Williams Introduces Electricity Ratepayer Protection Act

April 14, 2026

HARRISBURG – Rep. Craig Williams (R-Delaware/Chester) has introduced House Bill 2372, the Pennsylvania Ratepayer Protection Act, to address rising electricity costs and prepare the Commonwealth for increasing energy demand.

Pennsylvania is experiencing higher electricity prices as demand grows and large technology companies secure long-term access to existing power supply. When that supply is constrained, families and small businesses face increased costs.

“Pennsylvania produces enormous amounts of electricity, but our residents are competing with hyper-scale data companies for that power,” said Williams. “House Bill 2372 protects ratepayers by requiring those companies to bear the full cost of the infrastructure and generation they require. That will provide immediate relief to Pennsylvania ratepayers.”

The legislation requires hyperscale data centers to pay all costs associated with connecting to the electric grid and to provide their own baseload electricity generation built in Pennsylvania. This ensures that new demand does not draw from the existing supply serving homes and small businesses.

House Bill 2372 expands the use of long-term power purchase agreements by utilities with Pennsylvania generators, subject to approval by the Pennsylvania Public Utility Commission based on public interest and least-cost standards. These agreements allow ratepayers to secure electricity supply in advance instead of competing for dwindling power supply. This approach helps stabilize prices and reduces exposure to market spikes.

“Pennsylvania sits on the doorstep of producing the electricity our region needs, yet our residents are paying higher prices because we are not building enough supply,” said Williams. “If large data centers want that power, they should build it and pay for it. This bill puts ratepayers first and gets us back to doing what Pennsylvania does best, producing energy.”

House Bill 2372 has been referred to the House Energy Committee for consideration.

Representative Craig Williams
160th Legislative District
Pennsylvania House of Representatives
Media Contact: Will Patterson
267-688-2590
wpatterson@pahousegop.com
RepCraigWilliams.com / Facebook.com/RepCraigWilliams