Third Act PA’s Democratize Energy group is working with POWER Interfaith in Philadelphia to push the state’s Public Utility Commission (PUC) to be part of our much-needed shift to renewable energy. POWER aims to put the “Public” back into the Public Utility Commission, which regulates our electric and gas utilities. Through the spring, we will be calling on the PUC to require PECO (and eventually other utilities statewide) to purchase long-term energy contracts for a maximal amount of renewable energy. Our allies at POWER wrote this article to outline the plan. Please email us ThirdActPA@gmail.com to be part of this action.
By POWER Interfaith
The People’s Energy Plan challenges PECO – and our state regulator, the Public Utility Commission (PUC) – to make a rapid shift away from fossil fuels to affordable clean energy. We demand transparency and democracy in how that energy is supplied.
Why does this matter?
The energy we depend on must be safe for the communities and workers who produce it – and affordable for all who use it – and safe for our lands, waters, air, and climate.
All across southeastern PA, we all – Black, Brown, White – well-off or struggling – want clean air to breathe, water that’s safe to drink, and communities where we can thrive. We all deserve a voice in shaping the decisions that affect our communities. But PECO and our state government are stuck in dependency on fossil fuels that pollute the air in our kids’ lungs and the water in their cups. By pitting our health against our pocketbooks, PECO is trying to divide our communities, and to distract us from its failure to lead us toward a future powered by clean energy. Our communities are increasingly suffering floods, heat waves, and intense storms. We need safe, clean, locally made energy for us and for the next generation.
Who are we?
POWER Interfaith is made up of over 250 congregations in Philadelphia and the surrounding counties, in the Lehigh Valley and in Lancaster, growing into a statewide organizing movement for economic and racial justice on a livable planet. POWER’s Climate Justice and Jobs team holds a vision of energy democracy grounded in affordability, renewability, fair labor, and health and safety for all of us. We’ve enlisted legal and technical experts to support our grassroots leaders.
What’s our strategy?
The People’s Energy Plan aims to change the way PECO buys the electricity they sell to us.
Every four years, PECO proposes for PUC approval a plan for how PECO intends to buy electricity they will sell to us. The electricity they buy could come from solar, wind, burning gas, or other sources. PECO’s plan affects the majority of households in our region – including all low-income households who get energy assistance.
Public Utility Commissions in other states have required the local utilities they oversee to accelerate their transition to green energy. Our team decided to accept the challenge of bringing a real alternative. It is time for our energy leaders in Pennsylvania to step up to the needs of these times!
What is the People’s Energy Plan?
The People’s Energy Plan has identified three steps that PECO and the PUC can take in the plan PECO will propose in 2024 to build a sustainable future for everyone in southeastern PA.
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Fix the Mix. When PECO buys the electricity they sell to us, they accept only short-term contracts, because fossil fuel prices are constantly changing. These short-sighted negotiations, however, have long-term costs. Renewable energy doesn’t suffer from the wild price swings we’ve seen in natural gas the past couple years. With long-term contracts, solar and wind are cheaper than burning fossil fuels. PECO’s insistence on short-term contracts creates a market that artificially favors fossil fuels. PECO needs to end this artificial barrier to affordable renewable energy. We need PECO’s 2024 procurement plan to be a downpayment on the larger goal of 100% renewable energy for all in our region.
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Democratize Energy. PECO must open up its procurement planning process and meet with stakeholders. The energy PECO provides (and the grid it maintains) must serve the needs of the region for affordable clean energy, protect our climate, and build resilience for the climate disruption we already face.
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Lead, Don’t Follow. PECO must be a leader in the Philadelphia area’s clean energy future and commit to securing affordable clean energy for Philadelphia and southeast Pennsylvania. Stop “passing the buck” to the government to enforce action. Stop ignoring the costs to our health and communities. The longer PECO delays taking action on climate change, the more it will cost – both in dollars and in lives. PECO needs to act NOW.
What’s next?
In January, POWER will share the People’s Energy Plan with PECO in time for them to incorporate the three steps for a clean energy future into their 2024 Default Service Plan (DSP). In early 2024, POWER will meet with PUC commissioners to build relationships at the commission. In June, POWER members will testify at the PUC public hearings regarding PECO’s 2024 DSP. In October, the PUC will vote to accept or reject PECO’s DSP.
Learn more and get involved at https://powerinterfaith.org/campaigns/climate-justice/