Shapiro Seeks PUC Intervention on Data Center Costs

Pennsylvania Gov. Josh Shapiro has asked the state Public Utility Commission to let his administration join a case challenging PPL Electric Utilities’ rules for large data centers. Supporting a complaint by the Office of Consumer Advocate, Shapiro argues that data centers should pay the grid, transmission and regional reliability costs their growing electricity demand creates, rather than shifting them to households, small businesses and other customers. The case seeks a separate rate class for large data centers and safeguards to protect existing customers from higher bills and potential service interruptions. Shapiro’s participation would allow the administration to present evidence and legal arguments; the petition is the first intervention by a Pennsylvania governor in a PUC proceeding in at least 15 years.