As we all stay home and learn to navigate this unprecedented health crisis affecting people not just in Pennsylvania but around the world, coronavirus understandably dominates our public consciousness. The pandemic starkly reminds us all that there is nothing more important than our health and the well-being of the people whom we hold dear.

It reminds us that public policy truly matters. And it reminds us that we can’t take the air we breathe for granted.

Those most at risk for serious complications of covid-19 include people with underlying medical conditions, such as asthma, suppressed immune systems and emphysema. These people are our family, friends and neighbors, and the importance of doing all we can to protect them has never been clearer.

Understandably, while we are focused on the pandemic, some may have missed a significant announcement about the Beaver Valley Nuclear Power Station, which had filed paperwork in 2018 announcing the plant would prematurely deactivate in 2021 because of economic challenges. With a total capacity of 1,872 megawatts, Beaver Valley generates enough emissions-free electricity to power one in five Pennsylvania homes. Now, thanks to the Regional Greenhouse Gas Initiative (RGGI), Beaver Valley will stay online.

Energy Harbor Corp., which made the announcement March 13, said the decision to keep the plant operating was driven by Gov. Tom Wolf’s October 2019 executive order directing Pennsylvania to establish a carbon limits program to link with RGGI by 2022. RGGI is a multi-state, market-based effort that has successfully reduced carbon pollution from electric power plants by almost half since 2009 and, as acknowledged by Energy Harbor, starts to level the playing field for carbon-free electricity producers like nuclear.

Why is this important now? With covid-19 spreading rapidly and causing alarming public health impacts, it’s more important than ever that we clean up our air while we continue to keep the lights on for all Pennsylvanians. A critical way to do that is to keep the timeline for Pennsylvania joining RGGI on track.

RGGI puts a price on carbon and uses market-based tools to incentivize electric generators to reduce emissions. This allows the market to account for the benefits of nuclear power, which makes up nearly 40% of Pennsylvania’s electricity mix, provides over 90% of our emission-free energy, and avoids the air pollution caused by the burning of fossil fuels.

States participating in RGGI over the last decade have seen their power plant carbon emissions decline by 47%. A recent report from the Acadia Center showed that, since RGGI launched, electricity prices in RGGI states have fallen by 5.7%, while prices in the rest of the country have increased by 8.6%. So it’s a win-win for Pennsylvanians.

The RGGI states also have invested more than $3.4 billion in proceeds raised over the last decade in programs that further benefit consumers. These include renewable energy and energy efficiency programs, as well as direct customer bill assistance. These programs return significant electricity bill savings to households and businesses across the region — something that takes on even greater significance considering the unprecedented global economic crisis that appears to lie ahead.

While the Beaver Valley news is a silver lining today, it’s not guaranteed to remain that way. Energy Harbor also stated it would need to revisit prematurely closing the plant if Pennsylvania does not join RGGI as expected in 2022. Again, when nuclear generation retires ahead of schedule, air pollution increases.

While conscious of all the uncertainty in these challenging times and the difficult logistics of teleworking, we respectfully urge the Pennsylvania Department of Environmental Protection to keep the RGGI rulemaking process on track. This market-based policy will incentivize pollution reduction while delivering tangible benefits – including much-needed investments — to the people of Pennsylvania.

We must do all that we can to build a sustainable future while protecting public health. Please be safe.

Joseph Otis Minott is executive director and chief counsel at the Clean Air Council.

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