Grid operator PJM has presented a proposal to permit “shovel-ready” energy projects an expedited route to interconnection to meet grid reliability needs. PJM, with a service area including Virginia and Ohio, has indicated it will provide stakeholders with a formal proposal early next month to allow for feedback, before filing it at the Federal Energy Regulatory Commission for approval in early December.
The grid operator is considering three avenues for facilitating new power generation more quickly. They include reforming the process for transferring capacity interconnection rights from deactivating power plants to other resources, altering the process for using surplus interconnection capacity, and the Reliability Resource Initiative (RRI).
Meanwhile, PJM is finalizing interconnection agreements for approximately 25GW of projects under its fast-track review and aims to complete the 26GW Transition Cycle 1 by mid-2025. The window for projects to enter the 96GW Transition Cycle 2 (TC2) closes on December 17, covering requests submitted between October 2020 and September 2021.
