PJM Interconnection's board of managers approved updates to PJM’s Regional Transmission Expansion Plan, which include new projects, scope and cost changes to existing projects, acceleration of two projects and the completion of many system impact studies.
PJM is responsible for delivering reliable power to 65 million people across 13 states and the District of Columbia.
New reliability projects include:
- Rebuilding approximately 20 miles of line between Bancroft and Milton 69 kV stations in the AEP transmission zone
- Rebuilding Benton Harbor-Riverside 138 kV double circuit extension (6 miles) in the AEP transmission zone
- Rebuilding the section of Miami Fort-Hebron Tap 138 kV in the Duke Energy Ohio/Kentucky (DEOK) transmission zone
- Rebuilding the Cranes Corner-Stafford 230 kV line in the Dominion transmission zone
In the DPL transmission zone, the following are scope/cost changes associated with the Indian River 4 deactivation, slated to retire on May 31, 2022:
- The Vienna-Nelson 138 kV line rebuild has undergone a cost increase because the initial estimate was based on cost-per-mile basis. The additional cost is due to factors such as the terrain that the line is built on and the continuing increase in material costs.
- The Farmview-Milford 138 kV line rebuild has undergone a cost decrease; the line has been rerated.
- The Farmview-South Harrington 138 kV line rebuild has undergone a cost decrease; the line has been rerated.
- The Steele-Milford 230 kV line rebuild has undergone a cost decrease; the line has been rerated.
- A refined cost estimate had yielded a cost increase for the disconnect switch upgrade at Kent 69 kV.
- The bus conductor and relay upgrade at North Seaford 138 kV has undergone a cost increase, reflecting a refined cost estimate.
The following project accelerations were approved, with no impact to scope or cost:
- In the APS transmission zone, the Morgan-Cherry Run 138 kV terminal equipment upgrade has been accelerated to June 2024 from December 2025 after an analysis of reliability upgrades determined that the project reduces congestion.
- In the DEOK transmission zone, the Yukon-Smithton-Shepler Hill Jct 138 kV reconductor has been accelerated. The project resolves the overload identified in the deactivation study for Zimmer 1, which has a requested deactivation date of May 31, 2022. The required in-service date for this project has been moved to June 2022 from June 2023.
PJM also is recommending the cancellation of previously identified network upgrades as a result of updates to analysis performed for project withdrawals in the New Services Queue.
PJM's analysis identifies system violations to reliability criteria and standards, determines the potential to improve the market efficiency and operational performance of the system and incorporates any public policy requirements.
PJM then develops transmission system enhancements to be integrated into a regional solution set and reviews them with stakeholders through the Transmission Expansion Advisory Committee (TEAC) before submitting its recommendation to the Board.
Throughout 2021, PJM has continued to study new service requests that are submitted into our interconnection queue. In the last 12 months, PJM has completed 678 new system impact studies and 338 service requests have withdrawn.
