Pennsylvania State Representatives Chris Rabb (D-Philadelphia) and Joe Webster (D-Montgomery) have introduced a bill to eliminate secret voting on regional energy policies by members of PJM Interconnection, the regional organization that coordinates the electricity grid to Pennsylvania and 12 other states and Washington D.C.
PJM is responsible for coordinating the movement of electricity from energy generators – ranging from fossil fuel-burning power plants to solar and wind farms – to local electricity companies throughout Pennsylvania and other northeastern states, who then supply electricity to consumers. PJM members, composed of electricity generators and utility companies, currently vote on policy changes in a two-tiered system. As it stands now, lower-level voting is conducted in secret.
“Utilities are voting in private on matters at PJM that influence rates and the transition to clean energy, such as capacity market and interconnection rules,” said House Bill 782 co-sponsor Chris Rabb. “I’m calling for these votes to be public so there is greater oversight and accountability on utilities and PJM by consumers and elected officials for the decisions being made.”
There is currently a bottleneck of proposed projects awaiting approval by PJM, 95% of which are in clean energy. According to Ellie Kerns, a climate and clean energy advocate at PennEnvironment Research & Policy Center, “PJM’s approval process worked 20 years ago when there were just a few large gas or nuclear-powered plants to green light each year, but over the last two decades they have failed to update their system to meet the trend of more small renewable energy projects.”
Due to expected increases in energy demand across the United States, especially due to exploding investment in data centers used for artificial intelligence, this bottleneck of new clean energy projects will lead to higher electricity prices for Pennsylvanians if not addressed. In Pennsylvania, “about 60% of our electricity comes from burning gas,” said Kearns. “This creates a lopsided energy market and leaves consumers vulnerable to the volatile and more expensive prices of gas compared to other energy sources that are cheaper, more reliable and offer the added benefit of also being cleaner, such as wind and solar power.”
Rabb proposed this bill in large part to ensure Pennsylvanians do not see their energy bills increase in coming years due to PJM’s reliance on fossil fuel companies:
“[HB782] provides the public two important tools to ensure lower prices: transparency and accountability. By understanding which utilities and other power players are pushing for certain changes in the market, the public – and their elected representatives – can better hold them accountable for the decisions they are making.”
Indeed, Theo Rosen, Climate Campaigns Associate at Environment America Research & Policy Center, argues that fossil fuel and utility companies “benefit from PJM’s broken system,” evidenced by a December proposal by PJM to allow dirty gas-powered plants to jump clean energy projects in line for approval. On February 11, the Federal Energy Regulatory Commission (FERC) approved PJM’s proposal.
HB782 is part of a broader push by Pennsylvania Democrats and clean energy advocates to hold PJM accountable for its deceptive practices. In December, Governor Josh Shapiro filed a complaint with the FERC against PJM for a proposed plan to hike energy prices by $21 billion for 65 million customers, including 13 million Pennsylvanians. In January, Shapiro and PJM reached an agreement to resolve the issue, which the governor touted as a major win for energy consumers:
“PJM did the right thing by listening to my concerns and coming to the table to find a path forward that will save Pennsylvanians billions of dollars on their electricity bills. My Administration will continue to work to ensure safe, reliable, and affordable power for Pennsylvanians for the long term.”
Despite PJM’s “doubling down on dirty, unreliable, and outdated energy production,” there are reasons for renewable energy advocates to be hopeful. “The momentum of clean energy in Pennsylvania is heading in the right direction – more homes, businesses, schools, houses of worship, and farms than ever are getting power from renewable energy,” said Kearns. “There are opportunities at the state level right now that can help Pennsylvania build on this momentum with or without PJM’s support, including the Governor’s ‘Lightning Plan’ with initiatives to increase renewable energy in the state, provide more access to renewable energy sources, and make polluters pay for their pollution.”
Rabb stated that it is too early to say whether HB782 will gain bipartisan support in the Pennsylvania legislature, but said the bill “is a crucial step in empowering Pennsylvanians and their elected officials to hold utilities and PJM accountable for meeting [energy] needs.”
Beyond lowering electricity bills for consumers, “The deployment of renewable energy is crucial to lowering emissions and ensuring a healthy, sustainable future for Pennsylvania,” said Rabb.
Kearns encouraged people, businesses, and organizations who are passionate about the state’s transition to clean energy to contact their local legislators about bills such as HB782, consider utilizing tax credits to install solar panels, or peruse the website PA PowerSwitch to shop for suppliers who offer renewable energy.
