Dive Brief:
- Telecom giant Comcast plans to begin selling electricity in Pennsylvania later this year, according to the head of the Pennsylvania Public Utilities Commission.
- Comcast already sells home energy management system Xfinity.
- Comcast's possible move into Pennsylvania's retail space could be a big boost to the state, which has one of the more robust retail markets in the U.S.
Dive Insight:
More than a decade ago, startup Internet companies like Essential.com, Utility.com and beMANY.com tried to bundle telecom services with electricity. They all went bankrupt.
But Comcast is a different kind of fish. It's massive. It's already providing cable, phone and Internet service to millions. The company will likely team up with an existing retail provider to add electricity to its product mix. A bill is moving through the Pennsylvania Legislature that would end default service so homeowners and businesses in the state would have to get power from a competitive supplier instead of the incumbent utility. Comcast could be a big winner.