PJM Greenlights $11.8bn Transmission Expansion as Data Center Growth Surges

 US’ largest grid operator, PJM Interconnection, has approved an $11.8 billion transmission expansion plan to keep up with surging data center connection requests across its footprint. The Regional Transmission Operator (RTO) serves all or parts of 15 states across the East Coast and South of the US.

 PJM said the upgrades are necessary to preserve grid reliability as electricity demand accelerates across its Mid-Atlantic and Midwest regions. Beyond rising load growth, the plan also accounts for new generation in southern Virginia, anticipated generation in western PJM, delays to offshore wind projects in New Jersey, and growing eastward power flows toward Northern Virginia’s data center hub. 

 A key element of the expansion is Dominion Energy Virginia’s proposed $2.3 billion, 525kV underground “backbone” transmission line stretching 185 miles (297km) across the state. Scheduled to enter service by June 2032, the project also includes two HVDC converter stations with an estimated cost of $1.5 billion.