56 of 67 Pennsylvania counties
FirstEnergy's pledge to spend $15 billion on its Pennsylvania grid, serving 56 of the state's 67 counties, is part of a $36 billion company-wide plan that's partly driven by data center growth, with distribution costs recovered from customers through rates set by the Public Utility Commission.
2024: FirstEnergy Pennsylvania requests about $502 million in new annual revenue; the Office of Consumer Advocate and Sen. Lindsey Williams object. November 21, 2024: The Public Utility Commission enters its order in the rate case, and the settled increase of about $225 million a year takes effect January 1, 2025. July 15, 2025: FirstEnergy pledges $15 billion for Pennsylvania at the Energy and Innovation Summit. August 2025: Construction starts on the Allentown to Lyons to South Hamburg rebuild. February 3, 2026: FirstEnergy Pennsylvania files its default service plan for June 2027 through May 2031. March 2026: FirstEnergy outlines the $334 million Erie South to Piney rebuild. April 30, 2026: The commission adopts its large load model tariff. June 1, 2026: New default service prices take effect. July 2, 2026: A default service plan settlement is filed. July 28, 2026: FirstEnergy reports 6.4 gigawatts of contracted data center demand.
Update, October 26, 2026. On October 22, 2026 the Public Utility Commission took up exceptions to the recommended decision on FirstEnergy Pennsylvania's default service plan for June 2027 through May 2031, and its opinion and order was made public and served on the parties on October 26.
FirstEnergy Pennsylvania's base rates rose about $225 million a year starting January 1, 2025 under a settlement of its roughly $502 million request,. The settlement bars a new general base rate increase before January 1, 2027.
Pennsylvania Public Utility CommissionResidential default service prices rose June 1, 2026 in all four FirstEnergy Pennsylvania districts, to about 13.95 cents per kilowatt-hour in Met-Ed, 13.14 in Penelec, 13.48 in Penn Power and 12.08 in West Penn Power, according to the company's PUC filing. ElectricityRates.com estimated increases of 6.9 to 11.9 percent and tied them mainly to higher PJM capacity costs.
Pennsylvania Public Utility CommissionThe planned $334 million Erie South to Piney rebuild would run 82 miles from Summit Township in Erie County to Piney Township in Clarion County, replacing a 1950s line with steel monopoles built alongside the existing corridor. It needs PUC approval and a Pennsylvania Department of Environmental Protection stormwater permit, and construction is expected to take about four years.
Erie Times-News (via Yahoo News)FirstEnergy said more than 40 new journey-level hires and apprentices would join its Pennsylvania team in 2025, tied to an apprenticeship expansion with the International Brotherhood of Electrical Workers.
FirstEnergy Corp.Tactics: Joint comments to the Public Utility Commission
Joined Earthjustice's joint comments in the PUC's large load model tariff proceeding, where most environmental groups supported the 50 megawatt threshold and stronger cost and collateral protections.
Tactics: Comments to the Public Utility Commission
Commented in the PUC's large load model tariff proceeding, where most environmental groups supported the 50 megawatt threshold that FirstEnergy wanted raised to 200 megawatts.
FirstEnergy Pennsylvania asked for about $502 million (34 percent) in new annual revenue. The settlement approved about $225 million a year, split among the Met-Ed, Penelec, Penn Power and West Penn rate districts.
FirstEnergy Pennsylvania Electric Company; Bureau of Investigation and Enforcement; Office of Consumer Advocate; Office of Small Business Advocate; CAUSE-PA; Walmart; Large Users Groups; IBEW Locals 459 and 777; UWUA Local 102; Pennsylvania State University · Settled; about $225 million annual increase effective January 1, 2025, with no new general base rate increase before January 1, 2027Plan for buying generation supply for customers who don't shop, June 1, 2027 through May 31, 2031, using 12, 24 and, for residential customers, 60-month contracts.
FirstEnergy Pennsylvania Electric Company and certain parties · Settlement filed July 2, 2026; final order expected fourth quarter of 2026Large load model tariff for customers over 50 megawatts individually or 100 megawatts in aggregate, with collateral, a minimum five-year contract and 48-month exit notice. FirstEnergy argued for a threshold of at least 200 megawatts.
Pennsylvania electric distribution companies including FirstEnergy and PPL; Office of Consumer Advocate; Earthjustice with Sierra Club, Pennsylvania Stands Up, Vote Solar, Clean Air Council and POWER Interfaith; NRDC; EDF; PennFuture · Final order adopted April 30, 2026In Pennsylvania, the local zoning ordinance sets the route. A conditional use is decided by the elected governing body (supervisors, commissioners or council). A special exception or variance, and an appeal of a zoning officer’s decision, go to the Zoning Hearing Board. Each is a public hearing on a record: affected neighbors can ask for party status, cross-examine witnesses, and appeal. Municipalities can also adopt data center ordinances with enforceable standards.
Know your rights →Organized community opposition is the single most effective check on these projects in Pennsylvania. Show up to hearings, submit comment when it is taken, support legal and expert-witness costs, and press your municipality for a real ordinance. Pennsylvania municipalities cannot simply freeze applications, but a curative amendment under the Planning Code gives them a defined window to fix a defective ordinance.
How communities push back →