Philadelphia Gas Works (PGW) Rate Selection Guide
Philadelphia Gas Works (PGW) is the largest municipally owned natural gas distribution utility in the United States, serving roughly 376,000 residential and commercial customers in the City of Philadelphia. City-owned and operated by the Philadelphia Facilities Management Corporation, PGW is regulated by the Pennsylvania PUC and participates in Pennsylvania's natural gas Choice program.
Philadelphia Gas Works (PGW) Rate Schedule Comparison
| Schedule | Type | Rate | Best For |
|---|---|---|---|
| Rate GS | Commercial | Customer charge + volumetric distribution per tariff + GCR $0.53312/Ccf (eff Sep 1 2025) | Most commercial and small-business gas accounts |
| GCR commodity | All non-shopping | $0.53312/Ccf (eff Sep 1 2025; adjusted quarterly) | Customers staying with PGW for the gas commodity |
| GTS / Interruptible | Industrial / large C&I | Transportation/interruptible distribution per tariff | Large users transporting supplier-purchased gas or accepting curtailment |
Market Overview
Pennsylvania operates a competitive natural gas market. PGW delivers gas and bills customers as the regulated distribution utility; customers may buy the commodity from PGW (Gas Cost Recovery, no markup) or from a licensed competitive supplier via PAGasSwitch. Distribution base rates are set by the PA PUC.
Need to pull your actual usage data to compare rates? See the Philadelphia Gas Works (PGW) Data Access Guide →
Current Rate Schedules
A PGW commercial gas bill has two main components: a PGW distribution (base rate) charge set by the Pennsylvania PUC, and a commodity charge that is either PGW's Gas Cost Recovery (GCR) rate (adjusted quarterly, passed through with no markup) or a competitive supplier's price under Gas Choice. PGW's published Gas Cost Rate was $0.53312 per Ccf effective September 1, 2025 (Supplement No. 180); the GCR is reset quarterly (e.g., Supplement No. 182 effective December 1, 2025 and Supplement No. 183 / 1Q26 DSIC effective January 1, 2026). Commercial service is generally taken under Rate GS (General Service), with larger and interruptible/transportation customers on GTS and interruptible schedules. PGW filed a base rate case on February 27, 2025 that affects distribution rates. Specific per-therm distribution charges are set out in the PGW Gas Service Tariff (Pa. P.U.C. No. 2).
Effective: January 1, 2026 · Full Tariff Book →
| Schedule | Type | Applicability | Structure | Rate |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Rate GS - General Service (Commercial) | commercial | Commercial and small/medium business customers using gas for general service. | Monthly customer charge plus a volumetric distribution charge per Ccf/therm (set in the PGW Gas Service Tariff), plus the GCR commodity charge ($0.53312/Ccf eff Sep 1, 2025) or a competitive supplier price. Distribution Surcharge (DSIC) also applies. | — |
| Gas Cost Recovery (GCR) Commodity | commercial | Default commodity charge for customers not on a competitive supplier. | Pass-through commodity rate adjusted quarterly with no PGW markup; $0.53312 per Ccf effective September 1, 2025 (Supplement No. 180). | — |
| GTS - Gas Transportation Service | industrial | Larger commercial/industrial customers transporting gas purchased from a competitive supplier across PGW's system. | Distribution/transportation charges per the PGW Gas Service Tariff; commodity supplied by a licensed supplier under Gas Choice. | — |
| Interruptible Service (IT) | industrial | Large customers able to curtail or switch fuels, accepting interruption in exchange for lower rates. | Interruptible distribution rates published separately; subject to curtailment. See PGW Interruptible Service Rates. | — |
| DSIC - Distribution System Improvement Charge | commercial | Surcharge applied across customer classes to recover infrastructure replacement costs. | Percentage surcharge on distribution charges, updated quarterly (e.g., 1Q26 DSIC effective January 1, 2026). | — |
Rate Recommendations by Use Case
Commercial / small business on Rate GS
Most commercial accounts take Rate GS; the largest savings lever is shopping the gas commodity under Gas Choice against PGW's GCR.
Distribution is regulated and fixed by tariff; the commodity (GCR $0.53312/Ccf as of Sep 2025) is where competitive suppliers can beat or match PGW.
- Compare supplier offers on PAGasSwitch vs the current GCR
- Pull billing/usage via My Account or a Data Release Authorization
- Watch variable-rate rollovers and termination fees
Large C&I / transportation customer
Large users that can procure their own supply or curtail should evaluate GTS transportation or interruptible service for lower distribution costs.
Transportation and interruptible schedules reduce delivery cost for customers managing their own commodity or accepting curtailment.
- Model interruption risk against the rate discount
- Coordinate EDI-certified supplier for transported gas
- Review the latest Interruptible Service Rates
Multi-building / benchmarking compliance
Portfolio owners subject to Philadelphia's benchmarking ordinance should use PGW whole-building data through BEAM and target efficiency.
Whole-building aggregated data enables Portfolio Manager benchmarking and identifies high-consumption sites to optimize.
- Submit a BEAM-template Data Release Authorization
- Load data into ENERGY STAR Portfolio Manager
- Prioritize therm reductions at worst-performing buildings
Historical Rate Trends
PGW's commodity (GCR) rate changes quarterly as a no-markup pass-through; distribution base rates change through PUC base rate cases. Recent tariff supplements include No. 180 (4Q GCR, eff Sept 1, 2025), No. 182 (1Q GCR, eff Dec 1, 2025), and No. 183 (1Q26 DSIC, eff Jan 1, 2026). PGW filed a base rate case on February 27, 2025.
January 1, 2026
Tariff Supplement No. 183 (1Q26 DSIC) effective January 1, 2026 - quarterly distribution system improvement charge update.
n/aDecember 1, 2025
Tariff Supplement No. 182 (1Q GCR) effective December 1, 2025 - quarterly Gas Cost Recovery adjustment.
n/aSeptember 1, 2025
Gas Cost Rate $0.53312 per Ccf effective September 1, 2025 (Supplement No. 180, 4Q GCR).
n/aOverall trend: Commodity (GCR) fluctuates quarterly with gas market prices; distribution rates rising via base rate case / DSIC
Next expected change: Next quarterly GCR adjustment and any base rate case outcome from the February 2025 filing.
Cost Optimization Strategies
PGW commercial customers optimize by shopping the gas commodity under Gas Choice, selecting the right rate schedule, and considering interruptible/transportation service for large loads.
Shop the commodity via PAGasSwitch
For: All commercial customers
Compare competitive supplier offers against PGW's quarterly GCR ($0.53312/Ccf as of Sep 2025) to lock favorable commodity pricing.
Evaluate GTS / interruptible service
For: Large C&I with dual fuel / curtailment ability
Large users may move to transportation or interruptible rates for lower distribution costs if they can manage supply or curtailment.
Benchmark via BEAM / Portfolio Manager
For: Commercial / multifamily buildings
Use whole-building aggregated data from PGW to benchmark and target efficiency, reducing therms consumed.
To implement these strategies, you need your 15-minute interval data. Learn how to download Philadelphia Gas Works (PGW) interval data →
Deregulated Market Shopping
Through Pennsylvania's Gas Choice program, all PGW customers (including commercial) can buy the natural gas commodity from a licensed competitive supplier while PGW continues to deliver the gas and bill the account. PGW's own commodity charge is the Gas Cost Recovery (GCR) rate, adjusted quarterly and passed through with no profit; a competitive supplier may offer a fixed or alternative price to compete with the GCR.
How to Compare Philadelphia Gas Works (PGW) Suppliers
- 01Compare licensed supplier offers against PGW's GCR on the PA PUC's PAGasSwitch tool (pagasswitch.com)
- 02Review PGW's Gas Choice information for enrollment mechanics
- 03Enroll with the chosen supplier; PGW continues delivery and billing
Contract Terms for Philadelphia Gas Works (PGW) Supply Agreements
- Supplier contracts may be fixed or variable; review term length and cancellation fees
- PGW's GCR commodity rate changes quarterly
- Delivery (distribution base) charges from PGW apply regardless of supplier
Common Pitfalls When Shopping Philadelphia Gas Works (PGW) Rates
- Variable-rate supplier offers can exceed the PGW GCR; monitor renewal/rollover terms
- Compare the all-in delivered price, not just the commodity rate
- Early-termination fees may apply to fixed supplier contracts
Frequently Asked Questions
How do third parties access PGW billing or usage data?▾
Through PGW's Data Release Authorization process. The customer completes and signs the form, the third party submits it to PGWusage@pgworks.com (or fax 215-684-6996 / mail to PO Box 3500), and PGW returns data (typically CSV/Excel) in roughly 5-15 business days. There is no self-serve API or Green Button program.
Does PGW support Green Button or a data API?▾
No. PGW has not implemented Green Button (Download or Connect My Data) or a customer-facing REST API. The only published API is a SOAP service for street lane closures, which is unrelated to billing or usage.
What does PGW charge commercial customers for gas?▾
A PGW bill combines a regulated distribution (base rate) charge set in the Gas Service Tariff with a commodity charge - PGW's quarterly Gas Cost Recovery rate ($0.53312/Ccf effective September 1, 2025) or a competitive supplier's price. A DSIC infrastructure surcharge also applies.
Can our business shop for a different gas supplier?▾
Yes. Under Pennsylvania's Gas Choice program, commercial customers can buy the gas commodity from a licensed supplier (compare offers on PAGasSwitch) while PGW continues to deliver the gas and bill the account.
Is interval (15-minute) gas data available?▾
Not for standard customers. PGW data is generally monthly billing-period consumption. Daily data may sometimes be provided on special request, but there is no standardized interval/ESPI data feed.
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