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“We want to keep investing in Pennsylvania.”
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After opting for energy-saving upgrades, a Pennsylvania cookie maker’s power bills still jumped, underscoring how hard utility expenses are to manage across the state.
At Shirley’s Cookie Company in Blair County, facilities maintenance manager Richard Weyant said thousands of dollars went toward LED lighting and improved HVAC equipment, according to Philly Voice. Even with those updates, electricity consumption fell 5.7% over four years while the company’s power bills climbed 17.4%.
He told lawmakers that the company has little flexibility to cut electricity use because power is required to mix, bake, and store its products. Weyant also said competitive pressure from manufacturers in other states and abroad means the business cannot always raise prices enough to offset higher energy costs.
With elections on the horizon, both parties have made affordability a central issue in Harrisburg, though they remain divided on how to lower energy costs.
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Electric bills are only part of the strain. Bill Ward, Jr., president and CEO of Ward Transport and Logistics, said high diesel prices are also taking a toll on businesses, noting that the cost of fuel “cuts into our margin” and makes it harder to offer raises and strong benefits.
Weyant said rising operating expenses are crowding out spending on equipment, automation, wages, and benefits. He said six automation upgrades worth about half a million dollars had been stalled and warned that “money spent covering these higher operating costs is money we can’t use somewhere else.”
Coal and natural gas power plants contribute to air and water pollution linked to asthma, heart disease, cancer, and premature death, while also keeping many households tied to volatile fuel costs instead of more abundant energy sources like sunlight and wind. Industry lobbying has often slowed cleaner, cheaper alternatives that could protect communities and reduce monthly bills.
Republican Josh Kail blamed Democratic energy policies and called for greater use of the state’s natural gas, though he did not outline why he thought investment in renewable energy would not yield dividends once built. Industry executive Stephanie Catarino Wissman of the American Petroleum Institute Pennsylvania also said permit delays and regulatory reviews were slowing development, while environmental advocates have pushed for a more diversified energy mix with additional renewables.
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Weyant urged lawmakers to look beyond power and fuel bills alone and consider options such as solar, battery storage, demand-reduction technologies, grants, and tax incentives. He said those tools can help businesses and households limit their exposure to rising energy costs while also improving reliability.
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“We want to keep investing in Pennsylvania and we want to keep investing in our employees,” Weyant said. “Affordable, reliable energy helps Pennsylvania manufacturers’ ability to do both.”
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© 2025 THE COOL DOWN COMPANY. All Rights Reserved. Do not sell or share my personal information. Reach us at hello@thecooldown.com.

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