The need for new advanced energy generation in Pennsylvania has never been more urgent. PJM’s most recent capacity auction exposed a deep imbalance between supply and demand: prices surged more than sixfold, which means skyrocketing electricity cost increases for consumers are coming in June. Meanwhile, the development of advanced energy projects has been stalled by bureaucratic hurdles and outdated alternative portfolio standards, which plateaued in 2021.
It is clear that what Pennsylvania needs is a comprehensive plan to modernize the grid and ensure reliable, affordable power for the 21st century. Governor Shapiro’s "Lightning Plan" marks a step in the right direction. While Advanced Energy United strongly supports the full plan, we want to highlight two key bills: RESET (Renewable Energy Standards and Energy Transition Act) and PRESS (Promoting Renewable Energy, Storage, and Sustainability Act) which have the potential to open markets in Pennsylvania.
RESET Bill
RESET establishes the creates a statewide energy siting board to streamline approvals for new energy projects, allowing an alternative option to the patchwork municipal process. If adopted, Pennsylvania would join 38 other states—both red and blue—in adopting this commonsense approach. As of April 2024, approximately 97% of energy projects waiting to be built in Pennsylvania are solar, hydroelectric, storage, and wind. Cutting the red tape would allow Pennsylvania to move forward with more than 200 stalled energy projects.
PRESS Bill
If the RESET Act cuts red tape, the PRESS Act sends a market signal by increasing Pennsylvania’s Alternative Energy Portfolio Standard (AEPS). The current standards require electricity suppliers to include specified percentages of renewable energy and several alternative energy production technologies in their supply mix, creating a market mechanism to increase demand for those energy resources. Pennsylvania enacted the portfolio standards in 2004, but the requirements plateaued in 2021. PRESS proposes a gradual ramp-up to 35% Tier I sources (Solar, wind, geothermal, small modular reactors) by 2035, and an increase to 10% Tier II resources (demand-side management including virtual power plants, battery storage, hydropower). This will spur advanced energy deployment and provide developers with the long-term market certainty needed to plan infrastructure, deploy advanced demand response technologies, and reduce dependence on aging, volatile fossil fuel assets. The updated PRESS Act allows owners of co-located Tier I generation and Tier II energy storage to receive credits under both tiers, creating a strong incentive for integrated energy solutions.
The benefits of PRESS are substantial. Research from Advanced Energy United, MAREC, and the American Clean Power Association shows that even a 30% clean energy target by 2030 could bring in $11.2 billion in economic value—a $2 return for every $1 invested—while creating nearly 130,000 jobs in construction, manufacturing, and operations. These jobs would be spread across the state, in both cities and rural areas, giving a major boost to local economies and helping more workers enter the clean energy workforce.
Lightning Plan
Together, PRESS and RESET, alongside the other key components of Governor Shapiro’s Lightning Plan, including a cap-and-invest program, community solar and geothermal incentives, expanded clean energy tax credits, and an Act 129 upgrade will help us build a more reliable grid, attract new businesses, and create more ways for families to participate in the clean energy transition. This package of bills offers a practical, job-creating solution to Pennsylvania’s energy challenges.
Pennsylvania has a choice: act now to bring down electricity costs and build a stronger, more resilient grid or stay stuck in a system that is failing consumers and stalling progress. The Lightning Plan lays out a clear path forward, and it is time for lawmakers to deliver.