dailyenergyinsider.com: The Pennsylvania House passed the Data Center Act 104 to 95, authorizing the Public Utility Commission to regulate data centers and bar the shifting of infrastructure costs onto residential ratepayers. The bill requires large facilities to source 25 percent of their power from renewables and now heads to the Republican controlled Senate.
riverreporter.com: Gov. Josh Shapiro is offering data center developers expedited permitting in exchange for meeting stricter environmental and transparency standards under his GRID program. Critics say the voluntary incentives lack enforcement teeth and that meaningful protections will require cooperation from both chambers of the legislature.
thephiladelphiacitizen.org: William C. Sproule, Executive Secretary-Treasurer of the Eastern Atlantic States Regional Council of Carpenters, argues that Pennsylvania energy policy must prioritize good union jobs alongside clean energy goals. Sproule contends that smart policy choices can make the state a hub for manufacturing growth and technology investment in the years ahead.
dailyitem.com: The Pennsylvania House Energy Committee held a hearing on the bipartisan Geothermal Energy Development Act, which would create a regulatory framework for deep geothermal drilling statewide. Sponsors say advances in drilling technology make Pennsylvania well positioned to tap geothermal resources for electricity and heating, with strong potential for workers transitioning from the oil and gas sector.
ibtimes.com: Johnson and Johnson announced a more than $1 billion investment in a new cell therapy manufacturing facility in Montgomery County. The project will generate more than 4,000 construction jobs during development and 500 permanent biomanufacturing positions once the plant is fully operational.
whyy.org: WHYY outlines steps Pennsylvania residents can take to lower rising electric bills, including home weatherization, energy efficient appliances, and free state energy audits available to qualifying households. Rate increases tied to data center growth, infrastructure costs, and PJM capacity auction pricing have driven bills up sharply across the state.
delawarebusinessnow.com reports Constellation Energy agreed to sell 4.4 gigawatts of natural gas generation capacity across five plants in Delaware and Pennsylvania to LS Power for $5 billion as a required divestiture under DOJ and FERC conditions for Constellation's acquisition of Calpine.
PA utility regulators warn that ratepayers will face higher costs as neighboring states lean on Pennsylvania generation to back up their renewable energy targets, while surging demand from data centers and electric vehicles creates what critics describe as a perfect storm for the regional grid.
A Temple University professor urges Gov. Shapiro to direct his proposed $1 billion infrastructure fund toward water and wastewater systems, citing Pennsylvania drinking water infrastructure grades of D from the American Society of Civil Engineers and ongoing PFAS contamination in private wells statewide.
PECO net profits jumped nearly 50% between 2024 and 2025 to $814 million following back to back rate hikes, raising concerns among consumer advocates about the incentive structure for investor owned utilities and the ongoing impact on residential customers already facing higher energy bills.