Bates said he didn’t realize running a power line to a data center was considered a transmission line. 

comparison_of_pjm_state_installed_capacity_2022.pdf
File Size:	2140 kb
File Type:	pdf

Download File

---

A large scale set of projects that solve the growing congestion issues in the southern Pennsylvania/northern Virginia/Maryland/West Virginia area. The project involves strategic rebuilds, substation upgrades, and greenfield transmission lines that primarily follow existing corridor. This strategic use of existing corridor greatly reduces the risk of projects being delayed due to opposition.

Colocating the line with the existing transmission line helps mitigate viewshed issues and permitting risk.

A cultural resource professional assisted with the routing process to identify and minimize impacts to known areas with historic sensitivities.

There are no unique or sensitive environmental concerns or impacts with the proposed transmission line that cannot be addressed.

The combination of these three elements provides a comprehensive solution for the current requirements in the area.  Four documents are attached to show the progress already made on this...

The Rice-Ringgold 230kV Route is the result of a robust siting and outreach process which included input from landowners, local officials, and key stakeholders on a multitude of study segments. The proposed route will be 130 feet in width, parallels existing rights-of-way including interstates, roads,railroads, and existing transmission lines for 42% of its length, and best minimizes potential impacts to the natural and human environments. The extensive Siting Study is available for review under PA PUC docket A-2017-2640200. In addition, the Proposing Entity has been able to obtain 70% of the required ROW, via option agreements or easements, for the Rice-Ringgold 230kV line route.

The project will use steel, monopole structures with foundations. The use of steel monopoles was determined during the siting of the Proposed Solution due to significant landowner opposition to lattice towers, particularly in agricultural areas.

As the Proposed Solution continues to move forward, representatives will continue to be available throughout construction to answer questions from landowners.

The Peach Bottom - Doubs Route is mostly in rural areas. Northern portion of the route is located in southern Pennsylvania with rural and farmed properties and then the route heads to the west. The route is to the north and west of Westminster and then heads in a south-westerly direction to Doubs.

PSE&G will coordinate all outreach, real estate-related requests, and efforts to identify environmental and non-environmental conditions affecting the properties along the proposed Project route. Working collaboratively with our internal Outreach Team, PSE&G will coordinate stakeholder engagement and public outreach with land acquisition planning. This level of collaboration will help to ensure proactive and cohesive stakeholder communications in order to better serve landowners and impacted individuals and entities. PSE&G contemplates the need for access roads and areas, as part of any lands to be acquired
 
PSEG has identified several properties that are suitable for this proposed solution. The Project Team has initiated contact with the property owners and will continue to work to acquire site control in the event of award. The Project Team will work with impacted stakeholders, municipalities, and local authorities to obtain the necessary property rights to construct and maintain its facilities. While this solution is located outside of PSE&G territory, PSE&G is committed to a transparent, timely, and efficient land rights acquisition process for any site control required. PSE&G intends to utilize the same land acquisition professionals from start to finish, ensuring landowners have the same team assigned to their negotiations throughout the process.

The greenfield transmission line between North Delta station and Northeast station will require an ROW with a width of 85 feet in residential areas and 100 feet farmland.

ROW will be acquired to widen the existing transmission line corridor from 150 feet to 200 feet.  Approximately 102 acres of additional ROW will be acquired, which is all privately owned.  Negotiations with private landowners will be based on fair market values determined by a third-party  appraiser. Negotiations with private landowners will be conducted by PPL ROW Agents and PPL contracted ROW agents.

PPL Electric is committed to open communications and transparency throughout the project lifecycle. As such, PPL Electric develops a project-specific Community and Outreach Plan based on the unique conditions associated with each project. To communicate clearly and transparently, PPL Electric utilizes a wide variety of strategies including, in-person meetings with local municipalities and regulators, direct mail, project websites, fact sheets, frequently asked questions, and public open houses. For example, during previous projects, PPL Electric has developed a strategic public outreach program that served as the cornerstone of project success. The program included soliciting input from, and providing timely updates to, external stakeholders from the onset of the project through to completion. This was achieved using face to face meetings, direct mailings, multiple rounds of open houses, fact sheets, press releases and an interactive website.

Most high-voltage transmission projects will require a state siting approval. To begin the siting approval process, Proposer plans to hold pre-application meetings with the regulatory agency to introduce Proposer and the Project, as well as confirm its understanding of the process. Shortly thereafter, Proposer will simultaneously begin collecting siting data and start its outreach efforts so that public siting input is incorporated at the earliest stages of the Project. Once the Proposer identifies a preferred site/route and at least one viable alternative site/route, Proposer will carry out environmental and detailed engineering work in order to establish a highly- detailed Project plan to support the siting applications.

The Company is committed to working with all interested stakeholders through a robust public outreach program to address/respond to community concerns and inform the public about the project to the greatest extent practicable. The Company believes a well-designed public outreach program can have numerous benefits, including fostering a cooperative relationship with landowners and other stakeholders, expediting the regulatory permitting process, and assisting with project development. In general, the purpose of the community outreach plan is to gain community support for the project. In the affected communities, the Company’s public outreach plan will educate the public and relevant stakeholders on specific project details to enable timely regulatory approvals and construction activities. Elements of the public outreach plan will include the following:1) Identify potential issues at an early stage by engagement with key community stakeholders at the outset; 2) Broaden the community engagement process to identify potential and relevant community benefits that can facilitate community support for the proposed project; 3) Develop a broad base of community support for the proposed project before the regulatory agencies; and 4) Develop a comprehensive administrative record documenting the community outreach process that can be presented to the regulatory agency or, in the event of a legal challenge, to the appropriate court.  The outreach plan proposes to dedicate considerable time and resources in engaging the community, and specifically the affected community during the planning process to identify highly sensitive areas that have the least amount of cultural, environmental, and social impacts on the community. The plans will reflect avoidance of impacts rather than mitigation. However, in some cases, if avoidance is not possible, then the Company will involve the community in providing appropriate and practical mitigation measures. The Company will commence its public outreach activities following project award.

PJM’s Reliability Analysis presentation at the August 8, 2023 TEAC demonstrates a marked concern for routing/siting/permitting/scheduling risks of certain component segments submitted in 2022 RTEP Window 3.  I appreciate that PJM is considering these factors.  After all, what good is a transmission project that cannot be built due to opposition?

My review of the projects submitted in Window 3 finds that several of these projects are reinvention of old projects, either in whole or in part, that PJM approved years ago and then later abandoned or suspended.  Three of these historic projects are the Potomac-Appalachian Transmission Highline (now FE-23 and FE-837), the Mid-Atlantic Power Pathway (now Exelon-691), and the Independence Energy Connection (now Transource-487).  These projects have cost PJM ratepayers hundreds of millions of dollars in development and legal fees despite never being built.

No matter what reason PJM recorded for the suspension and abandonment of these three transmission projects, the fact remains that each of these projects was met with a wall of resistance from landowner groups, state/local governments, elected officials, public interest groups, and impacted communities.  Opposition to PATH, MAPP and IEC prevented approval and construction of these projects and added considerable delays to their schedule.  Entities that opposed these projects the first time around are knowledgeable and prepared to oppose them again.  The impacts of these projects, which made them objectionable in the first place, have not changed.  The only difference now is that the opposition is better educated and better prepared to win this battle.

I asked during the TEAC how PJM could receive comments from impacted communities to consider as part of their constructibility studies for the projects.  I heard from you that stakeholders could voice their concerns during TEAC meetings, as I was doing, or contact something called “Stakeholder Engagement Group.”  Neither option actually incorporates the stakeholder comment into the constructibility report outcome.

I have read some of PJM’s “constructibility reports” in the past.  The one for the Independence Energy Connection particularly stands out in my mind, as that constructibility report found significant opposition would not occur because the project was routed on “undeveloped land.”   That “undeveloped land” is prime farmland, important to its owners and the community it supports.  The owners of this “undeveloped land” are highly educated, well connected, and capable of preventing this project from being constructed as originally ordered by PJM.  In conclusion, PJM’s constructibility report was dead wrong because the entity that prepared it was woefully uninformed about transmission opposition and real conditions on the ground.  These are areas where public comment and consultation can be incorporated into the constructibility report to improve its historic lack of accuracy.

The presentation at yesterday’s TEAC mentioned “Utilization of existing ROWs and brownfield development/expansion.”  Existing ROWs include more than just transmission or utility ROWs.  New technologies and policies are opening existing transportation ROWs to new transmission infrastructure.  These ROWs are ideal for burying HVDC for the purpose of transporting electricity from one market to another, not serving communities along the way.  Window 3 seems to concentrate on importing new power supply to the data centers.  HVDC buried on transportation ROWs may be a solution supported by impacted communities. See more: https://theray.org/technology/transmission/

Expansion of existing transmission ROWs by adding parallel lines is NOT a solution to routing issues.  PJM needs to re-think this unworkable approach.  While existing transmission built in the last century may have been routed on agricultural land, aka “undeveloped land”, the land use conditions that existed when the transmission line was built in 1950 will not be the same in 2023, especially in the growing PJM region.  Many former farms have been sold and re-developed into new housing communities and other uses.  The community has built itself up around the existing transmission line, often with new homes, schools, and other expansion right up to the edge of the existing ROW.  Expanding the existing ROW cannot happen without destroying this new development.  This was one of PATH’s biggest problems in Jefferson County, West Virginia.  Housing developments had sprung up to surround existing transmission lines and expansion of the ROW would begin to destroy portions of these communities.  This problem has not changed in the 15 years since.  In fact, it’s gotten much worse.  However, FirstEnergy’s submitted projects depend on expanding these ROWs to build new lines parallel to existing ones.  While I recognize PJM does not design the routes for its projects, it still must be cognizant of the project’s shortcomings and risk in order to be successful at what it does do.

There’s a lot that PJM (and its member utilities and constructibility report contractors) do not know about the dynamics of transmission opposition.   Much can be learned from study of scholarly research on the social aspects of opposition.  It is not simply a “NIMBY” issue that can be solved by routing elsewhere.  Impacted people need to examine the problem and be involved in the creation of a solution.  PJM has historically ordered transmission and left the designated entity to approach the community with a pre-determined transmission solution and consult with them about where to put it.  This is not a choice for the impacted community and they will reject it every time.  While investigating the basis of the need for the project, the community will develop other solutions to solve the problem, such as use of existing rights-of-way, upgrading of existing lines, burying lines, allowing the market to demand new generation before building transmission, as well as other demand side solutions such as energy efficiency and distributed generation.  The designated entity and PJM have resisted any and all suggested modifications to their plans, and as a result the project never gets built.  Is PJM about building workable solutions, or spending eternity trying to foist its will on a public that doesn’t want or need it?

PJM prides itself on its “transparency”, but lacks any avenue for true stakeholder participation.  Stakeholder consultation should begin in the project planning phase so that PJM doesn’t waste time and money pursuing projects that are not constructible.  Allowing stakeholders to make comments that are never considered or acted upon is a parody of democracy.  I ask that PJM create a way to accept public comments and incorporate them into its planning, particularly for such an enormous undertaking as Window 3.  I have tried to find the “stakeholder engagement group” you suggested during the TEAC, but cannot find anything like that on PJM’s website.  I would appreciate a substantive response to this comment/suggestion, not just an acknowledgement it has been received (and ignored).

Project title:  Mid-Atlantic Power Pathway (MAPP)

Project description:  Exelon is proposing a 230 mile, 500 kV AC / 400 kV DC high-voltage transmission line originating in Northern Virginia, crossing Maryland, traveling up the Delmarva Peninsula and terminating in southern New Jersey.

When four representatives of National Grid came before Concord City Council on Monday to start the long process of expanding a power line through the state bringing electricity from HydroQuebec, they soon encountered a ghost.

“Our community still suffers from PTSD with regard to Northern Pass,” Councilor Jennifer Kretovic told them. “When you mention the words HydroQuebec, that will automatically raise concern.”

The four representatives nodded glumly.

Component title:  Fort Martin - Doubs 500 kV #1 Line

Project description:  Construct ~158 miles of new 500 kV line from Fort Martin Substation to Doubs Substation.Terminate the new transmission line and revise relay settings at Doubs and Fort Martin substations.Install fiber OPGW along the new line route. The construction of this new line will require the acquisition of 158 miles of new right-of-way, forestry clearing, permitting, and access road construction. Re-terminate the Bismark 500 kV Line at Doubs Substation. Aerial LiDAR will be required. This new transmission line will require Proposal Components 1 (Doubs Substation - Install500 kV Breaker), 2 (Doubs Substation - Expand 500 kV), and 4 (Fort Martin Substation - Install 500kV Breaker) to be completed.

This new 500 kV line will be constructed in West Virginia, Virginia, and Maryland. Full Applications will be required in each state. - It is assumed that the new 500 kV line will parallel existing ROW for approximately (85.6) miles and require (74.4) miles of new ROW not adjacent to existing ROW. It is assumed that no existing lines will be overbuilt with double circuit structures, but existing line rebuilds will be considered where applicable. - Approximately (695) parcels will be affected by the line route. Assumed 5% condemnation (35 parcels).

The right-of-way width is assumed to be 200 ft. This width is based on the widest ROW needed for 500 kV and does not account for structure configuration or span lengths. Widths needed may vary upon final design.

The new Fort Martin-Doubs #1 500 kV Line will be constructed on double circuit 500 kV tubular steel monopole and two-Pole structures. The second 500 kV circuit is to be left vacant and installed at a future date. - The average span length is 1200 ft. - It is assumed that the new double circuit monopole structures will have an average height of 180 ft. Final structure heights will need to be determined during project development. FAA filing and application may be required. - The new structures will utilize custom 500 kV V-string and double I-string suspension and dead-end insulator assemblies.

This new 500 kV line provides a direct connection from the west side of the system to the east side. - This new line provides the ability to install a second Fort Martin - Doubs 500 kV Line on the same structures, without additional right-of-way acquisition. - This new line route will provide the opportunity to loop the Fort Martin - Doubs 500 kV Line into Bedington and/or Black Oak substations in the future, if necessary for reliability or resiliency. - Greenfield construction is assumed due to outage constraints, but existing rights-of-way and corridors to rebuild lower voltage lines will be considered where applicable.

Component title:  Meadow Brook - Doubs 500 kV Line

Project description:  Construct 55.3 miles of new 500 kV line from Meadow Brook Substation to Doubs Substation.Terminate the new transmission line and revise relay settings at Doubs and Meadow Brook substations. Install fiber along the new line route. The construction of this new line will require the acquisition of 55.3 miles of new right-of-way, forestry clearing, permitting, and access road construction. Re-terminate the Meadow Brook - Loudon & Meadow Brook - Front Royal 500 kV lines at Meadow Brook Substation. Aerial LiDAR will be required. This new transmission line wil lrequire Proposal Components 1 (Doubs Substation - Install 500 kV Breaker), Component 2 (Doubs Substation - Expand 500 kV), and Component 3 (Meadow Brook Substation - Expand 500 kV) to be completed.

This new 500 kV line will be constructed in Virginia, West Virginia, and Maryland. Full Applications will be required in each state. - It is assumed that the new line will parallel existing ROW for approximately (22.8) miles and require (32.5) miles of new ROW not adjacent to existing ROW. It is assumed that no existing lines will be overbuilt with double circuit structures, but existing line rebuilds will be considered where applicable. - Approximately (146) parcels will be affected by thel ine route. Assumed 5% condemnation (7 parcels).

The right-of-way width is assumed to be 200 ft. This width is based on the widest ROW needed for 500 kV and does not account for structure configuration or span lengths. Widths needed can vary upon final design.

This new line will be constructed on single circuit 500 kV tubular steel monopole structures with an average span length of 1200 ft. - The new structures will utilize custom 500 kV V-string and double I-string suspension and dead-end insulator assemblies. - New single circuit structures will have an average height of 150 ft.

This new 500 kV Line will provide an additional and much shorter electrical path between Meadow Brook and Doubs linking the Black Oak-Bedington corridor with the 'AP South' corridor. - Greenfield construction is assumed due to outage constraints, but existing rights-of-way and corridors to rebuild lower voltage lines will be considered where applicable.

Black Oak - Doubs Greenfield 500kV Transmission Line

The project starts at Black Oak and heads east, paralleling the existing Black Oak - Bedington corridor, for ~6 miles. The line continues east for approximately 10 miles but strays away from the existing corridor due to infrastructure build up that has occurred around the corridor in this area. The line then heads southeast where it parallels the existing Hampshire to Ridgeley 138kV corridor for
approximately 16 miles. At this point the rebuild of the existing Hampshire to Stonewall 138kV line begins. The line will be upgraded to 500/138kV double circuit. The route follows this corridor until it meets up with the Stonewall Substation. At this point the route follows the existing Stonewall to Millville 138kV line. This line will be rebuilt to 500/138kV for its entire length. After the Millville substation the route follows the Millville to Doubs 138kV transmission line. This line is rebuilt to 500/138kV until a few spans outside of the Doubs substation. The 500kV circuit diverges from the 138kV centerline and connects into the 500kV Doubs substation. 

Most high-voltage transmission projects will
require a state siting approval. To begin the siting approval process, Proposer plans to hold
pre-application meetings with the regulatory agency to introduce Proposer and the Project, as well as confirm its understanding of the process. Shortly thereafter, Proposer will simultaneously begin collecting siting data and start its outreach efforts so that public siting input is incorporated at the earliest stages of the Project. Once the Proposer identifies a preferred site/route and at least one viable alternative site/route, Proposer will carry out environmental and detailed engineering work in order to establish a highly- detailed Project plan to support the siting applications.

The project will feature a right of way width of 175 feet for the green field portion of the project. The ROW will parallel existing corridor for the first ~31 miles (the greenfield portion). For the rebuild portion, the transmission line should fit in the existing corridor, however the transmission operator may decide to expand the right-of-way.

The proposed line will cross over the Black Oak to Bedington 500kV transmission line., The proposed line will cross over the Black Oak to Junction 138kV transmission line in two locations., The proposed line will cross over the Double Tollgate to Millville 138kV transmission line., The proposed line will cross over the Hampshire to Ridgeley 138kV transmission line in three locations., The proposed line will cross over the Mt Storm to Doubs 500kV transmission line in three locations.

The preliminary design for the single circuit transmission line utilizes tubular steel monopole structures with davit arms and v-string insulators in a delta configuration. The 500kV transmission line will utilize triangular spaced triple-bundle 1272 kcmil "Bittern" ACSS/TW MA3 conductor and two optical groundwires. The preliminary design for the double circuit 500/138kV transmission line utilizes tubular steel monopole structures with davit arms and v-string insulators in a delta configuration for the 500kV circuit and davit arms and I-string insulators in a horizontal configuration for the 138kV circuit. The 500kV transmission line will utilize triangular spaced triple-bundle 1272
kcmil "Bittern" ACSS/TW MA3 conductor and the 138kV transmission line will utilize a single 1272 kcmil "Bittern" ACSS/TW MA3. The structure will contain two optical groundwires.

45F1 - New Bartholow Substation - 12 terminal

AC Air Insulated Substation (AIS): New proposed 500 - 230 kV Substation. New Breaker and a Half (BAAH) 500 kV switchyard with three (3) bays, six (6) line terminals, twelve (12) 500kV, 5000A, 63kAIC Breakers, two (2) shunt 150 MVAR capacitor banks, one (1) -300 to +500 MVAR Static VAR Compensator (SVC), two (2) 500 - 230 kV transformer banks. New BAAH 230 kV switchyard with three (3) bays, six (6) line terminals, eleven (11) 230 kV, 5000A, 80 kAIC breakers.


Environmental constraints identified are manageable through implementation of an environmental avoidance, minimization, and mitigation strategy incorporated at the beginning of the routing/siting process. Co-location with existing utilities and other infrastructure was prioritized to the greatest extent practicable to minimize the environmental impact on the landscape. The proposed site crosses no national wetland inventory (NWI) wetlands or waterbodies. Fatal flaws have not been identified for proposed site. A cultural resource professional assisted with the siting process to identify and minimize impacts to known areas with historic sensitivities. An investigation to further identify and evaluate historic properties will be conducted to determine the presence of archaeologically or historically significant resources. Federally listed species have been identified with potential to occur in the area including listed bats, but no critical habitat was identified in the area of the substation site. If suitable habitat is identified or regulations change, agency coordination and species-specific surveys will occur. The project intends to adhere to tree removal seasonal restriction windows to avoid and minimize impacts to protected birds and bats, such as the northern long-eared bat, bald eagle, and other common raptors. Erosion control best management practices and setbacks will be engineered and utilized to prevent sedimentation from leaving the site for the protection of aquatic species and to avoid water quality impacts. There are no unique or sensitive environmental concerns or impacts with the proposed substation site that cannot be addressed.



The Company is committed to working with all interested stakeholders through a robust public outreach program to address/respond to community concerns and inform the public about the project to the greatest extent practicable. The Company believes a well-designed public outreach program can have numerous benefits, including fostering a cooperative relationship with landowners and other stakeholders, expediting the regulatory permitting process, and assisting with project development. In general, the purpose of the community outreach plan is to gain community support for the project. In the affected communities, the Company’s public outreach plan will educate the public and relevant stakeholders on specific project details to enable timely regulatory approvals and construction activities. Elements of the public outreach plan will include the following: 1) Identify potential issues at an early stage by engagement with key community stakeholders at the outset; 2) Broaden the community engagement process to identify potential and relevant community benefits that can facilitate community support for the proposed project; 3) Develop a broad base of community support for the proposed project before the regulatory agencies; and 4) Develop a comprehensive administrative record documenting the community outreach process that can be presented to the regulatory agency or, in the event of a legal challenge, to the appropriate court. The outreach plan proposes to dedicate considerable time and resources in engaging the community, and specifically the affected community during the planning process to identify highly sensitive areas that have the least amount of cultural, environmental, and social impacts on the community. The plans will reflect avoidance of impacts rather than mitigation. However, in some cases, if avoidance is not possible, then the Company will involve the community in providing appropriate and practical mitigation measures. The Company will commence its public outreach activities following project award.

40AB1 - New two single circuit 230kV transmission lines from new Bartholow substation to new Grisham substation

General route description
The route is approximately 35 miles long. The component is two single circuit 230kV transmission lines to satisfy contingency requirements with utilizing a shared tower, however the towers can be designed in such a way that they are staggered and offset as to utilize the same ROW width as a double circuit 230kV transmission line. This provides the reliability of two single circuits and the permitting and constructability requirements similar to a single double circuit tower installation. Starting at a new dead-end structure at the new Bartholow substation, the route follows the existing Doubs - Brighton 500kV transmission ROW west - southwest for almost 8 miles, expanding the existing ROW. Minor adjustments may be needed for reducing impacts to buildings and residences. The route turns south where Bennet Creek intersects with the existing Doubs - Brighton 500kV transmission ROW and then routes on the eastern side of Sugarloaf Mountain for about 12 miles before then co-locating with the existing Doubs - Goose Creek 500KV transmission ROW. The route follows the existing transmission ROW on the eastern side, expanding the existing ROW, with slight deviation at the Leesburg Water Treatment Plant to avoid impact to operations at the facility. The route shifts underground on the north side of the Potomac River at the Leesburg Water Treatment Plant to reduce viewshed issues with crossing the river and spatial constraints on the south side of the river. The lines remain underground along the Doubs - Goose Creek 500kV ROW corridor until returning to overhead construction around the southeast corner of Crosstrail Blvd and Harry Byrd Hwy. The lines follow the Harry Byrd Hwy until turning south on the east side of Loudoun County Pkwy. The lines shift to the west side of Loudoun County Pkwy near the intersection with the Washington and Old Dominion trail to avoid conflicts with the 1757 Golf Club. The lines then share a common double circuit transmission tower for remaining duration of the route as it is less than 1 mile and is advantageous to utilize a double circuit tower for cost effectiveness.

The Project is located in the valley south of the Potomac River in Loudon County, traversing north through Montgomery and Frederick Counties in Maryland. A former agricultural region, Loudon County is now densely developed with commercial buildings and planned residential communities within commuting distance to Washington, D.C. Some industrial facilities are located to the south of the project area. Slopes are gentle, approximately 4%. The project terminates on the north side of the Potomac River in Frederick, Maryland where the topography is generally rolling. Elevations range from a low of near sea level along the Potomac River to about 875 feet. The river valley’s topography includes little steep terrain, but some steep gradients do exist adjacent to the river. These land elevations and the degree of slope have influenced land use in the watershed. The region’s relatively flat topography has made it easily accessible for development and agriculture in some areas next to the river and its tributaries.
The new right of way will have its own corridor for approximately 60% of the route length. The right of way will be an expansion of an existing transmission line corridor for approximately 35% of the route length. The right of way width will be 60 feet and it will accommodate 2-230kV lines. Approximately 5% of the route will be underground in narrower and congested areas where overhead construction was considered not feasible. Where underground transmission line segments are not sited by permits issued by the Authority Having Jurisdiction, a 40 ft wide right of way would be required for construction.

The proposed structures for each of the two proposed lines will be single circuit 230kV steel monopoles (TVVS-230) in a vertical conductor configuration. Any proposed dead-end structure will be a steel monopole. The portion of the route proposed to be underground will utilize duct bank construction with 3-cables per phase and splicing vaults at regular intervals.

43e - New 230kV transmission line from new Bartholow substation to existing Mt. Airy substation

The route is approximately 5 miles long. Starting a new deadend structure at the new Bartholow substation, the line routes northeast along the northside of the existing Conastone to Brighton 500kV transmission ROW. The line follows the existing ROW for about 4.25 miles before turning north, routing to the Mt Airy substation and then terminating at the substation.

The project is located in the Piedmont Upland portion of Maryland’s Frederick County. The Frederick Valley, through which the Monocacy flows, is nestled between the Catoctin Mountains to the west, and the lower Parrs Ridge to the east. The river valley’s topography includes little steep terrain, but some steep gradients do exist adjacent to the river. These land elevations and the degree of slope have influenced land use in the watershed. This section is underlain by metamorphic, igneous, and sedimentary materials, related to volcanic activity that occurred in Precambrian time. The region is comprised of rolling upland with herringbone texture and underlain with siltstones and quartzites.

The new right of way will be an expansion of an existing transmission line corridor for approximately 90% of the route length. The right of way will have its own corridor for approximately 10% of the route length. For approximately 1 mile, the right of way width will be 45 ft, for approximately 3.3 miles, the right of way will be 60 ft and will accommodate a portion of component 47ad within it. For approximately 0.5 miles the right of way will be 40 ft wide.
The majority, approximately 80% of the proposed structures will be single circuit 230kV steel monopoles (TVVS-230) in a vertical conductor configuration. Approximately 20% of the structures will be double circuit 230kV steel monopoles (TVVS-230DC) in a vertical conductor configuration. Any proposed dead-end structure will be a steel monopole.

47abc - New 500kV transmission line from new Goram substation to new Bartholow substation

The route is approximately 61 miles long. Starting a new dead end structure at the new Bartholow substation, the line routes northeast along the north side of the existing Brighton to Conastone 500kV transmission ROW. The line follows the existing ROW for about 49 miles and then turns north where the Otter Creek to Conastone 230kV transmission ROW coincides with the Conastone to Brighton 500kV transmission ROW. The line then follows along the west side of the Conastone to Otter Creek 230kV transmission ROW until it reaches the new Goram substation where it terminates.

The project is located in Maryland’s Frederick, Carroll and Baltimroe counties east of the Monocacy River. The Frederick Valley, through which the Monocacy flows, is nestled between the Catoctin Mountains to the west, and the lower Parrs Ridge to the east. The river valley’s topography includes little steep terrain, but some steep gradients do exist adjacent to the river. These land elevations and the degree of slope have influenced land use in the watershed. The region’s relatively flat topography has made it easily accessible for development and agriculture in some areas next to the river and its tributaries. The project continues north into the Piedmone Upland area of York County, Pennsylvania, characterized by rolling hills and valleys, generally with gentle to moderately steep slopes. However, steeper slopes with narrow valley bottoms dominate near the Susquehanna River. Many higher ridges are underlain by more resistant bedrock such as quartzite. This Section was formed by fluvial erosion and some peri-glacial wasting and averages about 600-700 feet in elevation. The drainage pattern of the area is considered to be dendritic. Slopes in the range of 0-8% are common throughout York County.

The proposed structures will be single circuit 500kV steel monopoles (TVVS-500) in a vertical delta configuration. Any proposed deadend structure will either be a 3-pole, one phase per pole configuration.

For the first time in recent history, PJM could face decreasing reserve margins should these trends – high load growth, increasing rates of generator retirements, and slower entry of new resources – continue. The amount of generation retirements appears to be more certain than the timely arrival of replacement generation resources, given that the quantity of retirements is codified in various policy objectives, while the impacts to the pace of new entry of the Inflation Reduction Act, post-pandemic supply chain issues, and other externalities are still not fully understood.

Maintaining an adequate level of generation resources, with the right operational and physical characteristics, is essential for PJM’s ability to serve electrical demand through the energy transition.
Our research highlights four trends below that we believe, in combination, present increasing reliability risks during the transition, due to a potential timing mismatch between resource retirements, load growth and the pace of new generation entry under a possible “low new entry” scenario:

The growth rate of electricity demand is likely to continue to increase from electrification coupled with the proliferation of high-demand data centers in the region.

Thermal generators are retiring at a rapid pace due to government and private sector policies as well as economics.

Retirements are at risk of outpacing the construction of new resources, due to a combination of industry forces, including siting and supply chain, whose long-term impacts are not fully known.

PJM’s interconnection queue is composed primarily of intermittent and limited-duration resources. Given the operating characteristics of these resources, we need multiple megawatts of these resources to replace 1 MW of thermal generation.

New Jersey officials hope to engage in “horse trading” with other PJM states over the cost allocation of transmission needed to meet their climate goals, a key state regulator said last week.

“The other clean energy states and PJM are looking at billions of dollars of transmission upgrades if we do it the way we’re doing it now, when we can meet all the needs of the entire PJM region at approximately the same price,” he said. “So there’s a lot of room for horse trading, if we can get the parties to the table.”

The SAA leaves New Jersey “almost in a hostage situation at the moment,” Silverman said. “The transmission projects that we are planning benefit many states in PJM; they will see lower production costs as a result of these upgrades. But because of the way the system works, we are solely responsible for the cost. That needs to change.”