The PJM Board of Managers on Feb. 26 approved a $6 billion package of grid upgrades that includes expanding the 765-kV backbone east to meet rising demand, particularly in Northern Virginia’s Data Center Alley.
PJM’s recommended slate of projects includes Window 1 of the 2024 Regional Transmission Expansion Plan, as well as a doubling of the cost estimate for grid reinforcements needed to allow the deactivation of Talen Energy’s Brandon Shore generator outside Baltimore from $738.83 million to $1.5 billion. (See “RTEP Changes Include Doubling of Tx Costs for Brandon Shores Deactivation,” PJM TEAC Briefs: Feb. 4, 2025.)
“A strong, efficient transmission system enables economic growth and ensures reliability for consumers across the PJM region,” PJM’s Executive Vice President of Operations, Planning and Security Aftab Khan said in an announcement of the approval. “These projects are especially critical to reliably meet the increasing demand for electricity and leverage new generation resources.”
The expansion of the 765-kV network, which accounts for the bulk of the cost, would proceed in two regions: one to the north running from the John Amos substation in West Virginia to the Doubs substation in Maryland, and a second to the south linking the existing network looped into Joshua Falls in Amherst, Va., to a new substation, named Yeat, in Fauquier County to the north.
The northern corridor would use a mix of greenfield and existing rights of way between Joshua Falls and the Welton Spring substation, which would be upgraded with a new 765-kV switchyard, four 250-MVAR shunt reactors and a 500-MVAR synchronous compensator (STATCOM). The line would continue to Doubs mainly following existing ROW and then to a new Rocky Point substation sited nearby. The new facility would be looped into the 500-kV Doubs-Goose Creek, Doubs-Aspen and Woodside-Goose Creek lines and would feature 765- and 500-kV yards; two 765/500-kV transformers; two 765-kV and two 500-kV, 250-MVAR capacitor banks; and a 500-MVAR STATCOM. Upgrades would also be made to the Joshua Falls, Doubs and Black Oak substations.
PJM’s analysis report accompanying the recommended projects states that the proposals to upgrade the corridor between John Amos and Rocky Point to 765 kV was selected to provide scalability and flexibility to address load growths and changes in the resource mix beyond the RTEP horizon. A newly implemented 15-year analysis found anticipated violations that would be resolved by the proposal. The work was assigned to American Electric Power, FirstEnergy and Trans-Allegheny Interstate Line Co. (TrAILCo), the latter of which is a FirstEnergy subsidiary. It is expected to cost $1.9 billion, with a required in-service date in June 2029 and projected in-service date in December 2029.
The southern Joshua Falls-Yeat line would mainly follow existing ROW, with some greenfield components. Yeat would be cut into the 500-kV Bristers-Ox, 500-kV Meadowbrook-Vint Hill and 230-kV Vint Hill-Elk Run lines. The component is estimated to cost $1.1 billion and go into service in June 2029.
The work between Joshua Falls and Yeat also includes the proposed 500-kV “Kraken Loop” branching off the North Anna substation to a new Kraken facility to the northeast and turning back northwest to Yeat. Existing lines between North Anna and the Ladysmith substation would be upgraded to 500 kV, and new lines mainly following existing ROW would be built to Kraken, which would be outfitted with two 1,440-MVA, 500/230-kV transformers. The corridor would continue to Yeat with a mix of greenfield and existing ROW. Upgrades would be made to the North Anna, Ladysmith and Elmont substations.
The RTEP report states that the loop will address load growth expected to the east of North Anna, while also resolving stability and operational constraints. Ties to the 230-kV network around Kraken would be deferred until they are needed and likely pursued through the supplemental planning process. The loop was assigned to Dominion Energy at an estimated cost of $704 million and an in-service date in June 2029.
Several additional project components across the PJM region were included in the RTEP window. An additional $672 million Transource project was selected to upgrade 230-kV and 115-kV infrastructure across the Dominion’s footprint, which was assigned the construction as the incumbent transmission owner. The package includes a new 230-kV Elmont-Ladysmith line using existing structures between the two substations; a new 230-kV Raines-Cloud line; and rebuilding two 230-kV lines between the Marsh Run and Remington CT substations.
A $217 million package was approved in the ATSI region to rebuild the 32-mile, 138-kV Greenfield-Beaver line and sections of the Hayes-Avery, Avery-Shinrock and 138-kV Greenfield-Lakeview lines. A $262 million project would reconfigure the 765-kV Maliszewski substation and reconductor the 10.2 miles of the 345-kV Maliszewski-Corridor line and 4.75 miles of the 345-kV Bokes Creek-Marysville line.
Advanced Energy United Policy Director Jon Gordon said the RTEP process fails to consider regional impacts and alternatives to transmission for solving needs identified. He also argued that projects submitted by TOs are planned in isolation and not competitively bid.
“PJM continues with its business-as-usual buildout of local transmission ‘reliability’ projects that are not part of any kind of comprehensive regional infrastructure planning process. The PJM board just approved $6.7 billion of these transmission projects for this year, up from $5.1 billion in 2024. The five-year cost for these projects is approaching $40 billion,” Gordon said. “These costs are passed through directly to ratepayers and are part of the ever-escalating retail electric rate problem that PJM seems to have little concern for.”
