PennFuture Withdraws Act 129 Petition

(Harrisburg, PA - January 26, 2012) –The PennFuture Energy Center for Enterprise and the Environment today withdrew its petition asking the Pennsylvania Public Utility Commission (PUC) to begin the process of extending the energy savings law requirements (Act 129), rather than waiting for the legal deadline of November 30, 2013. Today’s decision came after PennFuture met with PUC leadership and staff during which PUC Chair Robert Powelson expressed his strong commitment to begin seeking input from interested parties on this important issue within 45-days.

“While we discussed our petition in advance with many interested parties in the private and public sector, we had no assurance that the process would move forward in a timely fashion until we heard from the PUC leadership,” said Christina Simeone, director of the PennFuture Energy Center. “We felt strongly that work needed to begin on this vital program immediately.

“After meeting with Chair Powelson and Commissioner Pamela Witmer, we feel comfortable that the PUC is moving forward and will not let the programs lapse,” continued Simeone. “In fact, we were impressed by the depth of the Chair’s commitment to the Act 129 program and his dedication and passion for ensuring its uninterrupted continuation. We believe the process will move faster without our petition, so are pleased to withdraw it.”

“We thank PennFuture for its leadership on this very important issue,” said Powelson and Witmer, who continued “We believe that Act 129 programs are important tools for Pennsylvania’s consumers to help manage their energy use, and because of this are very supporting of these programs. The PUC has already started an extensive internal review process and we anxiously await the results of this review.”

“PennFuture commends the PUC for its tremendous work in making the first two years of Act 129 a success and for its commitment to energy efficiency and conservation,” said Simeone. “We look forward to continued coordination and collaboration with the PUC on extending the Act 129 program.”

A recent study by Optimal Energy detailed the great benefits of the energy savings law, showing Pennsylvanians have cut electricity usage by 2,073 gigawatt-hours (GWh) – 41 percent greater than required by the law – and are saving $278 million annually. The Commonwealth also gained 4,000 job years (job years are measured as one full-time job for one year), a more reliable electric grid, and cut air pollution and heat-trapping gases that cause climate change.

The current Act 129 program expires on May 31, 2013. The PUC must decide on or before November 30, 2013 that the program has been cost-effective; if so, it is required to set new savings goals. If the PUC does not take action well in advance of November 2013, there will be a “blackout” period during which electric companies will stop their energy efficiency programs. This will result in job losses for conservation service providers, consumer confusion about the availability of programs, and reduced return on investment. These problems will be avoided by the PUC beginning the process now of planning for the next phase of energy savings requirements.

The PennFuture Energy Center is a project of Citizens for Pennsylvania’s Future. PennFuture is a statewide public interest membership organization that advances policies to protect and improve the state’s environment and economy. With offices in Harrisburg, Philadelphia, Pittsburgh, and Wilkes-Barre, PennFuture’s activities include litigating cases before regulatory bodies and in local, state, and federal courts, advocating and advancing legislative action on a state and federal level, public education, and assisting citizens in public advocacy.

The original article can be found here: http://pennfuture.org/media_pr_detail.aspx?MediaID=1404&Home=Y