Here we go again!
As if all the new transmission that came out of PJM's 2022 Window 3 isn't enough already, guess what? PJM miscalculated.
That's right... the data center load in Northern Virginia is much bigger than PJM thought when it planned and selected a bunch of new transmission projects last year.
Here's PJM's latest plan.
PJM shared at its TEAC meeting last week that it was going to open a new window for transmission to import an additional 4,500MW of generation to "data center alley." This time, the generation is supposed to come from wind, solar, and storage in Illinois. Illinois, people! Numerous new transmission lines from the Midwest to Loudoun County, Virginia. That's 700 miles of new transmission!
How is it supposed to get there? PJM burned up all its existing transmission corridors last time by using up the Doubs-Goose Creek corridor to save the Sacred Cows. There won't be any new transmission going through Doubs this time around. There also won't be any new transmission coming from the east. Seems Pennsylvania is tapped out for exports this time around.
PJM claims:
As if all the new transmission that came out of PJM's 2022 Window 3 isn't enough already, guess what? PJM miscalculated.
That's right... the data center load in Northern Virginia is much bigger than PJM thought when it planned and selected a bunch of new transmission projects last year.
Here's PJM's latest plan.
PJM shared at its TEAC meeting last week that it was going to open a new window for transmission to import an additional 4,500MW of generation to "data center alley." This time, the generation is supposed to come from wind, solar, and storage in Illinois. Illinois, people! Numerous new transmission lines from the Midwest to Loudoun County, Virginia. That's 700 miles of new transmission!
How is it supposed to get there? PJM burned up all its existing transmission corridors last time by using up the Doubs-Goose Creek corridor to save the Sacred Cows. There won't be any new transmission going through Doubs this time around. There also won't be any new transmission coming from the east. Seems Pennsylvania is tapped out for exports this time around.
PJM claims:
Most of the additional generation required to meet load growth 2028 vs 2029 is sourced from PJM West.
That's going to look like this:
PJM is targeting new project approvals for this window at the end of this year so that transmission owners can get started failing at building them next year.
Sometimes, I get up in the morning and wonder if PJM is just punking us all by pretending that all this new transmission can actually get built. When project after project fails, the data centers causing this problem are going to leave for more powerful pastures elsewhere, and then PJM can shrug and say, "Well, we tried!"
It's time to start participating in TEAC meetings again. I'm sure they've missed all of us these past couple months... see ya there!
Sometimes, I get up in the morning and wonder if PJM is just punking us all by pretending that all this new transmission can actually get built. When project after project fails, the data centers causing this problem are going to leave for more powerful pastures elsewhere, and then PJM can shrug and say, "Well, we tried!"
It's time to start participating in TEAC meetings again. I'm sure they've missed all of us these past couple months... see ya there!
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