PJM Summit Convenes All 13 States and Key Stakeholders to Address Key Supply and Demand Issues

Source: PA Chamber of Business and Industry

Representatives from all 13 PJM states, several governors from the PJM region, and hundreds of stakeholders gathered in Philadelphia last week for the Summit on the State of PJM Interconnection — to discuss proposed supply-and-demand solutions, among other timely topics of importance to the energy industry.

PJM Interconnection is the regional grid operator for 13 states and Washington, D.C. Pennsylvania is the third largest the greatest energy producer, and number one electricity exporter in the nation.

In comments at the event’s start, Gov. Josh Shapiro called on PJM Interconnection to speed up reforms, warning that delays in energy projects and costly capacity auctions are driving up bills for the 67 million people who rely on the nation’s largest power grid. He said states must work together to demand faster modernization and fairer governance, which he said needs to be in “months, not years.”  The governor also noted that a project backlog is threatening energy reliability while demand is rising, further stressing the point for states to work toward a more efficient, affordable, and accountable grid.

Sen. Gene Yaw (R-Lycoming), who serves as chairman of the Senate Environmental Resources and Energy Committee, issued a response to the governor’s comments, pushing back on the notion that PJM is to blame for higher electricity prices, as opposed to “progressive energy policies in states across PJM’s footprint Interconnection.”

“PJM is like an air traffic controller,” Sen. Yaw’s statement continued. “The controller does not own the airport or the planes. They just direct traffic to ensure everyone gets where they need to go safely. Blaming PJM for higher energy costs is like blaming air traffic controllers for expensive airline tickets”

The PA Chamber is focused on ensuring that Pennsylvania continues to be a global and national energy leader. With a diverse mix of energy resources and historic recent investments in future-focused projects, including AI and data centers, the Commonwealth is poised to lead in this arena.