It’s time for PECO to choose the path of justice
This past month, we sat down with PECO CEO Mike Innocenzo. This meeting was much like the meeting last month with PECO executives – where we were re-affirmed that PECO is thinking about our campaign and taking our presence more seriously than they have before.
However, we were also re-affirmed that PECO has yet to commit to the moral vision of a green and just energy economy for our region. In this meeting, PECO executives were more concerned with finding ways to convince us they can’t reach all our demands than presenting a real plan that gets us to 20% local solar by 2025 and prioritizes both community-ownership as well as local job creation.
PECO has told us that even if it thinks our vision is worth considering, it’s not worth the financial commitment needed to make it happen. But we believe that PECO has the ability, and responsibility, to create a plan for a just, renewable energy transition in this region. With the Philadelphia Energy Solutions announcing that they are closing their refinery, the need for good-paying green jobs is even more urgent. While the Philadelphia region is ready and eager, PECO is dragging its feet. With every day they don’t commit to joining us in our moral vision, the climate and our communities suffer.
This July we are scheduled to have a meeting with Exelon’s CEO Chris Crane. It’s important we make clear that PECO is facing a fork in the road – it can either continue with a plan that sacrifices our climate and the most vulnerable in our communities for profit or commit to taking action on climate change by drafting a plan that shows a moral vision for a just, community-owned, renewable energy democracy in southeastern PA.
This coming month, I hope you will join us in this fight. We must keep the pressure on PECO to remind them of the role they must play to pave the way to a just, solar transition. Be sure to join us on July 16th at we take action in Coatesville, PA. And if you are able, please donate today so we can continue to hold PECO accountable to the people of this region.
Photos: Rachael Warriner
