HB 114 — An Act establishing the Independent Energy Office; and providing for powers and duties of the Independent Energy Office.

PRINTER'S NO.   92

                     THE GENERAL ASSEMBLY OF PENNSYLVANIA



                         HOUSE BILL
                         No. 114
                                                 Session of
                                                   2025

     INTRODUCED BY STRUZZI, BANTA, COOPER, GREINER, PICKETT AND
        SMITH, JANUARY 14, 2025

     REFERRED TO COMMITTEE ON ENERGY, JANUARY 14, 2025


                                     AN ACT
 1   Establishing the Independent Energy Office; and providing for
 2      powers and duties of the Independent Energy Office.
 3      The General Assembly of the Commonwealth of Pennsylvania
 4   hereby enacts as follows:
 5   Section 1.   Short title.
 6      This act shall be known and may be cited as the Independent
 7   Energy Office Act.
 8   Section 2.   Definitions.
 9      The following words and phrases when used in this act shall
10   have the meanings given to them in this section unless the
11   context clearly indicates otherwise:
12      "Agency."    As follows:
13          (1)     A department, departmental administrative board or
14      commission, independent board or commission, agency or other
15      authority of this Commonwealth in existence on the effective
16      date of this definition or created on or after the effective
17      date of this definition.
18          (2)     The term does not include:
 1                  (i)    The Senate or House of Representatives.
 2                  (ii)    A court.
 3                  (iii)    A political subdivision.
 4                  (iv)    A municipal or local authority.
 5      "Office."     The Independent Energy Office established under
 6   section 3(a).
 7   Section 3.     Independent Energy Office.
 8      (a)   Establishment.--The Independent Energy Office is
 9   established within the Independent Regulatory Review Commission.
10      (b)   Energy Advocate.--The office shall consist of a director
11   to be known as the Energy Advocate. The Energy Advocate:
12            (1)   Shall be appointed by the Consumer Advocate and be
13      confirmed by the Senate.
14            (2)   Shall serve for a term of five years.
15            (3)   May hire staff to fulfill the office's duties,
16      subject to appropriations by the General Assembly.
17   Section 4.     Powers and duties.
18      The office shall:
19            (1)   Be charged with protecting the reliability and
20      affordability of the electricity grid within this
21      Commonwealth and promoting the use of energy produced in this
22      Commonwealth.
23            (2)   Evaluate regulations, policies, documents and
24      actions of an agency for the purpose of determining whether
25      the actions may harm energy reliability and affordability
26      within this Commonwealth.
27            (3)   Notify an agency which takes an action that the
28      office determines may harm energy reliability and
29      affordability within this Commonwealth and request that the
30      agency reverse the action. If the agency does not reverse the

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1      action to the satisfaction of the office, the office may
2      reverse or block the action of the agency.
3   Section 5.   Effective date.
4      This act shall take effect immediately.




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