Wind and solar are the clean, water-friendly ways to generate electricity. It’s generally cheaper, too.
Electricity made with gas, coal, nuclear, and oil sucks up almost unimaginable quantities of water and other resources. There are also huge costs for the fuels it takes.
The fuel costs for solar and wind? Zero. So naturally green energy tends to cost less over time.
Yet more than 2,000 green electricity projects are backlogged, waiting for approval at PJM, the gatekeeper for electricity providers in our area.
It’s PJM that determines which suppliers get connected to the grid — and therefore what kind of electric power is available for you and other consumers to buy.
Many new green suppliers have been waiting in line for more than a year.
It’s about supply and demand: giving consumers more access to less costly choices would help lower electric costs throughout Pennsylvania.
In response to that green project backlog, PJM reformed its process, and this year fast-tracked 51 projects.
But 39 of them were natural gas producers, only one was wind, and zero were solar.
Huh?
If that sounds suspicious to you, you’re not alone. Some critics say that PJM’s rules are designed in a way that puts renewables like wind and solar at a disadvantage.
Many of those critics are groups like the Sierra Club and the Natural Resources Defense Council, but Governor Josh Shapiro and the Attorneys General for Maryland, Illinois and Pennsylvania have also complained that PJM’s model squeezes out green energy that would cost consumers less.
What can you do about it? Right now, not a darn thing. Except…
If you have the resources — and your property gets good sun — you can install solar to power your home.
Costs have come down and federal rebates are still available.
Or you can shop for your electricity online. Under “Offer Filters” if you check Renewable Energy, you’ll find that many of the renewable providers cost no more than PPL’s price — and some are a little less.
And you can call your Pennsylvania State Senator and say you support making community solar legal and available through the Community Solar Energy Bill.
Only about one-half of one-percent of all the water on earth is fresh and accessible.
Clean, abundant water is essential to life. It shouldn’t be controversial to protect safe drinking water!
The PJM Interconnection is a regional transmission organization that coordinates wholesale electricity for 65 million people across thirteen states and the District of Columbia. PJM is the largest electricity market in the United States.
Originally PJM served just Pennsylvania, New Jersey, and Maryland. The initials stuck.
PJM is regulated by FERC, the Federal Energy Regulatory Commission, an independent U.S. agency that regulates interstate electricity, natural gas, and oil.
Visit the Broadhead Water At Risk Series webpage for more articles in this series.
Brodhead Watershed Association protects water quality and quantity throughout our area. Get involved! Become a member!
Upcoming Event
-- November 19-- Virtual. Penn State Extension Webinar On A.I. Data Centers And Water Resources, Noon to 1:00 p.m.
Related Articles This Week:
-- Union Of Concerned Scientists Reports 16 A.I./Data Center Electric Transmission Projects In PA Imposed $461.8 Million In Costs On Ratepayers In 2024 [PaEN]
-- Utility Dive: Some State Lawmakers Urge PJM To Take Steps So Clean Energy Projects Can Meet Federal Tax Credit Phase Out Deadlines
-- Environmental Advocates Call On DEP To Reject Permit For A 4.5 GW Natural Gas Power Plant At The Homer City A.I. Data Center Complex In Indiana County [PaEN]
-- DEP Invites Comments On Air Quality Permit For 77 Emergency Power Generators At The Amazon Data Center In Salem Twp., Luzerne County [PaEN]
-- DEP To Hold Nov. 14 Hearing On Renewal Of An Air Quality Permit For The Coal, Natural Gas-Fired Brunner Island Power Plant In York County [PaEN]
-- DEP Invites Comments On An Air Quality Permit For The Tenaska PA Partners, LLC Natural Gas-Fired Power Plant In Westmoreland County [PaEN]
-- DEP Accepting Comments On The Renewal Of An Air Quality Permit For The Wolf Run Energy, LLC Natural Gas Power Plant In Bradford County [PaEN]
-- DEP: Comments Now Being Accepted For An Air Quality Permit For The Hunterstown Power, LLC Peaking Electric Generation Facility In Adams County [PaEN]
-- DEP Sets 3 Hearings On Air Quality Standards For Plastics Resin Manufacturers Shell Chemical Appalachia, Rohm & Haas Co. Multi Plastics Extrusions [PaEN]
-- New York Blower Company In Lawrence County Launches New Rooftop Solar Energy System For Its First Fully Sustainable Manufacturing Facility [PaEN]
-- Capital & Main - Audrey Carleton: Is The Sun Setting On PA’s Solar Future As President Rescinds $156 Million In PA Solar Funding Blocking Power Production
-- Environmental Defense Fund: President’s Subsidies For Costly Coal Saddle Families With High Electric Bills, More Pollution
-- US Dept. Of Energy Announces $625 Million Investments In Recommission, Retrofit Coal-Fired Power Plants
-- Post-Gazette/Bloomberg: President Launches Broad Effort To Help Revive Flagging US Coal; Blocking Clean Energy Projects
-- Utility Dive: US Dept. Of Energy Cancels $7.6 Billion In Clean Energy Project Grants In States That Voted Against President
NewsClips:
-- Utility Dive: Report: Customers In PJM States Paid $4.4 Billion For A.I. Data Center Electric Transmission In 2024; In Pennsylvania $492 Million
-- Natural Resources Defense Council Blog: Building A.I. Data Centers Without Breaking Electric Ratepayers Or Reliability In PJM
-- Utility Dive: A.I. Data Centers ‘Primary Reason’ For High PJM Electricity Capacity Prices, According To Market Monitor [‘Misleading’ To Say Its Tightening Of Supply And Demand]
-- Wilkes-Barre Times-Leader Guest Essay: Don’t Let A.I. Data Centers Stick Us With The Bill - By Frank Lasee, Truth In Energy and Climate
-- Bloomberg: A.I. Data Centers Are Sending Power Bills Soaring, Wholesale Electricity Costs Up As Much As 267% [PDF of Article]
-- Utility Dive Guest Essay: To Address Affordability, Tightening Supply And Demand, States Need To Address Siting, Permitting, Other Issues To Assure New Electricity Supplies - By Asim Haque, PJM Senior Vice President
-- Beaver Times: Study: Droughts, Demand From A.I. Data Centers, Farming, Post Risks For Great Lakes Region Water Supplies
-- PA Environmental Council: Is Pennsylvania Ready For An A.I. Data Center Boom? Risk Factors And Possible Solutions - By John Walliser, VP for Legal & Government Affairs
-- Capitol Wire: Team Pennsylvania’s Strategy For Data Centers And A.I. Promotes Regional Cooperation
-- Data Center Frontier: DCED Explains Why A.I. Data Center Developers Are Choosing Pennsylvania
-- TribLive Guest Essay: Southwestern PA Must Plan Smarter For A.I. Data Centers - By Panini A. Chowdhury, Professional Planner
-- Scranton Times: Archbald Residents Push Back Against Proposed A.I. Data Center Zoning [PDF of Article]
-- WNEP: Archbald Residents Voice Opposition To Proposed A.I. Data Center Zoning Law
-- Scranton Times: Zoning Hearing Sept. 29, Special Meeting Oct. 3 To Shape Archbald’s A.I. Data Center Future In Lackawanna County [PDF of Article]
-- Citizens Voice: Wright Township Adopts Ordinance To Regulate A.I. Data Centers In Luzerne County
-- TribLive: TECfusions A.I. Data Center To Be Live By End Of Year In Upper Burrell Twp., Westmoreland County
-- Republican Herald: Butler Township Supervisors OK A.I. Data Centers In Business Park In Schuylkill County [PDF of Article]
-- LancasterOnline: Plans Submitted For Lancaster City A.I. Data Center’s 2nd Phase [PDF of Article]
-- LancasterOnline: Lancaster City Council To Consider New A.I. Data Center Rules Oct. 6 [PDF of Article]
-- PPL Utilities Files For 6.98% Electric Rate Increase Boosting Residential Customer Bills By $160.44 A Year Or $13.37/Month
-- Morning Call: PPL Electric Requesting Nearly 7% Rate Increase; Here’s What It Could Mean To Your Bill
-- AP: Regulators Struggle To Keep Up With The Fast-Moving, Complicated Landscape Of A.I. Therapy Apps [PA Mentioned]
-- NPR: Kiss Reality Goodbye - A.I. Generated Social Media Has Arrived
[Posted: October 4, 2025] PA Environment Digest
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