PHILADELPHIA, December 6, 2018 – In its penultimate session of 2018, City Council authorized the Committee on Transportation and Public Utilities to hold hearings that will analyze and further evaluate the sustainability of the Philadelphia Gas Works.
Introduced by Councilmember Derek S. Green (At-Large), who also chairs the Philadelphia Gas Commission, the resolution aims to take a closer look at PGW – the largest municipally-owned gas utility in the nation – and how to move it into the future amid greater technological advancements in energy efficiency, competitive costs for renewable energy sources and a worsening outlook for global climate change.
“Times are changing rapidly and it’s critical that we keep up with these changes to maintain our way of life as we know it,” said Councilmember Green. “While we as a city stand committed to upholding the Paris Climate Accord and completely doing away with the use of industrial fossil fuels, we still must bear in mind that many of our citizens rely heavily on the utility services that PGW provides. Many do not have the resources to invest in more sustainable, energy efficient home improvements. Therefore, as demand decreases, prices for certain ratepayers will increase. It is a double-edged sword that needs to be thoroughly examined.”
Hearings will be announced sometime in early 2019. A full copy of the legislation is available to view here.
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