Harrisburg, PA — Today, Governor Josh Shapiro joined industry, labor, environmental, consumer leaders, and Rep. Patty Kim at Cordia Energy in Harrisburg to highlight his newly unveiled energy plan to protect and create nearly 15,000 energy jobs, lower utility bills for Pennsylvania households, and take real action to address carbon pollution.
Pennsylvania is falling behind other states in the race to diversify our energy sources. As Pennsylvania fails to take action, other states are putting in place plans that protect and create energy jobs, spur innovation and attract investment, and protect public health.
Governor Shapiro knows that Pennsylvania cannot afford to fall behind and must invest in its energy sources and create clean, reliable, and affordable energy to build on the Commonwealth’s history as a national energy leader. The Governor’s plan will protect and create energy jobs, take real action to address climate change pollution, and ensure reliable, affordable power for consumers in the long term by producing a more diverse, resilient electricity grid, reducing climate emissions, and lowering prices for Pennsylvanians through an electric bill rebate.
“We need to build on Pennsylvania’s legacy and make sure we continue to lead when it comes to energy. We’ve got to reject the false choice between protecting energy jobs and protecting our planet. The broad coalition of industry, labor, consumer advocates, environmental leaders, and legislators with me here today has made clear now is the time to come together and act. Let me be clear: my energy plan is tailored for Pennsylvania. We will not take direction from anyone outside this Commonwealth – this initiative will be established by us, run by us, and to the benefit of us. The two pieces of legislation I support – PACER and PRESS – meet the three-part test that I have said any energy policy supported by my Administration must meet: they create energy jobs, cut costs for Pennsylvanians, and protect our planet. We have an opportunity to get this done. Labor, industry, environmentalist leaders, consumer advocates, and many members of the General Assembly are already at the table. Now is the time – let’s get this done.” - Governor Josh Shapiro
The Governor’s plan:
- Creates an emissions reduction program that leverages Pennsylvania’s advantages as a major energy producer to reduce climate emissions while also directly lowering prices for Pennsylvanians through an electric bill rebate.
- Solidifies an all-of-the-above vision for Pennsylvania’s energy future through bold new reliability targets that will produce a more diverse, resilient electricity grid by 2035, attract more federal dollars, and support Pennsylvania’s low-carbon natural gas and nuclear facilities for the first time.
- Builds on the Governor’s economic development strategy to make transformational investments in clean energy production.
“We are proud to have Governor Shapiro visit Energy Center Harrisburg,” said Mark Schneider, Regional President at Cordia. “Our energy center has evolved over time and still provides consistent energy to the capitol complex and Harrisburg’s downtown corridor. We join the Governor in his efforts to evolve Pennsylvania’s energy future.”
As part of his bold vision for Pennsylvania’s energy future, Governor Shapiro supports two critical pieces of legislation that together will lower prices for consumers, create and protect Pennsylvania jobs, and lower carbon emissions.
Following the recommendations from the Governor’s RGGI Working Group, the Governor is proposing the Pennsylvania Climate Emissions Reduction (PACER) Act to establish a Pennsylvania-specific cap-and-invest program that allows Pennsylvania to determine its own cap on carbon and invest directly in lowering consumers’ electricity bills.
The benefits of PACER will be passed on directly to Pennsylvania consumers, as 70% of the revenue will be directed back to Pennsylvania residents as a rebate on their electric bill – more than any other cap-and-invest program in the nation – resulting in long-term, price relief on energy costs. If passed, PACER would take Pennsylvania out of RGGI, give the Commonwealth control over its own energy future, and pass benefits on directly to Pennsylvania consumers as a rebate on their electric bill.
The second legislative initiative introduced by the Governor is the Pennsylvania Reliable Energy Sustainability Standard (PRESS) Act, which will attract federal investments in the Commonwealth and keep utility costs low in the long-term by building out the reliable, affordable fleet of power sources we will need for the decades to come.
PRESS requires Pennsylvania to get 50% of its electricity from a diverse range of energy resources by 2035, including 35% from the clean energy sources of the future like solar, small modular reactors, fusion, and wind, 10% from sustainable sources like large hydropower and battery storage, and 5% from ultra-low emission forms of natural gas and other traditional fuels.
Together, PACER and PRESS will deliver on Governor Shapiro’s goals of protecting and creating energy jobs, lowering energy costs for Pennsylvanians, and ensuring Pennsylvania’s energy independence for the long term. If passed by the legislature, the Governor’s initiatives would save Pennsylvania ratepayers $252 million in the first five years, while generating $5.1 billion in investment in clean, reliable energy sources.
“I want a healthier environment. I want real energy savings for my constituents and for us to protect and create thousands of family sustaining jobs. Why I believe this plan will work is because we are customizing an energy plan for our unique Commonwealth,” said Representative Patty Kim. “What I like about the PRESS Act – or the Pennsylvania Reliable Energy Sustainable Standard Act – is that we will get closer to our climate goals. It requires Pennsylvania to get 50% of electricity from a diverse range of energy resources by 2035, including 35% from clean energy sources, like solar wind and fusion, and 10% would come from sustainable sources like hydropower and battery storage, and 5% from ultra low emission forms of natural gas and other traditional fuels. If we work together – this is attainable, and we will make progress.”
After Governor Shapiro kicked off a new era of energy leadership yesterday, labor, business, environmental, and government leaders praised the plan as a “bold” and “nation-leading” plan to create thousands of energy jobs, lower costs, and ensure Pennsylvania remains an energy leader below.
“I was with the Governor up in Scranton yesterday and I felt it important to be here with him again today. You heard me say yesterday – we cannot afford to do nothing. We’ve had five years of stagnation. We haven’t moved. We haven’t moved the needle on jobs. We haven’t moved the needle on climate. And the Governor, to his credit, for the first time ever put together a working group – and we expanded on that,” said Robert Bair, President of the Pennsylvania State Building and Construction Trades. “You have a Governor that for the first time is listening to all these options and he’s committed to making this work. Everybody that’s been involved in this is committed to making this work – and we may not all agree right now on how to get there, but we all agree we have to get there. It’s really easy to be part of a problem. It’s really hard to be part of the solution. The Governor acknowledged that we need the legislature to act – and as I told a couple of them yesterday: equate this to the Governor has set the Thanksgiving table, now it’s time to sit down and eat.”
“We are thrilled to share in this exciting announcement which will fulfill both a campaign promise from Governor Shapiro and significantly move the ball forward on creating a clean energy economy in Pennsylvania,” said Katie Blume, Political & Legislative Director of Conservation Voters of PA. “With Governor Shapiro’s leadership on a bold and ramped up clean energy standard, along with his proposed carbon cap and invest program for the power sector, we can make Pennsylvania a national leader in creating a vibrant and equitable clean energy economy. This is the first step towards a bright future that can tackle climate change, protect consumers, prioritize equity, and create family-sustaining union jobs.”
“One of the key roles of my office is to fight for Pennsylvanians who are facing challenges paying their energy bills and all of their utility costs. This is no simple task. It requires a focus on the present and the future at the same time – it requires balancing present needs with future risks,” said Patrick Cicero, Pennsylvania’s Consumer Advocate. “As you learn more about what the Governor’s energy initiative is, I think you’ll see that’s what this plan is – about balancing present needs with future risks to ensure that Pennsylvania remains robust in its energy exports while at the same time protects consumer interests. This plan is projected to save Pennsylvania ratepayers and Pennsylvania households more than $252 million dollars in the first five years alone, lower utility bills, and create a more reliable energy industry, create more jobs, and a cleaner air – that is a win in my book.”
For more information on how Governor Shapiro’s commonsense plan to cut costs for consumers and help them pay their utility bills, create and protect energy jobs, and address climate change, visit governor.pa.gov/energy.
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