York 76 (AFDC, October 3, 2026). A Level 2 charger at home needs a 240 V circuit, a licensed electrician and an electrical permit. PPL customers can earn up to $120 a year by letting PPL schedule charging around peaks (Tesla, ChargePoint or Emporia), or up to $60 by keeping at least 80% of charging off-peak (limited to 2,000 customers). Estimate costs with the EV charging calculator and read EV charger installation.
Drive on another fuel? See every alternative fuel station in Lancaster: hydrogen, propane, natural gas, E85 ethanol, biodiesel and renewable diesel.
Permits and inspections
- Lancaster: the city’s Bureau of Building Code Administration enforces the Uniform Construction Code and works with third-party plan review and inspection firms. It offers residential building and mechanical, electrical and plumbing permit applications in English and Spanish.
- York: the city’s Bureau of Permits and Inspections requires permits for all electrical work, applied for before work starts, and an electrical inspection before the utility turns power on. Applications submitted from January 1, 2026 follow the 2021 Uniform Construction Code; most can be filed online.
- Townships and boroughs: each enforces the code with its own staff or a certified third-party agency (Pennsylvania Department of Labor and Industry).
- Utility, licensing and HOAs: solar and grid-tied batteries need utility approval before switch-on. Electricians are licensed locally, so ask your municipality; get HOA approval in writing.
Cities we cover
- Lancaster
- York
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Lancaster and York energy FAQ
Are Lancaster and York on the same utility?
No. Lancaster city is served by PPL Electric Utilities and York city by Met-Ed, part of FirstEnergy Pennsylvania. Ephrata runs its own borough system, and Adams Electric Cooperative serves parts of York County. Rules for solar, batteries and rewards follow the utility on your bill.
Do I need a permit for an EV charger in York?
Yes. The City of York requires permits for all electrical work, applied for before you start, and new applications from January 2026 follow the 2021 Uniform Construction Code. A licensed electrician should install the 240 V circuit for a Level 2 charger.
What backup power suits a Lancaster County farm?
Usually a generator sized for the largest motor loads, such as well pumps, fans and milk cooling, on a transfer switch installed by a licensed electrician. Batteries can cover smaller loads and add PPL rewards. Get a load list from an installer before choosing a size.
Does PPL pay me for my battery in Lancaster?
Yes, through Optimized Battery: $150 per kW your battery supplies to your home during peak hours each season, up to $400 a season, in June to August and January to February. PPL’s example of 1.5 kW earns $225 a season. Payments may be prorated from 2027 if the battery misses events.
Sources
Utilities, prices, outages, supplier customers and co-op prices: U.S. Energy Information Administration, EIA-861 data for 2024. Price to compare: PAPowerSwitch, Pennsylvania Public Utility Commission (read October 3, 2026). PPL rate decision (PPL release filed with the SEC, June 4, 2026), PPL net metering, Optimized Battery and EV pages. Net metering change: industry report cited on our state page. FirstEnergy Pennsylvania interconnection page. City of Lancaster Bureau of Building Code Administration and City of York Bureau of Permits and Inspections. Pennsylvania Department of Labor and Industry, Uniform Construction Code. Sun: NASA POWER, 2001 to 2020. Hazards: FEMA National Risk Index, December 2025. Charging: Alternative Fuels Data Center, October 3, 2026. Generator safety: CPSC.