Legislation recently introduced in the state Senate would restructure the Pennsylvania Economic Development for a Growing Economy (EDGE) tax credit program.
Senate Bill 1106 would prioritize and incentivize investment in baseload power generation. The goal is to give developers the long-term certainty and financial tools needed to invest in energy projects that strengthen grid reliability and help power Pennsylvania’s future.
“Pennsylvania stands at a critical crossroads,” Sen. Gene Yaw (R-Bradford), Senate Environmental Resources and Energy Committee chairman, who introduced the bill, said. “Our electric grid is experiencing the most rapid demand in decades, yet we continue to retire reliable power sources faster than we can replace them. By modernizing the EDGE program, we can encourage the development of dispatchable, always-on power sources that are essential for grid stability.”
Blackouts could increase nearly 100 times by 2030 if additional reliable power sources are not brought online, according to U.S. Department of Energy estimates.
The bill brings Pennsylvania in line with regional transmission organization requirements, Yaw said, and accelerates demand and lagging infrastructure.
Yaw also explained that Pennsylvania’s ambition to become a national leader in artificial intelligence will require a dramatic surge in electricity demand. Data centers and computing facilities require a continuous, uninterrupted energy supply.