House Energy Committee approves SMR fee reduction bill unanimously, advances solar-ready warehouse bill
Rep. Elizabeth Fiedler, Rep. Jose Giral, Rep. Josh Siegel November 18, 2025
HARRISBURG, Nov. 18 - Today, the House Energy Committee voted on two bills intended to advance clean energy generation in Pennsylvania.
House Bill 2017, sponsored by Rep. Jose Giral, D-Phila, would authorize the Department of Environmental Protection to reduce annual fees for Small Modular Nuclear systems. The bill passed unanimously.
“I’m proud of the unanimous vote on H.B. 2017: it’s a testament to the Energy Committee’s bipartisan efforts to support commonsense legislation that removes barriers to investment to the Commonwealth,” said House Energy Committee Chair Elizabeth Fiedler, D-Phila. “Soaring energy costs make it clear that we need to get more generation on the grid. Since SMRs are less costly to construct than traditional nuclear projects and are just as reliable, I’m eager to see projects break ground in Pennsylvania within the next decade.”
This vote follows yesterday’s informational meeting on Small Modular Nuclear technology. Expert testifiers from the Nuclear Energy Institute, Pittsburgh Technical, Westinghouse, and North Carolina State University stressed the importance of passing legislation offering incentives for SMR built out in the Commonwealth without delay. Over a dozen states have already enacted or introduced legislation incentivizing the deployment of advanced nuclear technology.
“Our communities are seeing sharp increases in energy costs while we’re seeing energy use rise across the Commonwealth. As we rely more and more on high energy-consumption technologies, we risk causing a crisis in which residents simply can’t afford the cost of their energy bills,” Giral said. “Pennsylvania has the expertise, workforce, and infrastructure to adapt to new nuclear options like SMRs, which are more efficient, more adaptable, and more cost-effective than their traditional nuclear counterparts.
“Moving away from fossil fuels and high carbon emissions, and toward cleaner, more cost-effective, more sustainable energy options keeps us ahead of the technological curve and provides relief for our residents. House Bill 2017 is a collective step forward on nuclear energy modernization. Updating this policy now sends a clear signal that Pennsylvania is open for clean energy investment and is committed to maintaining its role as a national energy leader, all while taking care of the people we serve,” he said.
House Bill 1260, sponsored by Rep. Josh Siegel, known as the Solar Warehouses bill, advanced to the House floor with amendments. If enacted, the bill would require newly constructed warehouses and distribution centers to be built to accommodate solar panels and encourage existing warehouses to be retrofitted for them through a tax incentive. The House Energy Committee previously held a public hearing on the bill in October.
“It is crucial for Pennsylvania to lead when it comes to lowering cost for our residents,” Siegel, D- Lehigh, said. “H.B.1260 incentivizes warehouses to be built solar-ready, which not only will help keep energy prices lower by adding capacity to the grid, it also will add good paying jobs to our economy.”
Today’s hearing can be viewed here.