The Planning Committee last week endorsed manual changes implementing PJM’s new capacity import limits.

Reason for Change: Stakeholders approved the limits in November out of concerns that PJM might lack sufficient transmission to accommodate its growing volume of capacity imports. Cleared imports grew from about 3,000 MW to more than 4,500 MW in 2009-2012 before more than doubling to nearly 7,500 MW this year. The limits are detailed in Manual 14B: PJM Region Transmission Planning Process.

Impact: The revised methodology will limit external generation resources in next year’s base capacity auction to 6,200 MW ­– a 17% drop from the volume of imports that cleared in the May 2013 auction, while also setting five import zones with their own limits. (See Members OK Capacity Import Limit; Prices May Rise.)