Press Release

HARRISBURG –- Gov. Mark Schweiker today marked the fifth anniversary of Pennsylvania’s No. 1-in-the-nation electric competition program by announcing that the Commonwealth has awarded a contract to purchase renewable energy to supply 5 percent of state government’s power needs for the next two years.

"Under the contract signed with Community Energy Inc., state government will purchase 100 million kilowatt-hours of green power from renewable sources like wind power, landfill gas, hydroelectric and –- for the first time -- solar energy sources," Gov. Schweiker said. "Pennsylvania’s Electric Choice program has enabled companies that offer renewable energy, such as Community Energy, to enter the marketplace. And as we mark the program’s fifth anniversary, I want to express my commitment to Electric Choice, a national model that is working -- saving money and providing choices."

Brent Alderfer, President of Community Energy, said, "With this decision, Pennsylvania again is leading the way on electric customer choice. This is the largest state government purchase of new, fuel-free electricity to date, and it comes at a time when energy independence is on all of our minds."

The contract covers 100 million kilowatt-hours of electricity, about 5 percent of the state’s total usage, over two years beginning Jan. 1, 2002.

Twenty percent of this purchase of green power will be supplied by the new Exelon-Community Energy wind farms in Fayette and Somerset counties. This wind purchase for 2002 and 2003 is equal to the generation from 5 of the wind farm’s turbines. Wind power consumes no fuel and produces no emissions.

The remainder of the purchased green power will come from hydroelectric power, a fuel-free energy source; landfill-gas-to-energy generation, which promotes resource recovery and greenhouse gas reduction; and solar-electric generation.

Community Energy Inc., founded in 1999, is a Delaware County-based renewable energy marketing company. Community Energy partners with existing electric suppliers to make new renewable electricity available to commercial and residential customers.

The Ridge-Schweiker Administration led the push for electric competition and, in December 1996, former Gov. Tom Ridge signed the Electricity Generation Customer Choice and Competition Act. In Fall 1997, Pennsylvania launched the country’s largest electric-competition pilot program. Through the pilot, Pennsylvania had more customers buying their electricity competitively than any state in the nation. By January 2000, all Pennsylvanians were eligible to shop for power.

The Pennsylvania Public Utility Commission now reports nearly $4 billion in savings to date for Pennsylvania consumers. Nearly 120,000 Pennsylvanians now use cleaner and greener forms of power, more than any other state.