PJM Grid Caves to PA Gov. Shapiro Bullying Again, Caps Prices 2 Yrs
PJM Interconnection, the electrical grid operator that covers Pennsylvania (along with all or parts of 12 other states and the District of Columbia), has once again caved to the political demands of PA Gov. Josh Shapiro to artificially cap prices in its upcoming capacity auctions for the next two years. PJM caved for the July 2025 auction (see PJM Grid Caves to PA Gov. Shapiro Bullying, Blackout Risk Rises). And now, they’ve extended the same cap for another two years. It means electric ratepayers won’t see as high an increase in their electric rates (a good thing), but it also means the risk of a blackout has just gone WAY up. It means fewer gas-fired power plants will be built in the PJM region, which desperately needs them. Read More “PJM Grid Caves to PA Gov. Shapiro Bullying Again, Caps Prices 2 Yrs”
Virginia Senate Bill 253, introduced by State Senator Louise Lucas (D-Portsmouth), aims to shift energy infrastructure costs from residents to data centers, potentially saving households a whopping $65 annually. The legislation requires data centers—which account for 20% of Dominion Energy’s sales—to fund their own electrical substations and cover specific “capacity costs.” If the bill becomes law and the proposals in it receive approval from the State Corporation Commission (SCC), the typical monthly energy bill for data centers would rise by about 16%, while the typical bill for residential and other customers would decrease by 3% to 3.5%. Looks like Virginia, with more data centers than any other state in the union, is now closed for data center business. Too bad. 
In December, MDN told you that three anti-shale drilling groups—the PA Council of Trout Unlimited, the Keystone Trails Association, and the Responsible Drilling Alliance—requested the Pennsylvania Department of Environmental Protection (DEP) hold a hearing on the Chapter 105 permit requested for a 3.9-mile shale gas access road and staging area proposed by PA General Energy (PGE) in the Loyalsock State Forest (see 
Antis somehow got to the board of commissioners in Montour County, PA. Yesterday, the commissioners voted unanimously to reject Talen Energy’s request to rezone empty agricultural land near Talen’s Montour Power Plant (converted from coal to run on Marcellus gas in 2023) for a proposed data center. This decision followed community concerns stoked by lying groups like Food & Water Watch regarding “potential environmental impacts” on the nearby Montour Preserve. 
In 2009, during the Obamadroid administration, the federal Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) adopted a major regulatory rule called the “endangerment finding.” The finding concluded that six so-called greenhouse gases — carbon dioxide (CO2), methane (CH4), nitrous oxide (N2O), hydrofluorocarbons (HFCs), perfluorocarbons (PFCs), and sulfur hexafluoride (SF6) — constitute an endangerment to public health and welfare due to their contribution to global warming (which is a complete hoax). The finding gave the EPA the power to regulate those gases under the Clean Air Act. This week, the Trump EPA will repeal and obliterate that finding. Victory! 
The highly functional and responsible Susquehanna River Basin Commission (SRBC), unlike its highly dysfunctional and irresponsible counterpart, the Delaware River Basin Commission (DRBC), continues to support the shale energy industry by approving water withdrawals and consumptive use requests for responsible and safe shale drilling. The SRBC published a notice in the February 7 Pennsylvania Bulletin that the Executive Director of the SRBC approved and/or renewed 42 general water use permits in December and 32 general permits in January (74 combined) for individual shale gas well drilling pads in Bradford, Clearfield, Clinton, Lycoming, Sullivan, Susquehanna, Tioga, and Wyoming counties. 
The Pennsylvania Department of Environmental Protection (DEP) is seeking public comment on an Individual Stormwater Permit for a 5.8-mile natural gas pipeline in Indiana County. Serving the proposed Homer City Generation LP 4.5 GW power plant and data center, the 30-inch pipeline will traverse Black Lick, Burrell, and Center Townships, involving several stream and wetland crossings. Interested parties have 30 days to submit comments to the DEP’s Northwest Regional Office. While no public hearing is currently scheduled, one may be requested. Additional project details and permit applications are available for review through the DEP’s regional office and website. 
On Wednesday, the Pennsylvania Senate approved Senate Bill (SB) 704, known as the Grid Stabilization and Security Act, sponsored by Republican State Senator Gene Yaw. This legislation directs the Department of Community and Economic Development (DCED) and the Department of Environmental Protection (DEP) to collaborate to identify suitable sites for natural gas-powered electricity generation. By streamlining site preparation, the bill aims to address critical shortfalls in electricity generation on the PJM grid and attract new investment in baseload power, which has stagnated since 2019. 
On February 3, 2026, Pennsylvania’s Environmental Hearing Board (EHB) denied a motion by CNX to dismiss an appeal from James and Barbara Ullom regarding significant water loss on their Washington County property. The Ulloms allege that fracking operations at CNX’s NV110 well pad, located approximately 890 feet from their well, caused their water supply to fail (loss of water). Although the Department of Environmental Protection (DEP) initially found no link, the EHB, a special court that hears appeals of DEP decisions, ruled that the Ulloms had established a prima facie case. A central legal issue remains: whether the Oil and Gas Act’s “rebuttable presumption” of liability applies to water loss or strictly to contamination. 
Pennsylvania Governor Josh Shapiro (far-left Democrat) has a plan to address rising electricity costs by “increasing oversight” of investor-owned utilities, which he claims generate “excessive profits” at the expense of Pennsylvania ratepayers. That’s code for take them over and have the government (liberal Dems) run them. Last time we checked, we still live in the USA, land of the free and home of the brave. We don’t live in the USSR. 
Despite claims by anti-fossil fuelers that the Tenaska Westmoreland Generating Station in southwestern PA would spread disease and death if built, it’s been up and running since 2018, producing power and generating revenue for both its builders and the community. Oh, and everyone is in good health. However, the plant has been operating under a state permit since it opened. It needs a federal Title V permit for long-term operation. The state Department of Environmental Protection (DEP) is the agency that issues such a permit and is proposing to do so, which (of course) has antis’ knickers in a twist. In particular, antis complained that no public complaint sessions were scheduled. They got their wish yesterday. 
In January 2023, New York Gov. Kathy Hochul, a leftist Democrat, floated a plan to ban natural gas hookups in every single new home and business across the “Empire” State (see 
Two pipeline kingpins are engaged in a deathmatch with the Federal Energy Regulatory Commission (FERC) to get their competing pipeline projects approved. One is Williams’ Transco Southeast Supply Enhancement Project (SESE), the other is EQT’s MVP Southgate project (see