On May 31, 2017, eight manufacturers and developers – including ArcelorMittal, American Eagle Paper Mills, Ecolab, and Schneider Electric – delivered a letter to the Pennsylvania Public Utility Commission asking for fair and reasonable standby rates that would encourage the installation of combined heat and power (CHP) and waste heat to power (WHP) systems across the state. These companies support CHP for its numerous benefits – including reducing energy costs and improving reliability – but are concerned that high standby rates, as well as the high variability of fees between utilities within Pennsylvania, puts those with CHP systems at a competitive disadvantage and makes investing in CHP at certain locations less feasible. These Pennsylvania businesses urged the PUC to publish a model tariff that ensures utilities establish transparent standby rates that are appropriately correlated to cost of service, with the result being increased installations of CHP systems; thereby, contributing to job growth and economic development in the state. Read the press release.
The Alliance also submitted public comments to the PUC.