Pennsylvania State Sen. Gene Yaw (R-23) recently helped lead an event focused on the evolving electricity market landscape during a meeting with Ohio lawmakers and leaders from PJM Interconnection LLC, the regional transmission organization.
“States like Ohio and Pennsylvania play a vital role in ensuring reliable and affordable electricity for millions of residents across the PJM footprint,” Yaw said Jan. 6. “This meeting was an important opportunity to understand the challenges and opportunities ahead.”
Yaw tackled how to collaboratively strengthen regional energy planning, market coordination, and grid reliability alongside Ohio State Sen. Brian Chavez (R-30), Ohio State Rep. Adam Holmes (R-97), and PJM leadership.
All three legislators serve as chairmen of their respective state legislative committees on energy, and brought a shared focus on energy policy and infrastructure development to the discussion, according to their staff.
They were joined by Yaw’s colleagues from Pennsylvania, including State Sen. Dave Argall (R-29), chairman of the Majority Policy Committee, and Sens. Carolyn Comitta (D-19) and Scott Hutchinson (R-21). Also joining the lawmakers were Steve DeFrank, chairman of the Pennsylvania Public Utility Commission (PUC); Jennifer French, chairwoman of the Public Utilities Commission of Ohio (PUCO); and Dennis Peters, a PUCO commissioner.
The delegation’s dialogue with PJM officials focused on the future of the electric grid, long-term load forecasts, and the critical role of inter-state coordination in addressing rising electricity demand.
The visit included a detailed presentation from PJM leadership, a roundtable discussion, and a tour of the grid operator’s facility, staff said.
PJM’s 2025 Long-Term Load Forecast projects a sharp rise in electricity demand driven by data center growth, electrification of buildings and vehicles, and manufacturing expansion.
Officials reviewed capacity market pricing trends, noting a significant increase in the PJM price from $29/MW-day in 2024-2025 to $269.92/MW-day in 2025-2026.
The group examined PJM’s interconnection reforms and the acceleration of shovel-ready projects through the Reliability Resource Initiative, and addressed state-level strategies to manage affordability and reliability, including retail cost allocation, demand response programs, and the permitting processes for new infrastructure development.
“Our states share a common grid and common goals,” Yaw said. “This meeting reinforced the importance of proactive planning and transparent communication between states and PJM. Our constituents depend on us to make informed decisions that support economic growth and energy security.”