Gov. Matt Meyer signs a package of bills to bring down energy prices and bolster environmental protections in the First State.
Meyer signed eleven bills Wednesday, eight of which directly correlate with providing energy bill relief, promoting more pricing transparency and working to better Delaware’s energy supply as a whole.
State Sen. Stephanie Hansen (D-Middletown), who spearheaded many of the bills, says this was a record year in terms of energy legislation for the General Assembly.
“It was lowering costs for everybody, broad term looking forward, it was taking a look specifically at our vulnerable communities, our low-income communities. It was then focusing on broad policies of bringing more renewables into our grid and then doing long-term planning on some things," she said.
The majority of the bills were spurred by an unseasonably cold winter, which prompted several ratepayers to come forward about skyrocketing energy bills.
Eight of the energy-related bills that are now law include creating an energy bill assistance fund for low to moderate income households, granting more scrutiny to the Public Service Commission when approving utility rate hikes, requiring the disclosure of votes cast at meetings of the PJM Interconnection Regional Transmission Organization, restricting regulated utilities from using customer funds to subsidize unregulated activities — like lobbying — and capping their annual capital expenses, ensuring net-metering customers benefit from excess energy credits and providing the Public Service Commission with the flexibility to approve discounted gas and electric utility rates for qualified low-income customers.
But the unusually high energy bills also exposed a larger problem for the state.
Delaware’s energy consumption far outpaces its generation, and the governor, along with several legislators, believe the state needs to be implementing more renewable energy options in the coming years.
“This is a step forward, but it's not the only step forward. This does not get us 100% where we need to go. I've been very open — we need to generate more energy here," Gov. Meyer said.
He also signed two bills directing the state to explore the possibility of constructing an energy storage system as well as explore grid-enhancing technologies.
Gov. Meyer also expressed hope for the future of offshore wind in Delaware, directly referencing the contentious Senate Bill 159, which will provide US Wind with the necessary permit to proceed with a 114-turbine Maryland offshore wind project in the new year.
He also referenced the possibility of brining nuclear energy to the First State — a concurrent resolution passed earlier this year in the General Assembly establishing the Delaware Nuclear Energy Feasibility Task Force, which will examine the feasibility, economic impact and energy reliability of deploying Small Modular Reactors in Delaware.
Gov. Meyer also signed a bill to raise fines on commercial polluters and allocate more penalty revenue to impacted communities.
"Environmental justice isn't a destination, it's a journey — this is a start," the bill's sponsor, State Rep. Larry Lambert (D-Claymont) said. "And I want to make sure that commercial polluters are put on notice right now. If this bill doesn't stop you from violating our communities, we will be back with stronger legislation."
Rep. Lambert's comments follow a recent violation by the Delaware City Refinery, which emitted excess sulfur dioxide for two and a half weeks into early June. The incident is still under investigation.
The refinery was also cited in late June for a March 13 incident, during which an equipment failure caused the release of some 38,000 pounds of sulfur dioxide and 262,000 pounds of carbon monoxide, along with visible black smoke. The uncontrolled emissions lasted approximately ten hours.
Gov. Meyer also signed two bills designating the Red Knot as Delaware’s official migratory bird and the Blue Dasher as the official state dragonfly.
