PSEG has announced its proposed route for the Maryland Piedmont Reliability Project (MPRP), a core component of the $5 billion in grid reinforcements the PJM Board of Managers approved in December 2022. (See PJM Board Approves $5 Billion Transmission Expansion.)

The 70-mile, 500-kV line would run from an existing right of way in northern Baltimore County, Md., passing through Carroll County to the Doubs 500-kV substation in Frederick County. The line is expected to cost $424 million to build with an in-service date in June 2027.

The utility said the line would address reliability needs prompted by generator deactivations and support energy affordability.

“Due to significant generation retirements that have occurred in recent years without replacement resources, the energy deficit in Maryland is projected to grow unless additional infrastructure like the MPRP is built,” the PSEG announcement said. “The additional import capability supported by the construction of the MPRP will help Maryland avoid growing their energy deficit, and thereby easing grid congestion and preventing grid overload, which can also benefit both energy affordability and reliability in the state. More transmission is needed to keep energy costs competitive and reduce the risk of rolling blackouts.”

The project was approved as part of the third window of PJM’s Regional Transmission Expansion Plan (RTEP), which sought to address needs presented by rising data center load growth and generation deactivations. That load growth has continued to accelerate, prompting PJM to open a window to create additional transfer capability into the northern Virginia region through the first window of the 2024 RTEP.

While the MPRP would source energy from the east on 500-kV lines, many of the proposals PJM is considering would run 765-kV lines from the west. (See “2024 RTEP Window 1 Projects Include Expansion of 765-kV Network,” PJM PC/TEAC Briefs: Oct. 8, 2024.)

Maryland and Virginia residents have spoken out against projects in both RTEP windows during PJM Transmission Expansion Advisory Committee meetings, arguing that the projects would disrupt historic and environmentally sensitive regions and burden residents already living along major transmission corridors. Three public hearings — one for each county — are being hosted by PSEG between Nov. 12-14, where information will be presented and feedback solicited.

“Over the last four months, PSEG’s team has analyzed over 5,300 public comments and arrived at a transmission solution. The proposed solution is community-informed, reliable and mitigates impact to individuals, communities and wildlife as much as possible while delivering a cost-effective solution for Maryland and PJM electric customers,” Project Director Jason Kalwa said. “We are committed to transparency and community engagement as a part of this process and encourage all interested residents to attend our upcoming public information sessions so that we can hear their comments and concerns.”

A webpage created for the project states that one of the most common sentiments in the public comments requests that the right of way parallel existing transmission lines in the region. But PSEG stated that a new right of way was preferable to avoid impacts to homes and schools along the existing corridor.

“Due to the built environment that has developed along the ROW over the past 50+ years, MPRP does not recommend this route due to impacts on residents, including direct impacts to more than 90 homes that parallel the right of way, and the community, including at least two places of worship and a school,” the page says.