Get Full Government Meeting Transcripts, Videos, & Alerts Forever!
Get email alerts on the Energy Efficiency topic
No spam. Unsubscribe anytime.
House committee advances update to energy-efficiency programs with clarifying amendment
Summary
The Consumer Protection, Technology & Utilities Committee adopted Amendment A01770 and approved House Bill 505, which updates Pennsylvania's energy-efficiency and conservation programs; the amendment clarified numerous technical provisions, and some members voiced concern about costs and regulatory complexity.
The Consumer Protection, Technology & Utilities Committee adopted Amendment A01770 and approved House Bill 505 on a voice vote after debate about costs to ratepayers and administrative complexity. The committee called up the bill after establishing a quorum.
The amendment, read into the record by committee staff member Mr. Scott, “clarifies several provisions in the underlying bill, such as resilience language, reduction targets for public entities, low-income compliance rules, electric distribution line loss caps, plan duration and flexibility, total resource cost test adjustments, demand response language, EDC budgets, and the definition of phase.” The committee voted to adopt the amendment; the chair announced the amendment “passes unanimously.”
House Bill 505, described by Mr. Scott as “a comprehensive update to the Commonwealth’s energy efficiency and conservation programs by enhancing energy savings for consumers,” then moved forward. A committee member voiced opposition on grounds that the bill would “take money out of the ratepayers’ pockets” and create a burdensome bureaucracy that could raise rates; that member recorded a “no” vote. The transcript records the bill’s passage, though a final numeric tally for the bill vote is not specified in the committee record provided.
Why it matters: supporters say HB505 updates program rules and technical tests used to measure energy-efficiency investments; opponents raised concerns about cost-shifting to utility customers and longer-term market impacts. The amendment’s clarifications focus on implementation details — including how savings are measured, how low-income compliance is handled and how distribution line losses are capped — issues that state regulators and utilities would use to shape program plans if the bill advances.
The committee record does not list a full roll-call tally for the final vote on the bill in the provided transcript. The bill was reported out of committee for further legislative action.
The committee adjourned after completing its agenda.
