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ENERGY UPDATES

Half of Planned Data Centers May Be Delayed

Up to half of data centers scheduled to become operational in 2026 may be delayed due to power constraints, supply chain issues and community opposition, a new report found. The report by Sightline Climate , an energy transition research and intelligence company, tracks 777 hyperscale data centers announced globally since 2024, which account for 190 gigawatts (GW) of electricity demand for about 140 projects. It found that while more than 16 GW of capacity is scheduled to com

17 hours ago

Lowering Energy Bills. Building Community Leaders

The Center for Energy Policy and Management at Washington & Jefferson College will undertake a project to address energy inefficiency in area households while fostering youth leadership and environmental stewardship. Thanks to generous financial support from the West Penn Energy Fund, the Center will assemble energy efficiency care packages containing items such as LED light bulbs and weatherization materials. Middle school students participating in the Upper St. Clair School

Feb 18

Pa. Electric Rates Jump by 46% in Eight Years

Electricity rates across the PJM regional grid have risen sharply over the past eight years, and Pennsylvania customers have seen the biggest increase, a recent report found. The research brief by the state Independent Fiscal Office (IFO) determined that average prices for Pennsylvania residents increased by 46.1% between 2018 and 2025, compared to 40.1% for Ohio, 39.1% for Virginia and 41% for all other Mid-Atlantic states in the PJM region. Pennsylvania’s average electrici

Feb 12

Electric Bills Will Continue to Rise After PJM Auction

Electric bills will continue to climb for customers in the PJM Interconnection regional electric grid after the most recent auction for future electricity totaled a record $16.4 billion due to rapidly rising demand for power. The grid operator for the 13-state Mid-Atlantic region, including Pennsylvania, has been struggling in recent years to meet rapidly rising demand and modernize its rules to bring new power supplies online quickly. Much of the increase in demand is due t

Jan 8

Strong Natural Gas Production Continues in Pa.

Natural gas production in Pennsylvania continued to show strong 2025 results, as a recent Independent Fiscal Office report showed an increase in both the amount produced and new wells drilled. Production volume during the third quarter showed a 5.1% increase from the previous year, and overall production for the year so far is up 5.7% from 2024. “This would be the strongest increase in annual production since calendar year 2021 (6.9%) if it holds up,” the report states. The

Dec 11, 2025

PJM: Adequate Power Capacity for Winter Heating Season

PJM, the regional electric grid operator for 13 Mid-Atlantic states, says it will have enough power capacity to serve its 67 million customers this winter, but continues to warn that demand for electricity is rising faster than new generation is being added. Power consumption rises during the winter months due to heating needs, and extreme weather can also cause generation outages. This winter PJM expects to have 180,800 megawatts (MW) of capacity and is forecasting peak ele

Nov 12, 2025

Gas Well Setback Legislation Again Introduced

Legislation to increase the required setback distances between unconventional gas wells and buildings was recently introduced in the state House. It’s an issue that has been debated for years but hasn’t been changed. State Rep. Greg Vitali, majority chairman of the state House Environmental and Natural Resource Protection Committee, recently introduced H.B. 1946 . Currently, unconventional wells are prohibited from being drilled within 500 feet of any building, 1,000 feet of

Oct 29, 2025