The PJM Interconnection released its new five-year strategy Aug. 19, reaffirming its commitment to reliability and outlining four priorities to meet the demands of accelerating load growth amid constrained capacity and a rapidly evolving industry.
“Our strategy will align PJM and its stakeholders on the actions required to meet the challenges in front of us,” said Chief Strategy Officer Aftab Khan, who presented Shaping a Powerful Change: PJM Five-Year Strategy to the Members Committee. “Making sure we have the resources to support reliability is in the public interest, which demands a partnership that includes PJM, states, utilities, generators and customers. This strategy provides the framework to get us there.”
The strategy specifies PJM’s mandate: “PJM is a mission-driven organization that serves the public interest as a FERC-authorized RTO. We are clear about our priorities: Reliability is our North Star.”
Reliability requires sufficient generation resources, and PJM will take active leadership by orchestrating resource adequacy, according to the document.
“We will lead competitive market reforms, working with states, members and other stakeholders to shape the pace of resourcing that our region needs,” the strategy states.
The plan also emphasizes the importance of affordability. “Although PJM does not set retail rates, we will be transparent and accountable for costs that are within our control.”
Specifically, the strategy spells out four priorities. PJM will:
• Reliably operate an increasingly dynamic grid: PJM will modernize operations for an increasingly complex system and introduce next-generation control room technologies – including enhanced deployments of AI and automation that strengthen and accelerate human judgment.
• Ensure durable market incentives and state alignment: The region needs alignment among all players that have a role in shaping resource adequacy. In collaboration with states and members, PJM will advance urgent market reforms, building on the Powering Reliability Through Market Design work, to create durable, investable market signals and ensure the resources the system needs are built.
• Proactively adapt planning processes: PJM will deliver accelerated transmission and interconnection processes, supported by next-generation technologies and streamlined processes to meet speed for infrastructure build-out.
• Improve decision-making efficiency: The pace of PJM’s and its members’ decision-making must meet the urgency of the moment. PJM’s stakeholder process was built for a different era; PJM will work to reduce friction, streamline governance and accelerate action while preserving trust and transparency.
PJM said achieving these priorities will require:
• A modern technology backbone that deploys AI and automation
• A workforce empowered to move faster and think differently
• The delivery of reliable service cost-efficiently
Development of the strategy began in January under the guidance of the Board of Managers, which approved the plan in July. The strategy is shaped by significant engagement from members and stakeholders.
PJM is currently working to develop a stakeholder priority road map to prioritize strategy initiatives and other member priorities.
PJM will collaborate with stakeholders on prioritization and timing of initiatives.
Many activities will start in the next year or two, but expectations of completion vary between months and years.
