March 18, 2002—Pennsylvania Gov. Mark Schweiker has accepted recommendations made by the Governor’s Energy Task Force to help ensure adequate energy supplies and to encourage energy efficiency in Pennsylvania. The Governor also released the final Pennsylvania Energy Policy to the public.
Key recommendations include:
- Building on the success of Pennsylvania Electric Choice by continuing to foster competitive markets to meet the Commonwealth’s energy demands with long-term supplies at competitive prices;
- Developing and maintaining critical energy generation and delivery infrastructure where needed to help meet regional needs;
- Continuing state government’s commitment to purchasing renewable and cleaner forms of electricity. Gov. Schweiker in December announced that the Commonwealth awarded a contract to purchase renewable energy to supply 5 percent of state government’s power needs for the next two years;
- Developing and promoting new energy technologies to lessen the environmental impact, and to improve efficiency and safety;
- Working with the Governor’s Task Force on Security to review the security of the Commonwealth’s energy infrastructure;
- Encouraging existing “opportunity fuels” for electricity generation and fuel production, such as waste-coal piles, agricultural byproducts and methane from agricultural activities, landfills and wastewater treatment;
- Supporting national efforts to ensure an adequate, reliable and diverse supply of energy;
- Encourage the development and use of energy-efficient equipment and Demand Side Response technologies in residential, commercial and industrial applications; and
- Providing Pennsylvanians with a variety of convenient and affordable transportation options. For more information, visit the PA PowerPort.
