The Public Utility Commission has updated its projection of electricity needs for Pennsylvania, now predicting residential and commercial demand “growing modestly” through 2030 but industrial usage surging, “driven primarily by anticipated large-load customers.” PUC Chairman Steve DeFrank says “large new loads have the potential to fundamentally change” the stability of the state’s electricity needs.
Total electricity consumption actually decreased by .24 percent from 2024 to ’25, and the new forecast predicts residential usage rising by .52 percent and commercial usage increasing .32 percent, But industrial usage is predicted to jump 18.56 percent, with the blame placed on data centers.
The new Electric Power Outlook Report does not, however, project large loads, by themselves, resulting in a shortfall in available energy.
DeFrank says the “scale and speed” of potential change in the generating industry make accurate forecasting important, so the PUC is expanding its examination of the forecast methods, requesting longer-range demand and peak-load projections from electric companies and continuing to explore the resources that will be needed.
The report:
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