Meeting the Clean Power Plan in Pennsylvania

The Union of Concerned Scientists proposes a "Clean Path Case" for Pennsylvania to meet its Clean Power Plan target of reducing emissions by 29 million tons (24% below 2012 levels) by 2030. This pathway combines a mass-based carbon emissions trading program with strengthened renewable energy and energy efficiency policies. The analysis indicates that this approach would yield over 10,700 MW of new wind and solar capacity, generate $804 million in average annual revenue from carbon allowance auctions, and provide $4.5 billion in cumulative health and economic benefits through 2030. Long-term, the plan is projected to reduce typical residential electricity bills by 3.4% by 2030 compared to a reference case with no new policies.

• Pennsylvania is required to reduce its power plant carbon dioxide emissions by 29 million tons, which is 24 percent below 2012 levels, by the year 2030.
• The proposed "Clean Path Case" would result in the addition of more than 10,700 megawatts of new wind and solar capacity in Pennsylvania by 2030, stimulating over $10 billion in new capital investments.
• Implementing a national mass-based emissions trading program with auctioned allowances could provide Pennsylvania with average annual revenues of $804 million from 2022 to 2030.
• The Clean Path Case is estimated to provide cumulative health and economic benefits of approximately $4.5 billion through 2030 by reducing CO2, sulfur dioxide (SO2), and nitrogen oxides (NOx) pollution.
• While initial implementation costs in 2022 are estimated at $796 million, the Clean Path Case is projected to lead to a 3.4 percent decrease in electricity bills for typical residential customers by 2030 compared to the Reference Case.
• The state's current energy transition is characterized by a decline in coal generation, which dropped from 56 percent in 2006 to 36 percent in 2014, while natural gas grew from 5 percent to 22 percent in the same period.

APA

Union of Concerned Scientists (2016). Meeting the Clean Power Plan in Pennsylvania. https://www.ucs.org/sites/default/files/attach/2016/02/clean-power-plan-pennsylvania.pdf

Chicago

Union of Concerned Scientists. Meeting the Clean Power Plan in Pennsylvania. 2016. https://www.ucs.org/sites/default/files/attach/2016/02/clean-power-plan-pennsylvania.pdf.

Wikipedia

{{cite report |author=Union of Concerned Scientists |title=Meeting the Clean Power Plan in Pennsylvania |date=February 2016 |url=https://www.ucs.org/sites/default/files/attach/2016/02/clean-power-plan-pennsylvania.pdf |access-date=23 October 2026 |via=Climate Insights Directory}}

BibTeX

@techreport{unionofconcernedscientists2016meeting, author = {{Union of Concerned Scientists}}, title = {{Meeting the Clean Power Plan in Pennsylvania}}, institution = {Union of Concerned Scientists}, year = {2016}, month = feb, url = {https://www.ucs.org/sites/default/files/attach/2016/02/clean-power-plan-pennsylvania.pdf}, urldate = {2026-10-23}, note = {Indexed by Climate Insights Directory} }