Pennsylvania is helping power America’s energy transition. As the nation’s third-largest electricity-producing state and the second-largest natural gas-producing state, we generate more electricity than we consume and export surplus power across the region. Today, natural gas generation fuels nearly 60% of our electricity — more than double its share a decade ago — driving down emissions while keeping energy reliable and affordable.
The question before us is no longer whether Pennsylvania will lead, but how we lead responsibly, protecting workers, consumers, and the health and safety of our communities.
Growing up in Western Pennsylvania, I saw firsthand how energy policy touches every part of our economy — from family-sustaining jobs and utility bills to environmental protection and long-term infrastructure investment. Later, while serving three terms in the Pennsylvania House of Representatives on the Environmental Resources and Energy Committee and as auditor general, I learned that progress comes not from choosing one energy source over another. It comes from building a balanced energy mix that reflects how Pennsylvanians actually live and work.
Natural gas: Pennsylvania’s keystone of progress
That balanced approach is working. Over the past decade, Pennsylvania moved decisively from coal to natural gas, cutting power-sector emissions faster than most states. Natural gas increased from roughly 22% to 60% of our electricity generation in the past 10 years, while coal fell from about 39% to just over 5%.
This isn’t just about numbers on a chart. Cleaner air means kids can play outside, grandparents can breathe easier, and communities that have long suffered the worst pollution are finally seeing relief. We’ve cut emissions without driving up costs or risking reliability or power outages, keeping energy bills more manageable for families across Pennsylvania — even during cold winters or scorching summers. Energy policy isn’t about some abstract goal; it’s a quality-of-life issue for families across the state.
At the same time, our state’s approach to energy has also strengthened our economy. Thousands of Pennsylvanians work in natural gas extraction, power generation, and infrastructure. Many are union members building careers that anchor families, fund local schools and keep towns thriving.
Beyond jobs and local investment, producing energy close to home also keeps us more resilient. We’re less dependent on foreign markets or distant suppliers, which matters when storms, heat waves, or global market swings threaten to drive up energy prices or disrupt service, putting Pennsylvania families and businesses at risk.
Our energy mix
Natural gas is not a substitute for innovation. We still need to grow renewable energy, invest in nuclear power and modernize our grid. But natural gas is the reliable foundation of our energy mix that allows renewables to expand safely and affordably while shielding families from price spikes and unexpected blackouts. This belief in balance is why I am proud to serve as Pennsylvania state chairman for Natural Allies for a Clean Energy Future. Too often, energy debates are framed as all-or-nothing, but we bring together labor, business, and community leaders who see the bigger picture: strong economies, healthy communities, climate progress, and reliable energy all go hand in hand. Good policy has to reflect that reality — not rigid ideology.
Our state’s story has never been ideological. It’s been pragmatic, rooted in real people and real results. Pennsylvania is uniquely positioned to lead. We have the resources, skilled workforce, research institutions and infrastructure to modernize our energy system, cut emissions and strengthen our economy at the same time.
This approach isn’t theoretical for me — it’s how I’ve governed. As a legislator, I authored the Alternative Energy Investment Act, directing $600 million toward clean energy innovation, job creation, consumer savings, and environmental protection. And as auditor general, I worked closely with the Pennsylvania Department of Environmental Protection to ensure environmental safeguards for natural gas drilling and power generation were followed. Economic growth without standards isn’t progress, and regulation that ignores practical realities isn’t either.
Pennsylvania isn’t waiting for a clean energy future — we’re building it.
By combining smart policy, collaboration, and practical oversight, we’re delivering cleaner air, reliable energy, and good-paying jobs. Pennsylvania is proof that progress doesn’t have to come at the expense of communities, the economy, or the environment. And that’s a model the rest of the nation can follow.
Eugene DePasquale is Pennsylvania state chairman of Natural Allies for a Clean Energy Future