PJM on Friday asked FERC to authorize cost responsibilities for $687 million in upgrades included in a revised Regional Transmission Expansion Plan approved by the Board of Managers in October (ER16-319).

The cost allocations would become effective Feb. 11. Transmission customers have 30 days to submit comments about the proposed charges.

The upgrades address reliability issues or economic constraints, all on lower voltage facilities.

Included are 11 market efficiency projects, estimated at $59.3 million, which are expected to produce savings of $815 million over 15 years. They were selected from among 93 proposals, 58 from nonincumbent transmission developers.

New baseline reliability projects totaled $580.5 million. An additional $47.7 million was authorized for changes to previously approved baseline projects.

In July, the board approved $295.1 million in projects, mostly to address Artificial Island stability problems. (See PJM Board OKs LS Power’s Artificial Island Project Despite Objections.)

Since 2000, the board has approved more than $27 billion in transmission spending.

— Suzanne Herel