Pennsylvania families, businesses, schools, and local governments are facing rising electricity costs driven in part by growing demand and the need for more reliable, affordable energy generation. To help meet this challenge, we must identify practical opportunities to produce more electricity using infrastructure we already have.

Soon we will introduce legislation to direct the Department of Conservation and Natural Resources to evaluate the feasibility of adding hydropower and micro-hydropower generation to state-owned dams across the Commonwealth. The assessment will identify the most promising projects, estimate costs and potential energy production, evaluate grid interconnection needs, and identify opportunities to reduce electricity costs.

Modern hydropower technologies can generate clean, reliable electricity while utilizing existing dams and incorporating today's advanced environmental safeguards for fish passage, water quality, and stream flows. By identifying cost-effective opportunities at existing public assets, Pennsylvania can expand energy production, strengthen grid reliability, and help lower electricity costs.

Please join us in sponsoring practical legislation to increase our energy supply and reduce costs for burdened residents.