HARRISBURG, PA — A bipartisan majority of the Pennsylvania House on Monday approved legislation that supporters say could quietly reshape household budgets and energy use across the Commonwealth, advancing minimum efficiency standards for a wide range of appliances sold in the state.
House Bill 660, sponsored by state Reps. Jennifer O’Mara of Delaware County and Tom Mehaffie of Dauphin County, would establish minimum energy and water efficiency standards for 15 types of new household and commercial appliances and plumbing fixtures. The measure passed with bipartisan support and now heads to the state Senate.
Backers of the bill say the impact would be substantial. Projections tied to the legislation estimate that, once fully implemented, the standards would save Pennsylvania residents and businesses hundreds of millions of dollars annually while cutting hundreds of thousands of tons of climate pollution each year.
“I am thrilled that this legislation has once again passed the House with bipartisan support,” O’Mara said. She said the standards would keep more money in the pockets of residents and business owners while also reducing carbon emissions, calling cost relief “more important than ever” as the cost of living continues to rise.
Supporters argue that efficiency gains accumulate over time. By 2035, the standards in HB 660 are projected to save enough electricity each year to power about 46,000 Pennsylvania homes. Annual consumer utility bill savings are estimated at $291 million, with cumulative savings exceeding $7.7 billion by 2050.
The bill’s environmental impact is also central to the push. By 2035, carbon emissions would be reduced by an estimated 269,000 metric tons annually — the equivalent of taking nearly 63,000 cars off the road — with reductions surpassing 6 million metric tons by 2050. Water savings are projected at 8.663 billion gallons annually, roughly equal to the yearly water use of about 163,000 Pennsylvania families, rising to 227 billion gallons saved by midcentury.
“The cleanest, cheapest energy is the energy that you don’t need to use in the first place,” said Flora Cardoni, deputy director of PennEnvironment, calling appliance efficiency standards a “small but mighty” policy tool that lowers pollution while delivering major savings.
Mehaffie framed the bill as direct financial relief for households. “Energy-efficient appliances save money for consumers month after month, allowing the savings to build,” he said, adding that the legislation is aimed at easing pressure on family budgets.
HB 660 drew more than 40 House co-sponsors from across the state and has the backing of more than 30 environmental and consumer organizations, including the Pennsylvania Utility Law Project and Audubon Mid-Atlantic.
House Energy Committee Chair Rep. Elizabeth Fiedler said the vote comes at a critical moment, pointing to rising utility bills across the region. She urged the Senate to take up the measure promptly.
In the Senate, companion legislation has been introduced by Sen. Lindsey Williams, who linked the bill to broader concerns about rising energy demand. Williams said data centers and artificial intelligence companies have contributed to higher electric and water bills, and argued that efficiency standards give consumers a way to reduce costs while lawmakers address larger market pressures.
“It makes no sense to continue using energy-wasting technologies when we have high-performing, efficient appliance models that lower our costs and better protect the environment,” said Brooke Lockwood of the Appliance Standards Awareness Project.
With House approval secured, supporters are now pressing Senate leaders to move quickly, saying the bill offers a rare convergence of cost savings, consumer protection, and environmental benefit.
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