Pennsylvania Voters Reject Governor Shapiro’s Green Energy Boondoggle

On Monday, a Pennsylvania House committee passed part of Gov. Josh Shapiro’s broader energy plans. However, the proposed legislation is both politically unpopular and economically devastating to the commonwealth.

The Pennsylvania House Environmental & Natural Resource Protection Committee passed House Bill (HB) 501. If enacted, the bill would codify the governor’s Pennsylvania Reliable Energy Sustainability Standard (PRESS) proposal. PRESS would quadruple Pennsylvania’s Alternative Energy Portfolio Standard (AEPS), which mandates power suppliers increase their use of solar and wind in power generation.

PRESS would impose significant new costs on households and businesses.
Policies like PRESS will only worsen electricity bills. A recently released study by the Commonwealth Foundation, in conjunction with Always On Energy Research, shows that PRESS, if enacted, would result in $155 billion in additional statewide electricity costs.

The study also examined the impact of another component of Shapiro’s energy plan: the Pennsylvania Climate Emissions Reduction Act (PACER). PACER would impose a statewide carbon tax on power suppliers.

When combined, PACER and PRESS would more than double electricity bills for Pennsylvania households. Pennsylvania families would see their monthly electricity costs rise from $143 to $289 per month by 2035—a 102 percent increase.

Pennsylvanians are rightfully concerned about these rising costs. Almost 80 percent of Pennsylvanians report experiencing increased energy bills over the past two years, according to new polling.

Any legislation or executive decisions imposing new energy costs will and should face widespread public opposition. Nearly three out of four Pennsylvanians oppose government mandates driving higher prices.

Pennsylvanians are already feeling the pinch of increased costs. The day before the committee vote, power suppliers adjusted electricity rates based on current market conditions, resulting in a statewide hike for ratepayers. Increased demand (driven by artificial intelligence and data center needs) coupled with decreased supply (driven by prematurely shuttered power plants) has resulted in unfavorable market conditions for ratepayers and reliable energy generators.

This energy shortfall also stems from increased reliance on unreliable energy sources. Alternative energy mandates compel public utilities to utilize wind and solar energy, which rely on favorable weather conditions and substantial amounts of backup infrastructure, thereby driving up costs. Solar and wind’s intermittency, sizable land requirements, and dependence on government subsidies make them far less dependable and affordable than sources like natural gas, coal, and nuclear.

Given its unpopularity and potential economic effects, PRESS and PACER will face increased scrutiny in the coming weeks as Pennsylvania lawmakers prepare to finish the state’s budget by the June 30th deadline.