ICYMI: In New Op-Ed, Governor Josh Shapiro Shares How His Commonsense Energy Plan Will Create a New Era of Energy Leadership in Pennsylvania

“Soon after I took office as governor, I brought together a working group of leaders from the energy industry, organized labor, environmental groups and consumer advocates to come up with a plan to protect Pennsylvania’s position as an energy leader and develop a strategy for the future.”

“I’ve made clear that any energy policy supported by my administration must meet a three-part test: it must protect and create energy jobs, take real action to address climate change, and ensure reliable, affordable power for consumers in the long term.”

Harrisburg, PA – In an Op-Ed in TribLIVE.com, Governor Josh Shapiro highlighted his bold plan to build on Pennsylvania’s legacy as a national energy leader and protect and create energy jobs.

In March, Governor Shapiro unveiled his plan to create nearly 15,000 jobs, and  save Pennsylvania ratepayers $252 million in the first five years, while generating $5.1 billion in investment in clean, reliable energy sources.

Governor Shapiro is proposing the Pennsylvania Climate Emissions Reduction Act (PACER) to establish a Pennsylvania-specific cap-and-invest program that allows Pennsylvania to determine its own cap on carbon and invest the revenue directly towards lowering consumers’ electricity bills. Additionally, Governor Shapiro’s plan introduces the Pennsylvania Reliable Energy Sustainability Standard (PRESS), which will attract federal investments in the Commonwealth and build out the reliable, affordable fleet of power sources we will need for the decades to come.

Since the announcement, industry, labor, government, and environmental leaders have praised the Governor’s commitment to building on Pennsylvania’s long legacy of energy leadership by protecting and creating energy jobs and lowering electricity costs for consumers.  

Read Governor Josh Shapiro’s new op-ed about his energy plan in TribLive here and below:  

TribLive [OPINION]: Gov. Josh Shapiro: My commonsense plan for a new era of energy leadership in Pa.

By Governor Josh Shapiro, 4/2/24

Pennsylvania’s energy industry has long created good-paying jobs and ensured consumers have reliable, affordable power. The coal mines and oil fields of Northeastern and Western Pennsylvania fueled the Industrial Revolution, which powered the middle class and led to the creation of the American labor movement.

When fascism threatened freedom overseas, our commonwealth produced the energy that made the arsenal of democracy the most powerful manufacturing base in the world — all powered by Pennsylvania workers.

Unfortunately, due to inaction and partisan standoffs of recent years, Pennsylvania has failed to capitalize on our legacy as an energy leader, and other states are moving to overtake us. We need to be more competitive — and it’s time we write the next chapter.

Soon after I took office as governor, I brought together a working group of leaders from the energy industry, organized labor, environmental groups and consumer advocates to come up with a plan to protect Pennsylvania’s position as an energy leader and develop a strategy for the future.

I’ve made clear that any energy policy supported by my administration must meet a three-part test: it must protect and create energy jobs, take real action to address climate change, and ensure reliable, affordable power for consumers in the long term.

Following the recommendations of that working group, last week, I announced my plan to build on Pennsylvania’s legacy of energy leadership by protecting and creating energy jobs and lowering electricity costs for consumers.

My plan calls for two key initiatives. First, it would create the Pennsylvania Climate Emissions Reduction (PACER), which would set a cap for the amount of carbon that large power plants can produce and release into the air and reinvest the money raised directly in Pennsylvanians to lower their electricity bills, increase energy efficiency and create energy jobs.

Here’s how it would work: the approximately 55 large power plants in Pennsylvania purchase credits from the commonwealth to offset the amount of carbon pollution they’re putting out. With that funding, we’ll give Pennsylvanians an electric bill rebate, so no one pays more on their electricity bill — and some will even pay less. The remaining 30% of the funding generated will be reinvested in large energy-producing facilities in Pennsylvania — like Homer City in Indiana County — used to lower costs further for those who need help the most, and allocated to support projects that increase energy efficiency.

Importantly, this is a plan tailored for Pennsylvania and run by Pennsylvanians. We will set our own cap and our own price for those carbon credits. We won’t have other states determining what’s right for us.

If the General Assembly passes my plan, I will sign it — immediately removing us from the Regional Greenhouse Gas Initiative (RGGI).

The second part of my plan calls for Pennsylvania to create a more reliable and sustainable energy grid in Pennsylvania. Twenty years ago, Pennsylvania was one of the first states to pass Alternative Energy Portfolio Standards, which established what kind of energy we use here in Pennsylvania and where it comes from.

We haven’t made any major updates to those standards in 17 years, but in that time, 30 other states — including states run by both Democrats and Republicans — have updated their standards.

We’re losing out on new investment and innovation — and that means we’re losing out on jobs and growth.

My plan creates the Pennsylvania Reliable Energy Sustainability Standard (PRESS.) PRESS updates our energy standards and expands the tiers of what kind of energy sources can qualify. It will create new markets for clean energy, while also supporting key energy industries that have helped Pennsylvania become a national leader.

PRESS accomplishes that by calling for 35% clean energy by 2035 — and expanding the number of zero-emission sources that qualify. It’s not just solar and wind — it also includes sources like methane digesters, new fusion technology and small modular nuclear reactors — all things Pennsylvania has invested in in recent years.

A few months ago, I was in Etna in Allegheny County to announce a new investment by our commonwealth in Westinghouse, a company developing and producing the small modular reactors that will help power our future. PRESS encourages investment into that kind of technology, supporting Pennsylvania-grown innovation and good jobs.

Taken together, PACER and PRESS would save Pennsylvania ratepayers $252 million over the next five years, create 14,500 jobs, and once again position Pennsylvania as a leader in the energy industry.

I know energy is a challenging topic and there are passionate views on all sides of this issue, but doing nothing is not an option. If those who propose to sit tight and do nothing have their way, consumers will end up paying more for their electricity bills, we won’t create enough jobs, and we’ll see more pollution and damage in communities already suffering from the impacts of climate change.

I’m sick and tired of falling behind other states — on energy, on economic development, on creating opportunity for our people. It’s time to take commonsense steps to cut costs, protect our planet and create jobs.

I’m calling on the General Assembly to step up to the plate, take action to move Pennsylvania forward and pass these bills. Send them to my desk and let’s ensure Pennsylvania is again an energy leader and remains so for decades to come.

Josh Shapiro is Pennsylvania governor.

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