Pennsylvania state Sen. Gene Yaw (R-23) testified before the PJM Board of Managers on Wednesday during the Critical Issue Fast Path (CIFP) Resource Adequacy Stage 4 meeting, his office said.
PJM, which manages the mid-Atlantic power grid, implemented their CIFP process in February. The CIFP was initiated to discuss reliability issues through the transition to renewable energy and the suggestions that grid operators may face challenges maintaining reliability during the transition.
“We believe the healthy reserve margins we enjoy now cannot be taken for granted into the future,” PJM stated in the letter. “Energy policies and market forces already have, and could further expedite, the retirement of existing generation resources faster than new resources are able to come online.”
Yaw said the issue is a pressing one for the state’s legislators.
“There are few issues before our region’s legislators as pressing as the need for a secure, reliable electric grid,” Sen. Yaw said. “Pennsylvania has become the largest exporter of electricity in the country and any decisions the Board makes will greatly impact our future and every state supported by the PJM grid. I am thankful for the opportunity to testify, and I look forward to continuing to work with PJM to ensure that we can keep the lights on for all Pennsylvanians and the 65 million consumers served by PJM.”
Yaw was one of several witnesses at the meeting where proposals were presented and voted on by the board. The meeting will be followed by the Member’s Committee meeting and vote. A final filing from the meeting is scheduled to be presented to the Federal Energy Regulatory Commission on Oct. 1.