Energy Justice Advocates Win Largest Utility Solar Project to Date in Pennsylvania

As part of a settlement reached with Earthjustice, PECO will commission the state’s largest solar project to date to serve residential customers. Earthjustice represented POWER Interfaith, Vote Solar, Physicians for Social Responsibility Pennsylvania, Sierra Club, Clean Air Council, and PennEnvironment before the Public Utility Commission (PUC), challenging PECO’s four-year energy procurement plan. PECO’s proposed plan, submitted to the PUC in February, did not include any long-term renewable energy contracts and relied exclusively on short-term contacts that favor fossil energy. The 25MW solar project was approved by the PUC on November 9. PECO will submit its proposed contract for that solar energy on December 23, 2024 for comment by the parties and then approval by the PUC.

Of 80 people who testified at two public hearings, 79 opposed PECO’s proposed plan, sharing their experiences with costly and complex utility bills, and how solar energy can lower electric bills; contribute to housing stability; decrease the rates of asthma, heart attacks, and strokes; contribute to a healthier environment for everyone; and combat climate change.

Earthjustice argued that PECO’s plan was not only inconsistent with Pennsylvania’s Environmental Rights Amendment, but would cost customers between $67 and $89 million over the course of the plan period because PECO did not account for rapidly falling renewable prices. After extensive discovery and multiple rounds of testimony, Earthjustice reached a settlement with PECO and the other parties. In addition to the solar project, the settlement guarantees advocates the opportunity to provide comments on PECO’s power purchase agreement and expands access to low-income assistance programs.

“While the outcome of this case still leaves us far from our goal of 100% clean for Pennsylvania, we know that this is going to be a transition process, and the 25MW solar project and opportunity to comment on the Power Purchase Agreement will be a crucial first step,” said Nancy Wygant of POWER Interfaith, a coalition of congregations across Pennsylvania organizing for racial and economic justice on a livable planet.

“In this proceeding we worked with a team of experts to demonstrate with real-world data that long-term solar contracts will save PECO customers millions of dollars while also cutting emissions: a win-win scenario,” said Tom Schuster of Sierra Club Pennsylvania.

“Regardless of what the federal government does, significant progress can be made at state public utility commissions to transition us away from fossil fuels and towards the future that our clients like POWER envision. Pennsylvania has a long history as an energy leader, and it can and should lead the clean energy transition,” said Devin McDougall, Earthjustice attorney.