North Lancaster News

Members of the Pennsylvania Senate and the Ohio General Assembly convened in Columbus, Ohio, to address the pressing issues of energy reliability, sustainability, and affordability. The hearing consisted of two panels, one focusing on state and national energy impacts and another on consumer and generational impacts. Testimonies were given by industry experts, including PJM, the organization responsible for managing the mid-Atlantic power grid, the Public Utilities Commission of Ohio, and the Ohio Chamber of Commerce.

Sen. Gene Yaw, Chairman of the Pennsylvania Senate Environmental Resources and Energy Committee, emphasized the importance of a diverse energy portfolio and the immediate impacts that actions taken by one state can have on neighboring states. He expressed gratitude to Ohio for recognizing the urgency of the issue and working together to protect families and businesses from potential blackouts and rising costs.

Ohio Rep. Dick Stein, Chairman of the Ohio House Public Utilities Committee, highlighted the need for additional affordable generation and the potential crisis resulting from the premature retirement of existing fossil fuel fleets. He called for collaboration between government entities to prevent a catastrophic failure of the grid.

PJM projects that 20% of its existing capacity will retire by 2030, posing a significant challenge in meeting consumer demands. The legislators agreed that this would likely lead to increased prices, blackout risks, and restrictions on electricity usage. Sen. Ryan Aument of Pennsylvania emphasized the importance of addressing the reliability and affordability of the energy grid, stating that failure to do so could result in restrictions and blackouts for constituents.

Sen. Scott Hutchinson of Pennsylvania emphasized the need for investment in grid infrastructure and the utilization of efficient energy resources to ensure grid stability. He debunked the notion that grid outages are solely due to climate change and highlighted increasing energy consumption as a contributing factor.

Industry representatives acknowledged the crucial role that Pennsylvania and Ohio play in ensuring grid reliability during the energy transition. Glen Thomas, President of GT Power Group, commended both states for their efforts in addressing regional reliability issues and encouraged them to continue their engagement on these critical matters.

The legislators' involvement with PJM's Critical Issue Fast Path process, which aims to address capacity market areas that directly impact grid reliability, was acknowledged. Recently, the Federal Energy Regulatory Commission (FERC) approved capacity market reform filings from PJM, which were influenced by the legislators' testimonies. These reforms aim to evaluate reliability risks and accredit capacity resources to meet peak demand.

Both Pennsylvania and Ohio legislators agreed that collaboration and coordination between regional entities, state policymakers, and federal policymakers are essential to effectively address the complex reliability challenges that arise during the grid's transformation.

Sen. Pat Stefano of Pennsylvania emphasized the importance of partnerships between Pennsylvania and Ohio to ensure reliable and cost-effective energy for the future.

This hearing in Columbus marked the second meeting between the legislatures, with the first being held in Pittsburgh last November, focusing on interstate relationships within the PJM Grid.

For more information, constituents can visit Senator Yaw's website or follow him on Facebook and Twitter.

Contact:

Elizabeth Weitzel

717-787-3280