HARRISBURG, PA — A coalition of labor organizations, business groups, trade associations and community advocates has formed Powering PA Forward to advocate for long-term energy policies aimed at maintaining reliable and affordable power across Pennsylvania, organizers announced this week.
The group said its formation comes as regional grid operators warn of a widening gap between electricity supply and demand in Pennsylvania and the broader Mid-Atlantic region.
PJM Interconnection, which manages the regional power grid, and the North American Electric Reliability Corporation have both identified growing concerns about future energy capacity as demand increases from sectors such as advanced manufacturing, electrification and proposed data center development.
Coalition members said that without additional generation capacity and policy changes, Pennsylvania could face higher energy costs, reduced reliability and potential economic impacts, including job losses.
In a letter announcing the coalition, members cited a December PJM capacity auction that did not secure enough power to meet reliability targets for the first time, raising concerns about future shortages.
“Without sufficient supply, electric utilities, which are obligated to meet customer energy demands, will be unable to fulfill their legal obligations,” the coalition wrote. “This will result in reduced reliability of electric service and lost economic opportunities.”
The group warned that continued shortfalls could lead to higher costs for consumers and the risk of rolling blackouts or brownouts.
Jon O’Brien, executive director of the Keystone Contractors Association, said the coalition will also focus on highlighting the economic role of utilities.
“Utilities are putting people to work, constantly upgrading their equipment and heavily contributing to our tax base,” O’Brien said. “Powering PA Forward looks forward to telling this economic development success story, while at the same time calling for critical improvements to Pennsylvania’s energy policies that put families and small businesses first.”
Pennsylvania’s regulated utilities, overseen by the Pennsylvania Public Utility Commission, deliver energy to nearly 9 million residents and businesses and reinvest more than $3 billion annually into infrastructure, including electric lines, pipelines and grid modernization projects, according to the coalition.
Those investments support approximately 15,000 jobs statewide, the group said.
Matt Espenshade, president of the Pennsylvania State Grange, said maintaining those investments will be a priority.
“Powering PA Forward wants to protect these investments and the jobs they create, and work to find a long-term solution to address our energy needs,” Espenshade said.
The coalition includes dozens of organizations from across the state, including local chambers of commerce, industry groups and economic development organizations.
A full list of members is available at www.poweringpa.com.
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