House members, advocates make bipartisan push for money-saving Advanced Transmission Technologies bill
Pennsylvania House Democratic Caucus July 1, 2026 | 10:13 AM
HARRISBURG, July 1 – Today, a bipartisan group of lawmakers and advocates spoke in strong support of H.B. 2223, the advanced transmission technologies, or ATTs, bill. The bill, which passed the House unanimously in May, offers an efficient way to save both money and energy.
“This is commonsense legislation that will save people money and make sure we reduce how much energy we waste during the transmission process,” said Rep. Elizabeth Fiedler, D-Phila., majority chair of the House Energy Committee. “At a time when people are trying to save every dollar they can, this is absolutely legislation we should be able to pass into law. I am proud this bill passed the House unanimously in May and am optimistic it will get over the line in the Senate.”
ATTs are a collection of hardware and software tools that increase the capacity, efficiency, and reliability of existing grid infrastructure. By ensuring energy is moved more efficiently, ATTs avoid the need to build more infrastructure - saving families and small businesses money on their bills. Examples of ATTs are dynamic line ratings, high-performance conductors, power flow control devices, and topology optimization.
“Advanced transmission technologies let us get more capacity out of the lines we've already built, in months instead of years, often at a fraction of the cost,” Rep. Jeremy Shaffer, R-Allegheny, said. “This isn't an either-or choice. ATTs can be the bridge that gets us through the next several years while we do the harder, longer-term work of expanding the grid.”
House Bill 2223 would require utilities to demonstrate that they have evaluated whether to use ATTs when they file to build or upgrade electric transmission lines. The Public Utility Commission would be prohibited from approving a project unless it determines that the applicant has incorporated all advanced technologies that are technically feasible and cost-effective.
Similar legislation has been enacted in five states in the PJM region - Delaware, Illinois, Indiana, Ohio, and Virginia. This bill is supported by the building trades, industry, environmental groups, and Pennsylvania's electric utilities. It has no known opposition.
"Advanced Transmission Technologies have the capability to open unrealized headroom on the existing transmission system in Pennsylvania, allowing for more electrons to flow to where they are needed in a shorter timeline and a lower cost than traditional transmission construction can allow,” said Doug Pietrucha, with the national industry group Advanced Energy United.
"Advanced Transmission Technologies are a key piece of building a modern, reliable grid that can meet growing demand for electricity,” said Jenny Netherton, who leads The Pew Charitable Trusts’ work to advance solutions to U.S. transmission infrastructure. “This legislation will strengthen Pennsylvania's grid while reducing costs to consumers and making it easier to bring new energy online."
Fiedler said across the commonwealth, Pennsylvanians are facing skyrocketing energy costs. Utility shutoffs were up 38% in 2025 as 1 in 5 Pennsylvania households report having trouble paying their utility bills each month.
This bill is one of many that the House Energy Committee considered this year in addressing energy affordability and supply issues in the state.