PRESS Passes Out of Committee, Threatening Another Hike in Electric Bills 

Harrisburg, Pa., June 2, 2025 —Today, the Pennsylvania House Environmental & Natural Resource Protection Committee passed House Bill 501, one legislative component of Gov. Josh Shapiro’s overarching energy proposal known as the “Lightning Plan.”  

The bill imposes Shapiro’s Pennsylvania Reliable Energy Sustainability Standard (PRESS) proposal. PRESS would expand the state’s alternative energy mandates, requiring more of Pennsylvania’s electricity to come from unreliable energy sources, like solar and wind. 

The timing of this proposal couldn’t be worse. On June 1st, Pennsylvanians experienced statewide electricity rate hikes, some up to 16 percent.  

Policies like PRESS will only worsen electricity bills. Recent analysis from the Commonwealth Foundation revealed the cost of this energy mandate: by 2035, PRESS would impose $155 billion in additional statewide electricity costs for businesses and households.  

When combined with another aspect of Shapiro’s Lightning Plan, the Pennsylvania Climate Emissions Reduction Act (PACER), overall electricity rates would increase by 60 percent, and residential electric bills would more than double. 

Senior Manager of Energy Policy André Béliveau issued a statement in response: 

“Once again, Governor Shapiro and House Democrats threaten Pennsylvania’s energy future in favor of special ‘green’ energy interests. Rather than advocating for policy and regulatory reform that would unleash Pennsylvania’s energy dominance and make electricity more affordable, they instead choose to subsidize costly and unreliable energy sources that undercut the state’s economic future.  

“The worst part is that Shapiro’s ‘clean energy’ proposals harm the very energy source that made Pennsylvania a leader in carbon emission reduction: natural gas. Pennsylvania’s transition from coal to clean-burning natural gas cut 9 million metric tons of emissions from our atmosphere between 2018 and 2023. It is irresponsible for Governor Shapiro and House Democrats to push a climate agenda that punishes Pennsylvania for succeeding in the very thing they set out to achieve. 

“Lawmakers in an energy-rich state as abundant as Pennsylvania should support a productive energy sector. The proven way to achieve that is through free-market policies focused on affordable and reliable energy. 

“Pennsylvanians cannot afford the growing price tag attached to Shapiro’s bad energy policies. Energy is Pennsylvania’s superpower. It’s shameful that Shapiro wants to turn the lights out and raise energy prices in the pursuit of his own ‘Green New Deal.’”  

Read the Commonwealth Foundation’s recent energy poll findings here. 

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The Commonwealth Foundation transforms free-market ideas into public policies, empowering all Pennsylvanians to thrive.