State Representatives Charity Grimm Krupa and Bud Cook will hold a public town hall on February 26 to discuss the proposed Mid-Atlantic Resiliency Link transmission line, a project associated with NextEra Energy. The event is scheduled for 6:30 p.m. at the Smithfield Borough Community Center in Smithfield.
The Pennsylvania Office of Consumer Advocate will attend the meeting to provide information, answer questions, and address concerns about the planned transmission line and its potential impact on local properties.
“This project has very real, very immediate consequences for the landowners whose properties may be crossed by this transmission line,” said Grimm Krupa. “Families facing the possibility of easements or eminent domain action need clear information about their rights and the resources available to them.”
Grimm Krupa noted that property owners such as farmers, homeowners, and small businesses could face long-term changes in land use, property value, and quality of life due to the project. She also stated that the effects are not limited to those along the route.
“This is not just a local land issue; it is a statewide energy issue,” she said. “Pennsylvania’s grid supply is already tightening. Reliability warnings have indicated potential brownouts and blackouts as early as next year if generation capacity continues to shrink.”
She expressed concern that increasing transmission capacity to export more electricity from Pennsylvania could put further strain on in-state supply during a period of rising demand and declining dispatchable generation.
“If more Pennsylvania-generated power is exported out of state while our own reserve margins are shrinking, that puts additional pressure on our grid,” she said. “When supply tightens, prices rise. That means higher electric bills for families and businesses across our region.”
Cook shared similar views. “Our first obligation should be to ensure reliable, affordable electricity for Pennsylvania residents,” Cook said. “Before we allow major transmission infrastructure that may benefit out-of-state markets, we need transparency and honest answers about how it affects our communities and ratepayers.”
At the town hall, residents will have an opportunity to learn more about the proposed project, understand their rights as property owners, ask questions regarding eminent domain and land use impacts, discuss issues related to grid reliability and electricity costs, and speak directly with their state legislators.
Grimm Krupa encouraged all interested community members to participate: “This is a pivotal moment,” she said. “If your property, your electric bill, or your community’s energy security matters to you, now is the time to get informed and engaged.”
Krupa serves as Pennsylvania State Representative for the 51st Legislative District in Fayette County according to her official biography. She lives on a farm with her family and previously served on the Gallatin School Board. Her background includes work as an assistant Fayette County public defender before practicing civil rights law privately as detailed on her website.
RSVPs are requested but not required for attendance; residents can register by phone or online.
