Joint State Government Commission Issues Update On Report Looking At The Costs, Benefits And Risks Of Pennsylvania Participating In The PJM Interconnection; Hearings To Be Held

On September 25, the Joint State Government Commission posted an update on the report it is preparing on the costs, benefits and risks of Pennsylvania’s participation in the PJM Interconnection.

The report was authorized by House Resolution 361 (Matzie-D-Beaver) passed by the House unanimously on June 3, 2026.

The 72-page report update includes a description of PJM’s organizational and operational structure and a list of preliminary findings regarding the significant issues identified to date. 

It also provides background information to introduce the uninitiated to the United States electrical grid and the evolution of PJM from a southeast Pennsylvania agreement between two power companies located in Pennsylvania and New Jersey to an organization serving more than 67 million people, overseeing approximately 186,000 megawatts of generation capacity, and more than 88,000 miles of transmission lines covering over 360,00 square miles of territory. 

Initial Issues

The report also identifies some initial issues the Commission will be looking at, including--

-- Structure: The organizational structure of PJM compared to other RTOs and other means of coordinating transmission networks in lieu of an RTO.

-- Governance: Qualifications of members of the organization, how representative the organization is, and the role of state government in the decision-making process, including voting rights.

-- Energy Costs: Costs of electricity and ratemaking, as well as litigation regarding those issues that are occurring in other PJM states.

-- Generation Capacity/Demand: The development of new, and expansion of existing generation capacity, and the impact of data centers and other drivers of demand. 

-- Clean Energy Sources: Alternative energy sources and newer technologies, such as linear generators, gridscale battery storage, advanced transmission technologies, grid-enhancing technologies, and surplus interconnection service have been suggested as ways to increase capacity and lower costs to consumers. The potential impact of these new energy sources and technological developments will also be assessed.

-- Grid Resiliency/Reliability: Resiliency and reliability are also important issues, given that extreme weather events have taken a toll on transmission infrastructure in general. Ways to harden and create backup redundancy in the event of weather-related blackouts need further exploration.

Click Here for a list of issues to be addressed from the House Resolution.

Public Comments

The House Resolution calls for the Commission to hold public hearings to gathering information for the report.

The Commission said its staff is in the process of organizing the hearings “through the fall and early winter of 2026."

The Commission invited any individuals or organizations to submit written comments to the Commission by email to: jntst02@legis.state.pa.us or in writing to this address--  Joint State Government Commission, Room 108 Finance Building, 613 North Street, Harrisburg, PA 17120.

Click Here for a copy of the progress report and a one-page summary.

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-- Joint State Government Commission Issues Update On Report Looking At The Costs, Benefits And Risks Of Pennsylvania Participating In The PJM Interconnection; Hearings To Be Held  [PaEN]

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[Posted: October 22, 2026]  PA Environment Digest