PJM's Transmission Expansion Advisory Committee (TEAC) meets next week during a special meeting devoted to new proposals to solve PJM's 2024 Window 1. This may be your last opportunity to see the proposals and ask PJM questions about them. It may also be your last opportunity to make comment to PJM before they make their selection.
Do you want more transmission in Jefferson County? Window 1 is IN ADDITION TO the already ordered Window 3 project that proposes to widen the existing easement through southern Jefferson and build larger metal towers there that contain both the existing line and a new 500kV transmission line.
Do you want more transmission in Jefferson County? Window 1 is IN ADDITION TO the already ordered Window 3 project that proposes to widen the existing easement through southern Jefferson and build larger metal towers there that contain both the existing line and a new 500kV transmission line.
Window 3 is for the purpose of exporting coal-fired electricity from West Virginia to Virginia's out-of-control data center alley. It's not for us. We are simply fly over country.
Turns out Window 3 wasn't enough. Virginia's data centers have exploded because they are all racing to deploy AI, and AI uses 10 times as much power as a regular data center. Now PJM is looking for ANOTHER extension cord to power Virginia's data centers.
Here's some of the contenders...
A "new" PATH project (yes, the same project we defeated in 2011). It begins at AEP's John Amos coal-fired generation station in Putnam Co., West Virginia and crosses through 14 counties in West Virginia (Putnam, Kanawha, Roane, Calhoun, Braxton, Lewis, Upshur, Barbour, Tucker, Preston, Grant, Hardy, Hampshire and Jefferson) before ending at a new substation in Frederick County, MD. From there, it will be sent on a direct path to data center alley in Loudoun County, VA. That project looks like this in PJM's plan:
Turns out Window 3 wasn't enough. Virginia's data centers have exploded because they are all racing to deploy AI, and AI uses 10 times as much power as a regular data center. Now PJM is looking for ANOTHER extension cord to power Virginia's data centers.
Here's some of the contenders...
A "new" PATH project (yes, the same project we defeated in 2011). It begins at AEP's John Amos coal-fired generation station in Putnam Co., West Virginia and crosses through 14 counties in West Virginia (Putnam, Kanawha, Roane, Calhoun, Braxton, Lewis, Upshur, Barbour, Tucker, Preston, Grant, Hardy, Hampshire and Jefferson) before ending at a new substation in Frederick County, MD. From there, it will be sent on a direct path to data center alley in Loudoun County, VA. That project looks like this in PJM's plan:
The 765kV "new PATH" would also cross through southern Jefferson County on a new 200 foot wide easement next to the existing transmission corridor, taking another 200 feet of people's property, and in some instances their actual homes. The towers will be 175' tall metal lattice with 4 guy wires holding up each one.
Another idea PJM is entertaining is building two new 500kV transmission lines from the west that would cross Jefferson County in two places on a new parallel easement 200 ft. wide next to existing 500kV transmission lines. This proposal would widen both these corridors by another 200 ft. and would gobble up homes. One of these lines crosses the very northern portion of Jefferson in a subdivision called Leisure Acres, and the other one parallels the existing transmission corridor through southern Jefferson that has seen so many of these awful proposals over the past several years. On a map, that proposal looks like this:
Another idea PJM is entertaining is building two new 500kV transmission lines from the west that would cross Jefferson County in two places on a new parallel easement 200 ft. wide next to existing 500kV transmission lines. This proposal would widen both these corridors by another 200 ft. and would gobble up homes. One of these lines crosses the very northern portion of Jefferson in a subdivision called Leisure Acres, and the other one parallels the existing transmission corridor through southern Jefferson that has seen so many of these awful proposals over the past several years. On a map, that proposal looks like this:
Why is Jefferson County always the target for new transmission extension cords for data center alley? Because there are existing lines here already. PJM and the utilities are under the impression that if you already live near a transmission line you would be eager to have another taking even more of your property, and possibly the very roof over your head. PJM refuses to listen to the fact that expanding existing transmission corridors is more damaging to the communities than new lines that can be carefully sited to avoid homes and other development (or better yet buried on existing road and rail corridors). Another reason that Jefferson is always a target is the two linear national parks that sit on our borders. The C&O Canal follows the Potomac on the Maryland side. The Appalachian Trail roughly follows our border with Virginia. Both of these national parks should be protected from multiple infrastructure crossings, therefore the transmission companies try to simply widen existing crossings instead of creating new ones. These parks that must be crossed to get to data center alley are one reason the same people are targeted over and over again.
There are other options PJM can select that don't involve Jefferson County this time. It's up to us to convince them to look elsewhere.
So, what can you do? This is your last chance to tell PJM what you think before they make their selections! If you can, please attend PJM's TEAC meeting on Tuesday, November 19, 2024 from 1:00 - 3:00 PM. You can attend over the telephone, or (recommended) via Webex on your computer. Webex is recommended because you can view the presentation slides as they are discussed, and enter the question queue to ask a question or make a comment. The meeting is open to everyone, and everyone is welcome to make a comment or ask a question. However, you must sign up in advance to attend the meeting.
You can sign up here. Signing up requires you to create a PJM account. Many people have had difficulty getting the account created. If you experience issues, contact PJM by emailing [email protected] or calling (866) 400-8980. These folks are very helpful and will get you fixed up in a jiffy.
What if you can't attend the meeting? Please send an email to PJM and let them know what you think. Download this document for the email addresses and suggested text. If you don't tell PJM what you think, they're going to think Jefferson County doesn't care about becoming the electric transmission superhighway for Loudoun County's data centers.
There are other options PJM can select that don't involve Jefferson County this time. It's up to us to convince them to look elsewhere.
So, what can you do? This is your last chance to tell PJM what you think before they make their selections! If you can, please attend PJM's TEAC meeting on Tuesday, November 19, 2024 from 1:00 - 3:00 PM. You can attend over the telephone, or (recommended) via Webex on your computer. Webex is recommended because you can view the presentation slides as they are discussed, and enter the question queue to ask a question or make a comment. The meeting is open to everyone, and everyone is welcome to make a comment or ask a question. However, you must sign up in advance to attend the meeting.
You can sign up here. Signing up requires you to create a PJM account. Many people have had difficulty getting the account created. If you experience issues, contact PJM by emailing [email protected] or calling (866) 400-8980. These folks are very helpful and will get you fixed up in a jiffy.
What if you can't attend the meeting? Please send an email to PJM and let them know what you think. Download this document for the email addresses and suggested text. If you don't tell PJM what you think, they're going to think Jefferson County doesn't care about becoming the electric transmission superhighway for Loudoun County's data centers.
| pjm_email.pdf |
This is our LAST CHANCE to try to influence PJM's selection. You silence will be interpreted as acceptance.
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