Pennsylvania Reliable Energy Sustainability Standard (PRESS) Legislation

Akamai joined other businesses in expressing public support for Pennsylvania’s PRESS legislation, which aims to advance clean energy, foster sustainability, and drive economic growth in the state. This legislation aligns with Akamai’s goals of achieving 100% renewable energy and reducing emissions by 2030. Key elements Akamai endorses include:

The Customer Case for Grid Modernization in the Southeast

Akamai, along with a coalition of major commercial and industrial energy customers operating in North Carolina, South Carolina, and Georgia, issued a joint statement urging policymakers to modernize the Southeast’s electricity grid to better support economic growth and reliability. The group advocated for enabling more voluntary customer investments in clean energy by prioritizing interconnection requests and streamlining siting and permitting procedures, noting that current utility offerings are often limited or oversubscribed. Furthermore, the coalition advised regulators to minimize the risk of stranded assets by prioritizing market-ready renewables over fuel-dependent resources, mandating competitive procurement processes for new generation, and exploring regional resource pooling to optimize reliability and cost.

Broad Coalition Supports AB 825 for Regional Energy Market Integration

Akamai, along with a diverse coalition of labor, business, utility, and environmental stakeholders, urged California legislators to pass AB 825. The letter supported authorizing California’s voluntary participation in a new independent regional energy organization, a move projected to save ratepayers over $1 billion annually and reduce grid stress by 40% during critical periods. By integrating with a broader western market while retaining state control over climate policies, the signatories argue the bill will enhance reliability, reduce blackouts, and accelerate the transition to affordable clean energy.

The Clean and Reliable Grid Affordability (CRGA) Act

Akamai joined a coalition of major Illinois employers in expressing public support for the Clean and Reliable Grid Affordability (CRGA) Act (HB4116/SB25 HA002). This omnibus legislation was introduced to modernize Illinois’ energy infrastructure, address rising operational costs, and correct the state’s trajectory toward its 100% clean energy goals.

Our advocacy prioritizes three strategic outcomes that directly impact our operational efficiency:

• Cost Control via Technology: We support the mandate for Advanced Transmission Technologies (ATTs). While traditional transmission lines take an average of 10 years to build, ATTs optimize existing infrastructure immediately. This shift is projected to save the market $5 billion annually in production costs while doubling renewable capacity.
• Speed to Market: Utility interconnection delays currently throttle the deployment of electric fleets. We are championing the Powering Up Illinois provision, which enforces strict timelines for utility energization, ensuring our infrastructure keeps pace with our capital investments.
• Turning Assets into Revenue: We are pushing for robust virtual power plant (VPP) programs. These policies will allow businesses to aggregate our onsite energy storage and be compensated for stabilizing the grid during peak hours, effectively transforming resilience hardware into revenue-generating assets.

Modernizing the grid is a prerequisite for our future growth. This framework ensures that Illinois public infrastructure evolves alongside private innovation, replacing market uncertainty with long-term stability. By preparing the grid for increased demand and advanced technologies, we secure the operational resilience required to remain competitive in a decarbonizing economy.