The PJM Interconnection on Oct. 8 briefed stakeholders on the 2024 Regional Transmission Expansion Plan Window 1, which closed Sept. 17.
Sami Abdulsalam, Director-Transmission Planning, updated the Transmission Expansion Advisory Committee with an overview of the major needs targeted by the RTEP window and details of the various projects proposed to meet them.
The planning window addresses needs driven by accelerated load growth in various areas of the region PJM serves, generator resource mix changes, and resulting changes to regional flows.
The forecasted load growth is driven by data center load additions and the electrification of vehicles and building heating and cooling systems, PJM said.
The needs in this window focus on strengthening the transmission paths between the western and eastern regions of PJM in addition to solving more local transmission improvements across the PJM footprint, the grid operator said.
Proposals range from simple upgrades to facilities, to new extra-high-voltage transmission lines and facilities.
The total cost of the overall solution package will depend on the proposals selected.
In response to the 2024 RTEP Window 1 reliability needs identified by PJM earlier this year, 94 proposals were submitted by 16 entities. Submitted proposals include 48 upgrades to existing facilities and 40 mostly greenfield developments, meaning they involve siting transmission infrastructure where it previously did not exist. Six additional proposals were submitted as joint portfolios, grouping a number of the individual proposals mentioned above.
The 94 redacted public proposals are posted on PJM.com and involve the following zones: AEP, PECO, Dominion, PPL, ATSI, ComEd, APS, JCP&L, FE, PSEG, PEPCO and BGE.
PJM is targeting approval for chosen projects in the first quarter of 2025.
How PJM Plans Transmission Buildout
PJM is the regional planner for the electrical grid, responsible for planning and maintaining the reliability of the transmission grid within its footprint of 13 states and Washington, D.C.
PJM noted that it is not involved in policies that encourage development in any particular area. PJM models the system based on forecasted demand and planned generation additions and consequently identifies areas where reinforcements are required to avoid violations of federally established reliability standards.
"Much like the rest of country, PJM is facing unprecedented changes, including a changing resource mix and rapid localized load growth," it said. "When transmission needs are identified, PJM opens competitive planning “windows” so that transmission owners and other developers can submit proposals to address the identified needs."
If a proposal is selected and approved by the PJM Board of Managers, the developer of the project will create a detailed engineering, routing and siting plan; engage local communities in refining its routes; seek approval from state regulatory authorities on the siting of the route and related facilities; and build and maintain the substations and transmission lines included in its proposal.
PJM said its competitive window planning process encourages submissions from a variety of sources and gives PJM the opportunity to assess creative and efficient regional transmission solutions – for example, by combining parts of different proposals.
PJM will evaluate all proposals against a variety of criteria that will be discussed in the next few TEAC sessions. At the end, PJM "will select a collection of projects that address the future needs of the system." PJM is limited to choose from the projects submitted, it said.
The TEAC is the main public forum for stakeholders and PJM staff to exchange ideas, discuss study assumptions and review results. Interested stakeholders may register for and attend – either in person or by Webex or phone – and participate in these meetings.
