On April 23, 2025, Pennsylvania lawmakers introduced six pieces of legislation intended to implement Governor John Shapiro’s “Lightning Plan” announced earlier this year. The Shapiro administration has called the plan a “commonsense energy plan” that will create jobs, lower costs for consumers, accelerate permitting, and promote energy generation in Pennsylvania. See Press Release, Gov’r Josh Shapiro, “Governor Shapiro’s ‘Lightning Plan’ Introduced in General Assembly” (Apr. 24, 2025). These six bills are currently making their way through the Pennsylvania House and Senate.
EDGE Tax Credit (House Bill 500, Senate Bill 500)
This proposal updates the 2022 Pennsylvania Economic Development for a Growing Economy (EDGE) Tax Credit. Since its creation in 2022, no entities have been eligible for the EDGE Tax Credit, leaving billions in potential economic development untapped. The proposed 2025 amendments to the EDGE Tax Credit propose a new Reliable Energy Investment Tax Credit and a new Sustainable Aviation Fuel Tax Credit. The amendments also propose to revise the Dairy Production Tax Credit, the Regional Clean Hydrogen Tax Credit, and the Semiconductor Manufacturing and Biomedical Manufacturing and Research Tax Credit.
Pennsylvania Reliable Energy Sustainability Standard (PRESS) (House Bill 501, Senate Bill 501)
PRESS is intended to increase the amount of electricity in Pennsylvania that comes from renewable energy sources like wind and solar power. According to the Shapiro administration, PRESS would modernize Pennsylvania’s energy standards by incentivizing innovation in renewable and nuclear energy to remain competitive with other states. PRESS would renew Pennsylvania’s prior renewable energy law, the Alternative Energy Portfolio Standard, and increase the existing requirements for wind and solar energy under AEPS to 35% by 2035.
Reliable Energy Siting and Electric Transition (RESET) Board (House Bill 502, Senate Bill 502)
This legislation would establish a RESET Board, which would be a “cohesive central authority” in the commonwealth to consider and approve applications for large reliable energy-generating facilities that provide more than 25 megawatts of power. Proponents of the bill intend that receiving RESET Board approval would lead to accelerated development timelines for a project by facilitating permit approvals. Submitting a project to the RESET Board for approval would be optional under the bill.
Pennsylvania Climate Emissions Reduction Act (PACER) (House Bill 503, Senate Bill 503)
PACER would replace Pennsylvania’s attempt to participate in the Regional Greenhouse Gas Initiative (RGGI) program with an alternative cap-and-invest model for reducing emissions from larger-scale electric generation. PACER is intended to protect and create energy jobs, lower electricity costs for Pennsylvanians, take tangible action to address climate change, and maintain Pennsylvania’s energy independence. PACER advocates report that 70% of the revenue generated from PACER would be returned to Pennsylvanians as rebates on electric bills.
Lowering Energy Costs for Rural Communities (House Bill 504, Senate Bill 504)
This proposed bill would allow Pennsylvania energy consumers to subscribe to a portion of a community energy facility, such as a biofuel or solar facility, and receive credit for this subscription on their energy bills. The bill is intended to benefit low- to moderate-income customers and their communities.
Rebates to Reduce Household Energy Costs (House Bill 505, Senate Bill 505)
This bill would amend Pennsylvania’s existing energy efficiency and conservation program for the first time in two decades to increase rebates for energy-efficient appliances to help reduce household energy costs.
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