Electricity consumers in 13 states will pay the cost to keep Constellation Energy’s outdated Eddystone Generating Station running beyond its retirement this year, writes Peter Hall for the Pennsylvania Capital Star.
It is one of two fossil fuel power plants ordered to remain open by U.S. Energy Secretary Chris Wright, citing an energy emergency. The other plant is in southwest Michigan.
PJM Interconnections will recover the costs it is paying Constellation Energy to keep the plant open by passing them on to electricity users in its 13-state area.
Groups such as the Sierra Club and Natural Resources Defense Council argue the plan unfairly raises electricity bills in areas that won’t benefit from the plant remaining open.
Environmental groups opposing PJM’s cost-sharing plan note that the Eddystone plant’s generators ran less than 1 percent from 2020 to 2023.
Pennsylvania is not experiencing an energy shortage at the moment. In fact, it is exporting energy to other states, according to Pennsylvania Public Utilities Commission Chairman Stephen DeFrank.
“There is no need for this plant to continue operating,” Jessi Eidbo, senior advisor at the Sierra Club, said. “We’re waiting for a compelling reason, and one is not emerging.”
Read more about the impact of keeping the Eddystone plant running in the Pennsylvania Capital-Star.
