To protect Pennsylvanians from skyrocketing energy costs, Pa. House Democrats introduce energy affordability legislation that would lower bills, rein in corporate greed
Pennsylvania House Democratic Caucus April 15, 2026 | 4:22 PM
HARRISBURG, April 15 – On Wednesday, PA House Democrats launched a bold new bill package to tackle the energy affordability crisis by reining in corporate greed, implementing electric grid efficiency measures, and regulating data centers’ impacts on Pennsylvania communities.
This package offers a multifaceted response by:
- guaranteeing that costs related to data center development are not shouldered by ratepayers,
- reforming Pennsylvania’s broken ratemaking system to ensure customers pay a fair price for the energy they use, and
- modernizing the state’s electric grid so growing energy demand can be met at a reasonable cost.
Across the commonwealth, Pennsylvanians are facing skyrocketing energy costs. Utility shutoffs were up 38% in 2025 as 1-in-5 Pennsylvania households report having trouble paying their utility bills each month. House Energy Committee chair Rep. Elizabeth Fiedler, D-Phila., said it’s clear that this crisis is reaching a breaking point.
“The nurses, teachers and laborers in my district, who work long hours and sometimes multiple jobs, are struggling to pay their bills. With prices rising between 10-20% in the last year, it’s becoming impossible for working people to keep up. The crisis is also hitting seniors and our low-income neighbors, who are often on fixed budgets,” said Fiedler. “We need to make sure the people of our state can keep their heat and lights on, and that must come before the profits of Big Tech and corporate utilities.”
House Bill 1834, introduced by Rep. Rob Matzie, D-Beaver, would prohibit utilities from passing on the cost of data center development and related infrastructure upgrades to consumers. It also requires that data center developers support energy assistance for low-income Pennsylvanians by funding a new LIHEAP summer cooling program. The bill passed the House last month with bipartisan support.
“People are having trouble making ends meet. Electric costs are a main culprit, and they keep going up. House Bill 1834 can play a role in helping to curb those costs by ensuring that no one’s electric bill goes up because a data center has located in Pennsylvania,” said Matzie.
Central to the package are three bills that represent significant reform to unfair ratemaking practices and excessive profits of utility companies. House Bill 1457, introduced by Rep. Tarah Probst, D-Monroe/Pike, would save consumers money by prohibiting companies from charging Weather Normalization Adjustments, which bills customers for energy they never use.
“I have constituents, senior citizens who bundle up and turn their heat down in the winter so their bills would be lower, only to see higher than expected bills,” said Probst. “Our utility companies are telling us they don’t care how much we’re using, it’s what they feel like charging us. My bill would prohibit Weather Normalization Adjustments, which don't benefit Pennsylvanians.”
Rep. Heather Boyd, D-Delaware, introduced H.B. 2131 to protect ratepayers from predatory business practices by automatically returning them to their initial service contract, unless they explicitly choose a new company. Pennsylvania’s retail energy market promises low “teaser” rates, but research shows that these contracts cost ratepayers far more than default service.
“The cost of living isn’t just rising—it’s piling up,” said Boyd. “For too many Pennsylvanians, every bill hits before they’ve had a chance to catch their breath. We’re fighting to lower costs, ease the burden on working families, and work with Gov. Shapiro to get real relief over the finish line.”
The package also includes H.B. 2224, which Fiedler will soon introduce, that would lower consumers’ bills by limiting how much excessive profit utility companies can derive from ratepayers.
Another source of high costs to working people and small businesses is the buildout of new transmission infrastructure. To avoid the high costs that come with new infrastructure, as well as local concerns, the package includes innovative legislation to make better use of the existing electric grid. House Bill 2223, authored by Fiedler, would require utilities to consider using Advanced Transmission Technologies, which are modern, cost-effective solutions that can increase capacity on existing transmission lines, before pursuing costly new infrastructure projects. This would allow more electricity through the existing grid and shield consumers from paying for new infrastructure or costly upgrades.
House Bill 2264, introduced by Rep. Nathan Davidson, D-Cumberland/Dauphin, would allow ratepayers to connect home energy devices like smart thermostats to the grid to slightly reduce their energy usage during peak demand, or to send energy they generate directly to the grid. The implementation of these Virtual Power Plants would reduce grid strain and provide more reliable service. As of February 2026, electric distribution companies in 35 states administered at least one virtual power plant program, which saved ratepayers hundreds of dollars annually.
“Virtual Power Plants are an innovative success that attack rising energy costs by rewarding families for saving energy, rather than punishing them with skyrocketing bills. While onloading more generation is our shared long-term goal, action must be taken now to lower costs for ratepayers,” said Davidson.
Full list of legislation: