Legislation soon to be introduced in the state House of Representatives would ensure a greater share of Pennsylvania’s electricity comes from reliable, non-intermittent sources.
The bill would update the state’s Alternative Energy Portfolio Standards (AEPS) that were established in 2004 to set requirements for utilities to purchase increasing amounts of electricity from alternative energy sources. The bill would require at least 82 percent of electricity comes from reliable, non-intermittent sources.
“While wind, solar, and other alternative sources of energy have their place in our commonwealth’s energy portfolio, we must ensure sufficient baseload generation to support our grid,” state Rep. Martina White (R-Philadelphia County), who will be introducing the bill, said in a memo. “Without a reliable baseload, these alternative sources can leave our grid less secure and vulnerable to failure when grid security is needed most.”
White reminded fellow lawmakers of February 2021 when the Texas power electric grid became overwhelmed during extreme cold.
“We cannot sit idle until a catastrophe strikes Pennsylvania to take action,” White said. “By then, it will be too late. We must make sure that Pennsylvanians can always heat their homes on the coldest nights and cool them on the hottest days, both today and in the years ahead.”