PJM has narrowed the list of favored solutions to the Artificial Island stability problems, officials told the Transmission Expansion Advisory Committee last week.

Eight companies proposed 26 potential solutions ranging from $100 million to $1.5 billion in the window that closed June 28.

PJM’s initial analysis focused on combining the lower cost proposals with static VAR compensators to provide reactive support. The analysis found that proposals interconnecting with facilities to the Delmarva Peninsula on the west are effective and have the lowest estimated costs.

PJM plans to hire an engineering consultant to review the proposals in more detail, including validation of cost estimates and identification of risks.

PJM’s Paul McGlynn said the consultant would not review all 26 proposals but that it was “premature” to identify any proposals as finalists.

“We’re not taking anything off the table at this stage,” he said. “I wouldn’t glean too much from what I said today because we still have a lot of work to do.”

PJM expects to recommend a solution to the TEAC and the PJM Board early next year.

Artificial Island is the home of the Salem and Hope Creek nuclear plants in Hancocks Bridge N.J. Five utilities and three independent developers made proposals in PJM’s first competitive transmission project under FERC Order 1000.