(The Center Square) – As Pennsylvania seeks ways to meet growing electricity demand without burdening ratepayers, lawmakers are looking to technology to help make the most out of the existing power grid.
House Bill 2223, sponsored by Rep. Elizabeth Fiedler, D-Philadelphia, passed the House unanimously on Monday. The bill would require utilities to evaluate the use of advanced transmission technologies, or ATTs, when planning new transmission projects.
ATTs include a suite of hardware and software tools designed to increase the capacity and flexibility of both existing and new transmission lines. Supporters say the technologies can help expand grid capacity, improve reliability, reduce congestion, and help contain costs for homes and businesses.
“Pennsylvania needs to make use of efficient energy infrastructure if we’re going to address our energy demand and energy affordability issues. ATTs are a commonsense, cost-effective strategy that will protect customers and help utility companies save money too – I'm glad to see this legislation received bipartisan support,” Fiedler said.
Similar legislation has been enacted in five states in the PJM region, Fiedler said, and ATTs have a proven track record of success in reducing congestion costs and increasing capacity. She also noted that the bill is supported by the building trades, industry, environmental groups, and Pennsylvania’s electric utilities, and has no known opposition.
Pennsylvania’s grid is among the oldest in the country, making efficiency crucial – and advocates say these tools offer a near-term, cost-effective way to expand grid capacity, improve reliability, and help contain costs for homes and businesses.
Despite their proven performance, said Chris D’Agostino, Pennsylvania Policy Principal at Advanced Energy United, these solutions remain underutilized due to outdated regulatory frameworks and utility business models – and this legislation addresses that gap.
“We’re encouraged to see this bipartisan win. Advanced transmission technologies are a no-regrets, near-term solution to Pennsylvania’s growing affordability and reliability challenges. They can increase the amount of electricity that can flow across the grid, delivering power to homes and businesses when it’s needed most and helping reduce the risk of outages,” D’Agostino said.
Another bill authored by Fiedler – House Bill 2347 – also passed the House on Monday by a 106-95 vote. If enacted, it would modernize the Pennsylvania Energy Development Authority’s scope and structure to better address the state’s urgent energy development needs.
The proposal would expand the types of projects eligible for PEDA financing to include new energy generation methods, grid stabilization measures and storage, and grid-enhancing technologies. It would also rename PEDA as the Pennsylvania Energy Financing Authority.
Both bills now move to the Senate Environmental Resources and Energy Committee for consideration.
