The Senate Environment, Energy & Transportation Committee held an extended hearing on SB 205, which would require large energy users to obtain a Certificate to Operate from the Public Service Commission before connecting to the transmission system — driven by the proposed 1,200-megawatt Project Washington data center. The hearing exposed a sharp divide between ratepayer advocates and labor unions, with a committee member requesting the bill be tabled and the final outcome unclear.
Senator Buxon [UNCLEAR spelling] stated the bill 'creates real concern and uncertainty' and characterized it as 'a de facto moratorium' because the PSC would not be required to judge applications on their merits but on 'potential arbitrary and capricious decisions.' Senator Hansen directly rejected this framing, arguing the bill 'is not a bill to stop economic development' but about 'protecting Delaware ratepayers from increasing electricity costs and decreasing electricity reliability.' Bobby Murrain (Electricians Local 313) also stated his organization reached a consensus that 'Delaware is the only anti data center state,' directly contradicting Hansen's framing.
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“I'm showing you on the graphic here, everything in the blue and in the, in the purple is part of pjm. If we take a look at the price of the auction of megawatts per day that occurred back in the 2024, 2025 time period, you $29. And then our world shifted because the next year the next auction”
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Sign in to subscribeSenator Stephanie Hansen and I'm the chair of the committee. Today's January 28, 2026. As chair of this committee and in accordance with the Senate rules, this committee is authorized to meet in a hybrid format. Committee members and members of the public can participate either in person or virtually through zoom webinar. Should any member experience technical difficulties, please call my Legislative Assistant, Anna Shields. The public may participate virtually by registering via the meeting link that is posted on the General Assembly's website and the instructions for providing public comment are posted under this committee meeting's notice. Members of the public are also welcome to attend the meeting in person and should sign the sign in document for attendance and and to indicate if they would like to speak on a bill. We'll begin today's meeting by taking a roll call. Attendance of the committee members present. When your name is called, please affirm your attendance. Senator Russ Huxtable. Senator Elizabeth Lockman. Absent. Senator Spiros Mansavinos. Senator Trey Pardee, Senator Ray Siegfried, Senator Eric Buxon, Senator Brian Pettijohn and myself, Senator Hanson. With a sufficient number of members being present, the committee has a quorum and we'll move…
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