LAWMAKERS TO RECONVENE IN HARRISBURG

The Pennsylvania state legislature is set to reconvene in Harrisburg this week, with both the Senate and House planning session days. The Senate's agenda includes an Appropriations Committee meeting, of which Senator Joe Pittman is a member. Crucially, the House calendar for Monday includes consideration of a bill designed to empower the Public Utility Commission (PUC) with the authority to regulate large-load energy users, specifically targeting data centers. This proposed legislation seeks to mandate that these high-capacity users be responsible for the increased costs associated with electricity infrastructure upgrades, thereby ensuring that the public does not have to subsidize these expenses. The bill also contains provisions for requiring contributions to the LIHEAP program and outlines other state-level regulations pertinent to the data center industry. The Public Utility Commission has previously put forward its own regulatory framework that largely aligns with the objectives presented in this legislative proposal. Representative Jim Struzzi's Appropriations Committee is also slated to meet on Monday.