POSTPONED TO MAY 6: PA House Energy Committee Sets May 4 Meeting To Act On More Bills To Address Electric Grid Reliability, Affordability Issues: Authorize Virtual Power Plants, More

The House Energy Committee is scheduled to meet May 4 on more legislation to address Pennsylvania’s electric grid reliability and energy affordability issues.

>> This meeting is postponed, probably to Wednesday, May 6 <<

The bills in the agenda include--

-- Virtual Power Plants: House Bill 2264 (Davidson-D-Cumberland) establishes requirements for regulating virtual power plants [draft amendment]  [draft amendment];

-- Electric Distribution Hosting Capacity: House Bill 2429 (Cerrato-D-Montgomery) requires utilities to publish accessible maps showing distribution system hosting capacity [draft amendment]; and

-- Nuclear Power Plants: House Bill 2450 (Mehaffie-R- Dauphin) increases and makes other changes to the fees for nuclear power plants to fund safety and emergency preparedness programs. 

-- [Temporarily removed from agenda: House Bill 2348 (Fiedler-D- Philadelphia) makes numerous changes to PUC net metering requirements [draft amendment]]

Proposed action on these bills follows several hearings held by the Committee on these issues -- see Resource Links below.

Join the Meeting

The meeting will be held in Room B-31 Main Capitol starting at 10:30 a.m. Click Here to watch online.

Rep. Elizabeth Fiedler (D-Philadelphia) serves as Majority Chair of the House Energy Committee and can be contacted by calling 215-271-9190 or click here to contact.    Rep. Martin Causer (R-Cameron) serves as Minority Chair and can be contacted by calling 717-787-5075 or by sending email to: mcauser@pahousegop.com.

Resource Links:

-- PA House Committee Hears How Virtual Power Plants, Advanced Transmission Line Technologies Allow Us To Quickly Get More Out Of Our Energy Infrastructure In Less Time, Without Huge Investments Or Delays  [PaEN] 

-- PA Capital-Star: Electricity Grid Maps Could Speed Addition Of Renewable Energy To PA, PA House Panel Hears  [PaEN] 

-- House Energy Committee Hears How Geothermal Energy Could Meet 100% Of PA’s Electricity, Heating Needs Offering True Energy Independence And Freedom From Foreign Energy Markets Costing Pennsylvanians Billions  [PaEN] 

-- House Energy Committee Reports Out GeoThermal Energy, Advanced Transmission Technology, Energy Financing Authority Bills  [PaEN] 

-- PA House Passes Bills To Develop Model Zoning Ordinance To Help Local Governments Regulate, Mitigate The Impacts Of A.I. Data Center Developments; Report Water, Energy Use  [PaEN] 

-- PA House Passes Bill To Authorize Public Utility Commission To Regulate A.I. Data Centers To Make Them Pay Their Own Way  [PaEN] 

-- PA House Blue-Green Labor, Environmental Caucus Endorses 9-Bill Package To Expand Clean Energy Generation, Strengthen Workforce  [PaEN] 

PA Oil & Gas Industry Public Notice Dashboards:

-- PA Oil & Gas Weekly Compliance Dashboard - April 25 to May 1: Violations For Conventional Well Abandonment Top 204; Cleaning Up Shale Gas Wastewater Release For 245 Days  [PaEN] 

     -- DEP - Day 245: Expand Operating LLC Continuing Cleanup Of Ongoing Shale Gas Fracking Wastewater Release From Well Pad In Great Bend Twp., Susquehanna County  [PaEN] 

     -- DEP Signs Consent Orders With CNX Gas, Leatherwood LLC Requiring The Plugging Of 5 Conventional Coal Bed Methane Wells Prior To Longwall Coal Mining In Center Twp., Greene County  [PaEN]

     -- ‘Emergency’ Upset Natural Gas/Chemical Flare At MarkWest Harmon Cryogenic Natural Gas Processing Plant In Washington County Was Briefly Almost As Bright As The Moon Last Night   - Live Breathe Project Cameras   [April 30]

-- PA Oil & Gas Industrial Facilities: Permit Notices, Opportunities To Comment - May 2 [PaEN] 

     -- DEP Invites Comments On Chapter 105 Permit For 4.5 Mile EQT ARO Natural Gas Pipeline On State Forest Land In Lycoming County [PaEN] 

-- DEP Posted 62 Pages Of Permit-Related Notices In May 2 PA Bulletin  [PaEN] 

     -- DEP Accepting Comments On 2nd Stormwater Permit For SNA North LLC/QTS A.I. Data Center Project In Salem Twp., Luzerne County  [PaEN] 

     -- Public Utility Commission Sets July 10 Telephonic Hearing On PPL Condemnation Of 30 Properties For The Sugarloaf 500/230KV Transmission Line In Luzerne County To Serve Data Centers  [PaEN] 

     -- DEP To Hold June 16 Hearing On Water Quality Permit For Rustic Ridge II Coal Mining Permit In Westmoreland County  [PaEN] 

     -- DEP To Hold May 21 Informal Conference To Take Comments On The Proposed Addition Of 7,154 Acres To The Rosebud Mining Company Penfield Coal Mine In Clearfield County  [PaEN]

Related Articles This Week:

-- Environmental Health Project Calls On Gov. Shapiro To Address Health Hazards Of Fossil Fuels  [PaEN] 

-- DEP Receives Federal Funding To Study Human Health Impacts Of Leaking, Abandoned Conventional Oil & Gas Wells; Conventional Regulation Updates Delayed; Reports On Setback Petition By End Of 2026  [PaEN] 

-- House Committee Approves Bill To Strengthen State Response To Spills Of Hazardous Substances After Energy Transfer/Sunoco Jet Fuel Pipeline Spill In Bucks County [PaEN]

-- Environmental Defense Fund: Rollback Of Federal Methane Emission Limits On Oil & Gas Facilities Have Wasted $4.8 Billion Worth Of Natural Gas That Could Have Served 22 Million Homes- And Counting  [PaEN]

-- US Dept. Of Energy Cyber Threat Center Issues Another Warning To Oil & Gas Industry About Automatic Tank Gauge Manipulation By Malicious Cyber Threat Actors  [PaEN] 

-- In Case You Missed It: A.I./Data Center Articles - NewClips From Last Week - May 4  [PaEN] 

-- PUC Adopts Voluntary Large Load, Data Center Tariff Framework To Help Protect Ratepayers   [PaEN]

-- Environmental Defense Fund: PA Public Utility Commission Moves To Protect Consumers From A.I. Data Center Grid Costs: ‘The Stakes Are High Given The Scale And Speed Of Data Center-Driven Growth’ [PaEN] 

-- Gov. Shapiro Appoints Mark Szybist New Special Counsel For Energy Affordability  [PaEN] 

-- Federal Energy Regulatory Commission Approves Extension Of PJM Capacity Auction Price Cap, Floor For Next 2 Auctions  [PaEN]

-- Inquirer Guest Essay: Utility Shutoffs Pose Dire Risks To Families Unable To Afford Energy Bills - By David Taylor, Director Of Patient Advocacy, Drexel University College Of Medicine

-- Reuters: US Natural Gas Futures Hit 3-Week High As Output Falls And Companies Like EQT Cut Production Due To Low Spot Prices 

-- Reuters: US Consumers Face Rising Electricity Prices Pushed By A.I. Data Center Demand, Rising Natural Gas Prices, Tariffs On Steel/Aluminum, While Benefits From Low-Cost Clean Power Capacity Emerge  

-- Senate Committee Hears Electric Grid Issues Getting Worse; PJM Has Attracted 220 GW Of New Generation Proposals; PJM ‘Backstop’ Procurement Critical To Making Data Centers Pay For New Generation [PaEN] 

-- WHYY - Susan Phillips: Gov. Shapiro Says Regulated Electric, Natural Gas, Water Utility System In PA Is ‘Broken’ In Letter To 24 Companies Laying Out New System To Rein In Corporate Profits 

-- Post-Gazette - Anya Litvak & Laura Legere: A.I. Data Center Power Demand May Extend Conemaugh, Keystone Coal-Fired Power Plant Operations, Jobs For Years - But At A Cost

-- PA House Energy Committee Sets May 4 Meeting To Act On More Bills To Address Electric Grid Reliability, Affordability Issues: Authorize Virtual Power Plants, More  [PaEN] 

-- PA House Passes Bill To Require A.I. Data Centers To Report Water Use, Discharges To DEP  [PaEN]

-- PA Capital-Star: Electricity Grid Maps Could Speed Addition Of Renewable Energy To PA, PA House Panel Hears 

-- AP: Building Trades Unions Emerge As Key Political Allies Of Tech Giants In Push For A.I. Data Centers [PA Highlighted]

-- DEP Citizens Advisory Council Meets May 12 For Presentations On A Data Center Guide From Chester, Montgomery Counties; PFAS ‘Forever Chemical’ Contamination In Biosolids  [PaEN] 

-- Concerned Citizens Of Montour County: Data Center Developer Wants To Make It Harder For Citizens To Appeal Zoning, Permits; DCED Secretary Explains More On How They Want New GRID Principles To Work  [PaEN] 

-- Montour County: What A.I. Data Center Developers Don’t Like In Zoning Ordinances: Decommissioning Safeguards For When Their Tech Becomes Obsolete; No Noise Limits On Diesel Generators; No Property Value Impact Studies  [PaEN]

-- ABC27: A.I. Data Centers Dominate Statewide Township Leaders Convention 

-- Heatmap.News: Inside Josh Shapiro’s Attempt To Navigate The A.I. Data Center Backlash  [Based On Concerned Citizens Of Montour County Right To Know Request]

-- WVIA: Governor’s Office Removes Project Gravity 7 Building A.I. Data Center Project In Luzerne County From Fast Track Permitting Program  Due To Lack Of Transparency  [PaEN] 

-- Wilkes-Barre Times Leader Guest Essay: Public Backlash Against A.I. Data Centers Creating A Buildability Crisis - By Peter Clark, InsideSources.com 

-- Reading Eagle: Threats Of Violence Against Both Sides Dogging A.I. Data Center Projects In Limerick Twp., Montgomery County  [PDF of Article]

-- Scranton Times Chris Kelly Opinion: Archbald Is The Canary In The A.I. Data Center ‘Coal Mine;’  90 Data Center Buildings Proposed In Lackawanna County  [PDF of Article]

-- Tri-County Regional Planning Commission Publishes Model A.I. Data Center Ordinance; Links To Other Model Ordinances  [PaEN] 

-- PennLive - Charles Thompson: As A.I. Data Center Site Work Starts In Cumberland County, Neighbors Struggle With ‘The Monster Next Door:’ Blasting, Twp. Roads Failing, Failure To Communicate

-- FOX43: Massive, 700 Acre A.I. Data Center Project Construction In Cumberland County Bringing Noise, Concerns To Nearby Residents 

-- Pittsburgh Gateways Flips The Switch On New Rooftop Solar Energy System On Energy Innovation Center  [PaEN] 

-- Gov. Shapiro Announces $267 Million Investment In 31 PA Industry Projects To Reduce Air Pollution, Cut Energy Costs, Create Jobs, And Combat Greenhouse Gas Emissions In 23 Counties; Next Grant Round Opens May 15  [PaEN] 

-- PA Technical Assistance Program July 16 Webinar On Funding, Incentives For Energy Efficiency Improvements For Manufacturers  [PaEN] 

-- DCNR: Grid-Scale Solar Energy Installations Are Not Permitted On Any DCNR Lands Or On Lands That Have Received DCNR Grant Funds  [PaEN]

-- Maybe Folks Should Read This Article Again:  The Guardian: Anthropic’s Claude A.I. Agent’s Confession After Deleting A Firm’s Entire Database: ‘I Violated Every Principle I Was Given’ 

[Posted: April 29, 2026] PA Environment Digest