HB 2223 — An Act amending Title 66 (Public Utilities) of the Pennsylvania Consolidated Statutes, in service and facilities, providing for advanced transmission technologies.

PRINTER'S NO.   2952

                      THE GENERAL ASSEMBLY OF PENNSYLVANIA



                          HOUSE BILL
                          No. 2223
                                                 Session of
                                                   2026

     INTRODUCED BY FIEDLER, WAXMAN, HILL-EVANS, PROBST, PIELLI,
        GIRAL, MAYES, BOROWSKI, INGLIS, RIVERA, CEPEDA-FREYTIZ,
        MADDEN, K. HARRIS, BOYD AND CURRY, MARCH 3, 2026

     REFERRED TO COMMITTEE ON ENERGY, MARCH 3, 2026


                                      AN ACT
 1   Amending Title 66 (Public Utilities) of the Pennsylvania
 2      Consolidated Statutes, in service and facilities, providing
 3      for advanced transmission technologies.
 4      The General Assembly of the Commonwealth of Pennsylvania
 5   hereby enacts as follows:
 6      Section 1.      Title 66 of the Pennsylvania Consolidated
 7   Statutes is amended by adding a section to read:
 8   § 1504.1.      Advanced transmission technologies.
 9      (a)   Submission of evidence.--The following shall apply to
10   each transmission siting application or letter of notification
11   filed with the commission under 52 Pa. Code Ch. 57 Subch. G
12   (relating to commission review of siting and construction of
13   electric transmission lines):
14            (1)    An electric distribution company shall provide
15      evidence to the commission of the electric distribution
16      company's evaluation and assessment of implementing advanced
17      transmission technologies on existing transmission
18      infrastructure and all proposed transmission infrastructure
 1      within the jurisdiction of the commission identified in the
 2      application or letter of notification.
 3             (2)   The application or letter of notification under
 4      paragraph (1) shall not be granted, either as proposed or
 5      modified, unless the commission determines, in addition to
 6      any other existing criteria, that the proposed transmission
 7      lines incorporate all technically feasible and cost-effective
 8      advanced transmission technologies to achieve at least two of
 9      the following:
10                   (i)    Avoid construction of new transmission
11             infrastructure in whole or in part.
12                   (ii)    Increase capacity, efficiency and reliability
13             of the transmission system.
14                   (iii)    Reduce transmission system congestion.
15                   (iv)    Reduce environmental or aesthetic impacts.
16      (b)    Cost recovery.--Any additional costs borne by the
17   electric distribution company in compliance with this section
18   shall be recovered in accordance with a commission-approved
19   tariff.
20      (c)    Construction.--Nothing in this section shall be
21   construed to limit the commission's authority under any other
22   provision of law to regulate a public utility service or
23   facility.
24      (d)    Definitions.--As used in this section, the following
25   words and phrases shall have the meanings given to them in this
26   subsection unless the context clearly indicates otherwise:
27      "Advanced power flow controller."        A hardware or software
28   technology that modulates circuit impedance or other electrical
29   properties to reroute power flows and relieve congestion.
30      "Advanced transmission technologies."        A software or hardware

20260HB2223PN2952                        - 2 -
 1   technology that increases the capacity, efficiency, reliability
 2   or safety of an existing or new electric transmission system,
 3   including grid-enhancing technologies such as dynamic line
 4   rating, advanced power flow controllers and topology
 5   optimization software, high-performance conductors and other
 6   technologies designed to reduce transmission congestion.
 7      "Dynamic line rating."   A system that uses real-time or
 8   forecasted weather and operating conditions, including wind
 9   speed and direction, to determine the transfer capacity of a
10   transmission line.
11      "High-performance conductor."      A conductor used in an
12   electric transmission system, including carbon fiber conductors,
13   composite core conductors and superconductors, to which the
14   following apply:
15          (1)   The conductor has a direct electrical resistance
16      that is at least 10% lower than aluminum-conductor steel-
17      reinforced conductors of a similar diameter and weight.
18          (2)   The conductor has an energy carrying capacity at
19      least 75% greater than aluminum-conductor steel-reinforced
20      conductors of a similar diameter and weight.
21      Section 2.   This act shall take effect immediately.




20260HB2223PN2952                  - 3 -