PJM Interconnection, a regional transmission operator based in Pennsylvania, has achieved a significant milestone in its revamped interconnection process. The company announced the completion of Phase I System Impact Studies for 306 proposed generation projects within Transition Cycle #1.
Project developers now have 30 days to decide whether to proceed with their requests into the next study phase of Transition Cycle #1, scheduled to begin on June 20th, 2024. Projects within this cycle are expected to complete PJM’s study process and be ready for construction by mid-2025.
An additional 306 projects have already qualified for the Expedited Process, also known as the “fast lane.” PJM anticipates issuing Final Agreements for these projects throughout 2024.
“This is another critical milestone for PJM’s widely supported interconnection process reform,” said Aftab Khan, Executive Vice President – Operations, Planning and Security. “New service requests for generation resources are moving through our process as designed and promised, with more than 200,000 MW of projects to be studied over the next two years to help states advance their energy policy goals.”
Enhanced Transparency with New Webpage
PJM has launched a dedicated webpage to share study results and project request status. This resource provides Phase I Study results for Transition Cycle #1 projects, including an overall report for the project cluster and individual studies for each participant.
The webpage offers improved functionality compared to the legacy Service Request Status page. Projects can still be filtered by fuel type and location, but now users can access detailed project information through pop-up mini-dashboards. Additionally, the page highlights the shift from a queue-based system to the current cycle-based approach.
Legacy queue information remains available for projects submitted under the previous interconnection process.
PJM anticipates announcing the application deadline for Transition Cycle #2 on June 20th, 2024, with an expected submission deadline of December 16th. The company projects processing approximately 72,000 MW of projects by mid-2025 and a total of 230,000 MW over the next three years. Notably, over 90% of these projects involve renewable energy or storage solutions.
PJM’s interconnection process reforms, approved by the Federal Energy Regulatory Commission in November 2022, prioritize efficiency and timeliness for handling new service requests. A key change involves transitioning from a “first-come, first-served” queue to a “first-ready, first-served” cycle approach.
PJM remains committed to providing regular updates on study progress through monthly public meetings of the Interconnection Process Subcommittee.
Since the new interconnection process was implemented in July 2023, a total of 734 projects were evaluated in the initial phase. Of these projects, 118 either withdrew from the process or failed to meet the required readiness criteria by the deadline. This streamlining effort eliminates less-committed projects, freeing up PJM’s resources for serious contenders.
The remaining projects have qualified for either the Expedited Process or Transition Cycle #1.
About PJM Interconnection
PJM Interconnection, established in 1927, ensures the reliability of the high-voltage electric power system serving millions of people across a multi-state region. PJM’s core functions include:
PJM’s operations deliver significant annual savings, estimated between $3.2 billion and $4 billion. For the latest PJM news, visit PJM Inside Lines at insidelines.pjm.com.
Swanwick House, 22 Towcester Road, Old Stratford, Milton Keynes, MK19 6AQ, UK
© 2024 Project Management Global. All rights reserved | Privacy Policy
