With electricity prices expected to rise in the foreseeable future, PPL Electric Utilities says it's going green to help its customers conserve energy.

On Wednesday, the corporation announced it will be the first major electric utility in Pennsylvania to track and display daily electricity use for all its customers.

Customers can now — on a day-to-day basis — view how much electricity they use via the company's Energy Analyzer Web page, accessible from www.pplelectric.com.

"With daily usage information, you can see the difference a day of laundry or baking for the holidays makes on your electric bill," David DeCampli, president of PPL Electric Utilities, said. "You can experiment with changes, like adjusting the thermostat, to see the effect on usage within days."

Ryan Hill, a PPL spokesman based in Harrisburg, said the information presented on the Energy Analyzer Web page is made possible through the corporation's investment in advanced meters.

"We started installing the new meters around 2004," he said. "The information that normally, say, a meter reader would provide, is transmitted to us through power lines from the customer's home.

"The accuracy level has really improved," Hill said. "It's been really effective so far, considering that PPL takes care of 29 counties in central and eastern Pennsylvania."

He said the Energy Analyzer Web page is "pretty neat." It asks customers to complete questionnaires so any energy conservation tips can be personalized for each household.

"A home with four children who all have computers may have different needs than someone who lives alone," he said. "People can show the kids how much energy they've been using and maybe challenge them to use less on certain days."

DeCampli said that in 2009 the company plans to make hourly electric use information available for customers on its Web site. He said that level of detail will allow the company — and competitive suppliers — to provide more pricing options by 2010.

Energy conservation and looking for greener power sources are part of a trend that seems to be gaining momentum.

Semiconductor manufacturer Marvell has developed power-supply technology designed to cut PC energy use and help decrease carbon emissions.

This week, the governors of Kansas and Minnesota announced they're willing to spend the additional $30 per computer for the new technology when those states buy their more than 4,000 PCs each year.

The governors said they expect the additional investment to pay off quickly and possibly continue to provide savings through reduced energy costs.

Hill said PPL is simply keeping up with the times by offering customers different ways to conserve electricity.

"Customers can save 20 to 30 percent on their electricity bills by making energy-efficiency improvements," he said. "Maybe they can't make these changes all at once, but they can at least see their options.

"It's another way for customers to get the biggest bang for their buck," Hill said. "And hopefully, make better decisions for their home and budget."

E-mail: cdifonzo@lnpnews.com