SCRANTON, LACKAWANNA CO. (WOLF) — The Pennsylvania Public Utility Commission (PUC) hosted one of several scheduled public input hearings in Scranton.
PUC officials are gathering public feedback on proposed rate changes by PPL.
In October, the Commission voted to suspend and investigate the proposed change, which would give the company an annual revenue increase of about $356 million, more than a 33% hike for PPL.
Several public servants attended Monday night’s hearing, including Mayor Paige Cognetti and Representatives Kyle Donahue, Jim Haddock, and Eddie Day Pashinski, to speak out against the proposed price hike.
Local leaders, speaking on behalf of their constituents, expressed deep concerns about the severe impact this increase would have on struggling residents and vulnerable populations.
They highlighted issues such as the lack of transparency in notifying the public and PPL’s failure to forecast load growth and plan for infrastructure needs.
Eddie Day Pashinski, State Representative of the 121st Legislative District, opposes the current proposal and encourages open dialogue and collaboration to find a compromise that works for PPL and its customers.
“I’m looking for fairness, balance, and something that is accessible so that people can afford,” said Pashinski.
In addition, officials urged the PUC to reject the rate increase and emphasized the need for stronger responsibility and accountability from utilities.
Afterward, the court opened the floor for public comments, and among a couple dozen attendees, several residents voiced frustration over the lack of transparency and questioned the need for a rate hike, arguing that PPL is financially strong and fuel prices are dropping, making the increase seem unjustified.
One of those people, Laura Doyle, a Customer Service Representative at HarperCollins Publishers, worries that this increase will have a severe domino effect on the local economy, raising concerns that many homeowners will struggle to choose between essentials.
“I don’t want to have to choose between keeping the lights on and making sure I can afford food. No one should have to make that decision. Right now, I am concerned about the rising cost of electricity and what else homeowners will have to sacrifice,” said Doyle.
Many people raised suspicions about the timing of this increase as talk of data centers floods regions across the Commonwealth.
A widely agreed-upon solution among those in attendance was to shift the burden of cost onto the data centers, ensuring that corporations pay their fair share.
PPL says the rate review is intended to build a stronger grid that can better withstand extreme weather and reduce tree-related outages.
A final PUC decision on PPL’s rate increase request is expected by next July.