PENNSYLVANIA — Most state residents will be hit with higher electric bills after new energy prices went into effect Monday for all Public Utility Commission regulated electric utilities.

Prices will increase for eight electric companies across Pennsylvania. Two others will decrease their rates.

The largest increase will be for customers of Duquesne Light, which services the Pittsburgh area and much of Western Pennsylvania. The residential rate is rising 10.6 percent, from 12.42 cents per kilowatt hour to 13.75 percent per kwh.

How that impacts a customer’s monthly bill will depend largely on usage and home energy efficiency.

Here are the companies that are increasing rates:

Duquesne Light: 12.42 to 13.75 cents per kwh, a 10.6 percent increase. Pike County Light and Power: 10.19 to 11.21 cents per kwh, a 9.9 percent increase. Met Ed: 11.90 to 12.96 cents per kwh, an 8.9 percent increase. Pennelc: 11 to 11.74 cents per kwh, a 6.75 percent increase. Penn Power: 11.85 to 12.60 cents per kwh, a 6.31 percent increase. West Penn Power: 10.31 to 10.97 cents per kwh, a 6.1 percent increase. PECO: 10.4 to 11.02 cents per kwh, a 6 percent increase. PPL: 12.49 to 12.93 cents per kwh, a 3.7 percent increase.

These two companies lowered prices:

Wellsboro Electric: 12.80 to 12.04 cents per kwh, a 6 percent decrease. UGI Electric: 11.47 to 11.21 cents per kwh, a 2.2 percent decrease.

The PUC does not directly regulate energy prices, which are driven by the regional energy market. The generation/supply charge is set either by a customer’s competitive supplier (for those who shop) of the utility’s price to compare for those who do not shop.

However, the PUC is involved is setting the delivery-distribution charge that includes the cost for the poles, wires and other infrastructure and operational services to delivery energy to homes and businesses. This portion of a monthly bill is set by the commission as part of periodic rate cases filed by the utilities and usually stays stable for multiple years.

To keep utility costs down for colder months, the commission is encouraging people to take the following steps: