Philadelphia, Pennsylvania
Home Battery Backup in Philadelphia, PA
On PECO's time-of-use option, a weekday 2–6 p.m. kWh costs about five times a midnight-to-6 a.m. kWh. And on July 11, 2026, four microbursts knocked out power to tens of thousands of customers across the region.
PECO TOU (Jun–Nov 2026): 32.404¢ peak · 9.336¢ off-peak · 6.741¢ super off-peak · July 11, 2026: 46,000+ regional customers out at peak.
The short answer
Philadelphia homes are served by PECO. Its optional Time-of-Use Pricing for June 1 to November 30, 2026 is 32.404¢ per kWh at the weekday 2–6 p.m. peak and 6.741¢ super off-peak (midnight to 6 a.m.), against an 11.759¢ standard Price to Compare.
On July 11, 2026, at least four microbursts with 60–70 mph winds tore through West and South Philadelphia. More than 46,000 utility customers in the region lost power at the peak. A battery covers both cases: shifting the peak window and holding chosen circuits through an outage.
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Tell us your Philadelphia address, whether you have solar and what must stay on in an outage. We confirm coverage before anyone sizes a battery.
PECO rates and outages in Philadelphia
From PECO's published Price to Compare and TOU table and contemporaneous reporting on the July 11, 2026 storms.
PECO TOU: peak is about 5× super off-peak
For June 1 through November 30, 2026, PECO's Time-of-Use Pricing Option for residential supply is 32.404¢ per kWh at peak, 9.336¢ off-peak and 6.741¢ super off-peak. The standard fixed Price to Compare for the same period is 11.759¢. Peak is weekdays 2–6 p.m.; super off-peak is midnight to 6 a.m. every day.
Winter TOU spread was similar
For December 1, 2025 through May 31, 2026, the TOU option was 32.747¢ peak, 8.382¢ off-peak and 6.061¢ super off-peak, against an 11.024¢ Price to Compare. PECO notes these generation prices exclude distribution charges, surcharges and taxes.
July 11, 2026: four microbursts in 30 minutes
The National Weather Service identified at least four microbursts between about 2:44 and 3:15 p.m., with 60–70 mph winds through Lower Merion, West and South Philadelphia. The Northeast Times, citing NBC10, reported more than 46,000 utility customers without power across the region at the peak. A little more than 3,000 PECO customers were still out Sunday evening.
Where a battery fits in Philadelphia
The bill case depends on TOU enrollment; the backup case depends on which circuits you need.
Shift the 2–6 p.m. window
A battery charged overnight at the super off-peak rate and discharged during the weekday peak is the bill case on PECO's TOU option. Whether it pays depends on how much of your load lands in those four hours — we look at your interval data before saying it does.
TOU is a supply choice, not a default
PECO's TOU pricing applies to customers who buy supply from PECO, have a smart meter and enroll. Customers on a competitive supplier, or on the standard fixed Price to Compare, do not see these peak and off-peak prices.
Solar owners: check how TOU affects net metering
PECO's own Q&A on TOU and interconnection says TOU may suit net-metered solar customers and EV owners, and that TOU changes how exported energy is valued. Read that document, or ask us to walk through your bill, before switching.
Backup for the summer storm pattern
The July 2026 event was a short, violent afternoon storm. Most customers were restored within a day or two, but a few thousand waited longer. Circuits for refrigeration, medical equipment, a sump pump and some cooling are the usual backup list.
Water and power in the same house
If you are weighing water treatment at the same address, our Philadelphia water quality page covers the Philadelphia Water Department's latest report. Across the river, Trenton and Newark have their own water pages.
Where these figures come from
Prices trace to PECO's published Price to Compare and TOU table (updated May 15, 2026). TOU hours trace to PECO's own TOU Q&A. Storm and outage counts trace to the Northeast Times and CBS Philadelphia, both July 13, 2026.
- PECO — Residential Price to Compare and TOU pricing table (PDF) — PTC and TOU prices for Dec 2025–May 2026 and Jun–Nov 2026.
- PECO — How Time-Of-Use Pricing works with interconnection (PDF) — peak, off-peak and super off-peak hours; notes for net-metered customers.
- Northeast Times — July 13, 2026 — four microbursts, more than 46,000 customers out at peak regionally (citing NBC10), PECO restoration.
- CBS Philadelphia — July 13, 2026 — disaster emergency declaration; fewer than 800 PECO customers in Philadelphia still out Monday.
What a home battery job with us covers
Installation of storage and the backup circuits behind it, with the siting and utility paperwork handled.
Battery installation
Wall or floor-mounted storage installed to the listing and to the residential code sections that govern where it may go.
Backup and critical load panel
Deciding and wiring which circuits stay live, and which must never be on backup — the choice that defines what an outage feels like.
Integration with existing PV solar
Connecting storage to an array that is already on the roof, including whether the existing inverter supports it.
Transfer switch and disconnection
The equipment that separates the house from the grid during an outage, which is what makes backup legal as well as possible.
Siting to code
Location, clearances, separation and impact protection assessed against the adopted code before anything is mounted.
Permit, inspection and utility approval
The electrical permit, the inspection, and the utility's own approval step where storage touches the service.
This is installation work. No runtime, capacity or incentive figure is quoted before your loads and your utility are confirmed. Coverage is confirmed per service area rather than promised as blanket availability.
What the work actually looks like
A battery job is an electrical job. The panel, the circuits and the disconnection are most of it.
Battery backup in Philadelphia, answered plainly
Who is the electric utility in Philadelphia?+
PECO, an Exelon company, delivers electricity in Philadelphia and the surrounding counties. You may buy supply from PECO or from a competitive supplier; PECO delivers it either way.
What are PECO's time-of-use hours?+
Peak is weekdays 2 p.m. to 6 p.m. Off-peak is weekdays 6 a.m. to 2 p.m. and 6 p.m. to midnight, plus 6 a.m. to midnight on weekends and holidays. Super off-peak is midnight to 6 a.m. every day.
What does PECO charge on TOU versus the standard rate?+
For June 1 to November 30, 2026, the TOU generation-plus-transmission prices are 32.404¢ peak, 9.336¢ off-peak and 6.741¢ super off-peak per kWh, against an 11.759¢ standard Price to Compare. These exclude distribution charges and taxes, and the next period's prices start December 1.
How bad was the July 2026 storm?+
At least four microbursts hit on July 11, 2026. More than 46,000 utility customers in the region lost power at the peak, according to NBC10 as reported by the Northeast Times. By Monday morning, CBS Philadelphia reported fewer than 800 PECO customers in Philadelphia still out.
Do solar panels keep my power on in an outage?+
Not on their own. Grid-tied inverters shut down when the grid is down. A battery and an isolating transfer device are what let solar keep chosen circuits running.
Who installs it, and who is responsible afterwards?+
Seamless Home is the licensed contractor of record on the work it runs. Installation is performed by vetted installing partners engaged as our subcontractors, so the permit, the inspection and any correction notice carry one name. Coverage is confirmed per service area rather than promised as blanket availability.
Related resources
Home battery backup
The national service page behind this one.
Learn more →Philadelphia water quality
Philadelphia Water Department's latest report.
Learn more →Home battery backup in Durham, NC
Another East Coast utility with a time-of-use option.
Learn more →Critical load panel planner
Pick the circuits a battery should carry.
Learn more →All home services
Water, battery, HVAC and solar under one licensed contractor of record.
Learn more →Get a free estimate for Philadelphia
Tell us your address, whether you have solar, whether you are on PECO's TOU option and which circuits must stay on in an outage. We confirm coverage first — no charge to talk, no obligation.
Get a Free Estimate