Shapiro Seeks Party Status in PPL Rate Complaint, Backs Charging Data Centers for Grid Upgrade Costs
HARRISBURG — Governor Josh Shapiro petitioned the Pennsylvania Public Utility Commission on October 15 for formal party status in the Office of Consumer Advocate's rate complaint against PPL Electric Utilities — the first such gubernatorial intervention in at least 15 years, his office said. The complaint, filed October 2 under docket C-2026-3065756, seeks to charge data centers all transmission network upgrade costs they cause.
"Pennsylvanians should not be left paying higher electric bills because of data center developers," Shapiro said in the October 16 announcement. He supports a separate data-center customer class and allocating the costs caused by its demand to that class. The consumer advocate alleges PPL's existing rates and service expose other customers to costs caused by large data centers and to possible interruptions when demand exceeds supply; the governor agrees the existing LP-6 large-load rate schedule does not adequately protect customers.
The petition is a request to participate in the case, rather than a commission decision imposing the changes; the PUC will hear the case through its normal process.
Sources: Office of the Pennsylvania Governor; PUC docket C-2026-3065756
Published by GSM · USA (original Chinese edition)
Photo: 输电线路。Electric transmission lines. Photo: Wikimedia Commons
