HARRISBURG – State Rep. Camille “Bud” George, majority chairman of the House Environmental Resources and Energy Committee, said the
panel has sent to the full House bipartisan energy measures that aim at reducing energy dependence and costs.
“Among the legislation is my House Resolution 506 directing the state Public Utility Commission and Department of Environmental Protection to advise the House on strategies to counter electric-generation rate increases,” said George, D-74 of Clearfield County. “Pennsylvania cannot afford to free-fall directly
from rate caps to rate shock.”
The deregulation legislation of 1996 spawned rate caps on generation charges in return for more than $11 billion in payments to utilities for their uncompetitive investments. The caps expire on Jan 1, 2010, for PPL’s 1.4 million state customers and on Jan 1, 2010, for more than 2.7 million customers of PECO and FirstEnergy’s Met-Ed and Penelec subsidiaries.
“Unless we take steps immediately, we’ll be popping our bank accounts and our economy instead of champagne corks on New Year’s Day to pay for steeply higher electric rates,” George said. “”Energy prices already are untenable for many citizens. In two years, they will be disastrous.”
Besides HR 506, the House Environmental Resources and Energy Committee this week OK’d:
? Special Session House Bill 1, allocating $850 million in bond funding to support research, development and deployment of alternative energy projects and
technologies.
? Special Session House Bill 4, establishing design and construction standards for “green” building projects receiving state funding.
? Special Session House Bill 13, adding a third tier to the Alternative Energy Portfolio Standards and increasing solar power shares incrementally.
? Special Session House Bill 16, establishing a State Energy Office within the governor’s Office to promote energy development and conservation.
? Special Session House Bill 38, requiring electric distribution companies to file smart meter procurement and installation plans.
? House Bill 1705, authorizing the governor to execute the Great Lakes-St. Lawrence River Basin Water Resources Compact.