State Assumptions for 2026 System Planning
The Organization of PJM States Inc. presented PJM’s Transmission Expansion Advisory Committee with a set of assumptions for the RTO’s planning process reflecting state legislation and policies.
Director of Legal and Regulatory Affairs Ben Sloan said the Independent State Agencies Committee (ISAC) submitted assumptions for PJM’s 2026 Regional Transmission Expansion Plan (RTEP) on Dec. 12, the third such submission it has made.
The ISAC added new assumptions around large load tariffs established in Ohio; several clean energy and electrification efforts; changes to integrated resource plans filed in Virginia; and updated offshore wind targets in Maryland, New Jersey and Virginia.
The New Jersey offshore wind targets were pushed back to start with 3,724 MW in 2034 and reach the 11-GW target in 2040. 8.5 GW are also expected to come online in Maryland between 2027 and 2031.
2026 RTEP Assumptions Timeline
PJM presented the timeline for the 2026 RTEP cycle, which started in November with establishing base case modeling assumptions. Through March, staff will continue building base cases and perform initial case review, with the possibility of changes to the assumptions if they are determined to have a significant impact.
Between March and June, the RTO will conduct baseline studies with the aim of opening a competitive proposal window in July 2026. The window is expected to close in August or September, at which point a mid-year retool may be conducted. Board of Managers approval of a package of upgrades is targeted for February 2027.
2nd Read on $11.6B RTEP Window
PJM presented a second read of its $11.6 billion package of recommended projects for inclusion in the 2025 RTEP. Board approval of the recommended projects is expected in the first quarter of 2026. (See PJM Considering $11.6B Transmission Expansion Plan.)
The proposals were grouped in three clusters: $4.8 billion in upgrades in southern PJM centered around a 185-mile undergrounded HVDC line between the Heritage and Mosby substations, along with several 500-kV projects; $2.8 billion to construct several 765-kV lines in the Columbus area; and $1.7 billion of upgrades in Mid-Atlantic Area Council (MAAC), most notably a 222-mile, 765-kV line between the Kammer and Juniata substations.
The MAAC projects were scrutinized by stakeholders questioning the need for the line to extend between Kammer and the planned Buttermilk substation. Some also questioned the use of seven-year scenarios to justify the project. The longer horizon scenarios are meant to right-size projects for shifting needs; however, stakeholders argued the need for the Kammer-Juniata line in the five-year scenarios is not fully demonstrated.
The scale of the projects included in the window is being driven by 8 to 12 GW of load growth expected in PPL and MAAC, along with capacity resource deactivations and delays in offshore wind development.
