Butler County Area Vocational-Technical School student and Kennihan Plumbing & Heating apprentice Lucas LeFevre, 17, opens a panel on a geothermal heating and air conditioning unit.

Butler residents may see higher utility bills heading into 2022 as some utilities increase prices due to supply changes and national price trends as colder weather approaches.

The Pennsylvania Utilities Commission said in a statement that changes in utility rates beginning in December could cause “potentially large winter energy cost increases in some areas.”

“To avoid the possibility of 'sticker shock' from high bills during the coming cold months, the PUC reminds residential and commercial customers that the start of winter is an important time to compare prices for electric generation, evaluate competitive supplier options and explore ways to conserve and save,” the statement read.

According to the statement, West Penn Power's rates are up from 5.447 cents to 5.698 cents per kWh (4.6%) beginning Dec. 1. The increase is modest compared to some other utilities in Eastern Pennsylvania, including Pike County Light & Power, which the statement said has raised rates up from 6.5234 cents to 9.796 cents per kWh (50.2%).

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