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| Capitol Report |
#Listrak\DateStampLong#
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The latest news from the State Capitol
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Please do not reply directly to this email, as it returns to an unattended account.
You are welcome to contact me through this link.
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Chadds Ford Leadership Meeting About the Proposed Massive Shopping Center on Ridge Road
This week, Senator Kane and I met with the Chadds Ford Township Chairwoman of the Board of Supervisors and Township Manager about the plans for the massive shopping center on Ridge Road off of Route 202. I reiterated what I have communicated to your previously, which is that I strongly oppose the developer using the state highway through our community as their own personal driveway to bring customers to their proposed businesses.
I have heard from residents in the Spring Hill development who would lose their right turn lane to their homes. I have heard from Chadds Ford residents along Ridge Road who are bewildered that someone might propose such chaos leading to their communities. And I have heard from Concord residents who use the lights at the intersection with Smithbridge Road, where the developer plans to hold traffic back in order to create less congestion in front of their shopping center. Senator Kane and I are aligned in our opposition to the road-use design, and we will make that clear.
Most important in this moment is for you to know that local leaders on both sides of the aisle are engaged and trying to problem solve. I reiterated that we would not end the meeting until Chadds Ford had a chance to say all that they wanted to say, and they were satisfied they were able to express everything they wanted to say to me and Senator Kane.
I will keep you constantly updated on our work.
And as always, thank you to Senator Kane for being a great colleague and friend.
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Election Day Issues in Chester County
On Election Day, there was a problem in Chester County the distributed poll books failed to include independent, unaffiliated, and minor-party voters and instead only listed Republican and Democrat voters. Quick acting poll workers – our neighbors who volunteer on election days – made use of the provisional ballot system to record votes of those voters not in the poll books. From early to late afternoon on election day, more workers and volunteers drove corrected poll books to the precincts. A judge from the Chester County Court of Common Pleas extended polling hours by two hours to ensure that every eligible voter could cast a ballot.
In total, more than 12,000 provisional votes were cast.
First, a hearty thank you to the quick-thinking and responsive poll workers who made proper use of the provisional ballot! And also thank you to those who quickly drove throughout the county to distribute the proper poll books!
Second, the next task is to make sure all of those 12,000 provisional votes are counted. I have been assured that all proper provisional ballots will be counted.
Finally, I have no information from the Chester County Voter Services or the Pennsylvania Department of State about how this happened except what we have seen in the press. We will certainly investigate this incident and get those details to you, but again, I am first concerned about counting all the votes.
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Energy Update: Anticipated Market Forces on Prices and Expected Business Response
Last week we discussed the reasons behind the fast-approaching energy cliff, which is already increasing our electricity prices as reflected in our escalating bills. The problem of energy affordability is not a future hypothetical; it is here.
Recall that we reduced the problem to this simple sentence:
We do not have enough electricity to meet the expected demand.
As we previously said, our tech-heavy society with its streaming services (as one example) and the emergence of large data centers is driving demand up like a rocket ship. If electricity supply (meaning “generation”) does not increase dramatically, that means that demand will badly outstrip supply. Remember one of the basic principles of economics says that increased demand on limited supply results in price increases. And that is exactly what is happening. We gave several examples of the nearly ten-fold increase in one auction of the capacity market.
I recently toured the Crane Clean Energy Center (“CCEC”) in Dauphin County (previously Three Mile Island), owned by Constellation. You may have seen CCEC in the news recently as Constellation and Microsoft entered into a 20-year power purchase agreement to reopen the viable nuclear power plant. That plant was previously decommissioned for economic reasons. (The plant which suffered a meltdown remains shuttered and will not re-open.) The parties agreed on bearing the costs of reopening the plant, and we were told that Constellation expects to reopen in 2027. This will deliver for Microsoft almost a gigawatt of clean energy for their data center needs. (For transparency, I used to work for Exelon more than a dozen years ago, before their merger with Constellation.)
As we discuss the economics puzzle of the energy crisis we face, this is the most important puzzle piece: because CCEC was a previously decommissioned plant, it may be brought online relatively quick. The mechanical renovations are well underway, the refueling is scheduled, and the regulatory approvals are greatly accelerated because the plant was previously approved and operational.
In the energy policy world, we call this effort by Microsoft Bring Your Own Generation (“BYOG”). Rather than competing with current electricity customers for a share of the PJM electricity pool, these data companies agree to bring their own separate sources of electricity generation to the grid. There is no requirement that the data center be sited next to the generation source, so there is still an open issue about who will pay for the data-center transmission and distribution infrastructure build out. That is a regulatory issue on which I am working now in a larger multi-state legislative working group and will write about that later.
Here is the problem: there are not very many decommissioned nuclear plants which may be brought back online to serve the needs of data centers through BYOG. In fact, there are not enough decommissioned plants of any generation source to meet the expected demand.
That means that, under the BYOG model, data center companies would need to build (through energy companies) brand new generation plants somewhere in the PJM territory. (For our purposes, we will only talk about our energy market. There are others in the country where the economics are very different due to the policy/regulatory environments.) Some plants, like natural gas, take years to build (likely 5 to 7 years in the current regulatory state). Nuclear power takes decades to build due to safety and regulatory requirements, which is why we have built so few new nuclear plants over the last 50 years or so.
The timeframe needed to build new generation coupled with the immediate need for massive electricity is the whole reason why capacity prices are spiking. It is the problem we need to solve immediately.
The nightmare scenario for the residential or small business electricity consumer is when generation companies use their existing generation assets to enter into long-term power purchase agreements with data centers, thereby taking that power (effectively) off the consumer grid. With that move, the already limited supply of electricity becomes even more limited, and prices shoot up further. That is one of the current regulatory realities we are rapidly discussing at the state, regional and federal levels.
And affordability is the omnipresent issue in all of these discussions. I am involved in many conversations about how we might pass laws and regulations which protect consumers from price increases by limiting or curtailing the use of electricity for data consumption. For regulatory delimiters or restrictions, we have to ask what is lost. For example, one source I have reviewed says that Amazon Web Services (AWS) accounts for 30% of the global cloud infrastructure, serving more than 4 million businesses on four continents. More than half of those are in North America. Customer growth as increased 357% in five years. Source.
So, as a policy matter, if we curtail power to these companies by way of removing reliable power from AWS (for example), what services are we willing to lose? NASA is on the AWS platform, as is Netflix. I recently learned the hard way when I could not buy tickets online from Amtrak that they are on the AWS server during their recent outage.
We are already demanding data services in ways we are not aware. As a result, the emergent need for new generation to power those services is already here.
Next time, we will discuss how state policy impacts (positively and negatively) the problem of electric generation resource adequacy.
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Honoring Veterans Day
Tuesday, November 11, we pause to recognize Veterans Day and to honor the men and women who have served our great nation. As a veteran of 28 years in the United States Marine Corps, this day carries deep meaning for me. It reminds us to reflect on the sacrifices of those who protect our freedoms and defend our allies around the world.
Veterans Day, originally known as Armistice Day, marked the end of World War I on the 11th hour of the 11th day of the 11th month. Congress later renamed it Veterans Day to recognize all who served in America’s Armed Forces. Today, it stands as a reminder of the enduring strength, courage, and unity which defines our armed forces.
To every veteran and military family across Delaware and Chester Counties, thank you for your service and commitment to our nation.
For more about the history of Veterans Day, visit the U.S. Department of Veterans Affairs website. To learn about programs and benefits available to Pennsylvania veterans, visit the Department of Military and Veterans Affairs.
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Veterans Day Office Closures
In observance of Veterans Day, my district office will be closed on Tuesday, November 11. We will reopen for normal business hours on Wednesday, November 12.
Additionally, all PennDOT driver license and photo centers across Pennsylvania will also be closed on November 11. During this time, residents may still access many driver and vehicle services online, including forms, publications, and training materials, through the PennDOT Driver and Vehicle Services website.
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Around the District
Tree Clearing to Begin on Creek Road in Chadds Ford Township
The Pennsylvania Department of Transportation (PennDOT) will begin tree-clearing work on Creek Road in Chadds Ford Township as part of a local safety improvement project.
From Monday, November 10, through Friday, November 21, motorists should expect weekday lane closures between 7:00 a.m. and 3:00 p.m. on Creek Road between U.S. 1 (Baltimore Pike) and Upper Bank Drive.
Concord Township Bird Walk
Concord Township Bird Town invites residents to take part in a fall bird walk at Collman Meadow. Participants may enjoy a guided hike along paved and grass trails with experienced birders who will share tips on spotting and identifying local species.
To register, email parksandrec@concordtownship.org.
Photo credit: Facebook
Veterans Day Dance and Social
Concord Township invites all veterans and their guests to a Veterans Day Dance and Social on Saturday, November 8, at 7 p.m. at the BYC Fieldhouse, 41 S. Thornton Road. The evening will feature music, refreshments, games, and fellowship. Admission is free. RSVP at parksandrec@concordtownship.org or call 610-459-8911.
Photo Credit: Facebook
Delaware County Campaign Sign Recycling
Delaware County will host a Campaign Sign Recycling Event on Saturday, November 8, from 9 a.m. to 12 p.m. at Rose Tree County Park (1671 N. Providence Road). Residents may bring used campaign signs of any type for proper recycling.
Photo Credit: Facebook
Rachel Kohl Library Donations
The Rachel Kohl Community Library now accepts donations of books, DVDs, CDs, vinyl records, puzzles, and board games. All items must be complete and in their original packaging.
Photo credit: Facebook
Bethel Township Yard Waste Cleanup
Bethel Township will hold its Annual Fall Yard Waste Cleanup on Monday, December 8. Plastic bags will not be accepted. Opdenaker will collect yard waste curbside for all participating homes, regardless of regular trash days.
Photo Credit: Facebook
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Bravo Zulu
*The BZ pennants are hoisted as a part of Navy/Marine Corps custom to communicate “GOOD JOB!”
Rustin Football
Rustin delivered an impressive playoff performance against the Henderson Warriors last Friday, earning a 42–0 victory. The game marked the Knights’ fourth straight shutout. Senior running back Will Garner led the offense with five touchdowns and 250 rushing yards. Great job to the Knights and to Will! The Knights have another playoff matchup this Friday against Kennett.
Photo Credit: Instagram
Garnet Valley Football
Garnet Valley opened its Central League playoff run on Saturday with a 49–35 win over Upper Perkiomen at the Moe. The offensive line led the Jaguars to 412 total yards, including 355 rushing yards. The team now advances to face the No. 2 seed, Chester, at 1 p.m. at the Chester Athletic Fields. Go Jags!
Photo Credit: Instagram
Garnet Valley Volleyball
Congratulations to the Garnet Valley Volleyball team for their big upset at Wilson High School. They took the win in the 5th set, and this win sends them to the quarter finals of states. Good luck in your game on Saturday!
Photo Credit: Instagram
Garnet Valley Field Hockey
Congratulations to Addison Troy, Maggie Hilden, Lexi Mialiocco, Reagan Leydig, and Alyssa Henderson on being elected to the Delaware County Field Hockey All-Star Game.
Photo Credit: Instagram
Unionville Football
Unionville football brought home a win last week in their playoff opener against Wissakickon. Brody McLaughlin had an incredible game with 200 rushing yards in the Longhorns 27-14 victory. Unionville plays Strath Haven on Friday at 7 p.m. at Strath Haven. Good Luck Longhorns!!!
Photo Credit: Instagram
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| Office Locations |
| District Office: |
| One Beaver Valley Road | (intersection of Route 202 & Naamans Creek Road) Chadds Ford, PA 19317-9012 | Phone (610) 358-5925 | FAX: 610-358-5933 |
| Capitol Office: |
| 3 East Wing, P.O. Box 202160, Harrisburg, PA 17120-2160 | Phone: 717-783-3038 | FAX: 717-787-7604 |
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