State lawmakers in Pennsylvania say preventing another surge in electricity prices will require more generating capacity and fewer obstacles to bringing new supply online.
During a public hearing in Wilkes-Barre, senators and energy-sector witnesses said older plants are being retired faster than replacements are coming online, a trend they tied to rising household costs and added strain on grid reliability, the Times Leader reported.
Here's what to know
The hearing was led by Sen. Dave Argall, chair of the Senate Majority Policy Committee, and Sen. Gene Yaw, who heads the Senate panel on environmental resources and energy.
Both used the event to push for more energy production within Pennsylvania.
"We should all agree that to limit even higher electricity prices, we need more energy production and fewer regulations — both here in Pennsylvania and especially in many of our neighboring states," Argall stated.
Neal Lesher, the Pennsylvania Chamber of Business and Industry's vice president of government affairs, said the state is the nation's top electricity exporter and a major supplier of natural gas, coal, and refined petroleum products.
He also maintained that new generation is not replacing retired plants quickly enough.
The Times Leader identified Shelby Linton-Keddie as PPL Electric Utilities' senior director of public and external affairs.
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She said PJM has repeatedly warned that plant retirements are outpacing new construction, even as electricity demand grows due to electrification, manufacturing growth, and data centers.
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More background
The state is part of PJM, a regional grid shared with several neighboring states.
Because that grid is interconnected, utilities maintain that plant closures in Maryland and Virginia can still affect prices in Pennsylvania, influencing what customers of PPL, PECO, Duquesne Light, and FirstEnergy may pay in future capacity cycles.
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At the same time, any energy strategy must also account for the damage caused by the fossil fuel industry.
Extracting, producing, and burning coal, oil, and gas worsens extreme weather disasters that destroy homes, livelihoods, and local economies.
These activities also fuel air and water pollution linked to asthma, heart disease, cancer, and premature death.
The industry's lobbying has also delayed cleaner, cheaper energy solutions that could better protect families from high bills.
What can be done?
A central theme at the hearing was the need for more dependable power generation, along with fewer regulatory delays for proposed energy projects.
Argall also stressed that energy development and environmental protection need not be at odds.
"We need to meet our energy needs and protect our environment," he said.
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Yaw framed the stakes plainly.
"If this trend continues, consumers could face higher electricity costs, reliability concerns and power shortages. We need to build more reliable baseload generation, starting yesterday."
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