PJM Releases List Of 51 Fast Tracked Power Projects To Provide 9.3 GW Of Power-- 7 In PA With Power Potential Of 1.2 GW

On May 7, the PJM Interconnection released the list of 51 power projects it has selected to bring online quickly to provide more than 9,300 MW of reliable capacity through the Reliability Resource Initiative.

PJM choose 22 projects generating 5,095 MW in Virginia; 9 projects generating 3,363 MW in Ohio; 7 projects generating 1,201 MW in Pennsylvania; 5 projects generating 550 MW in New Jersey; 4 projects in Illinois generating 398 MW; 2 projects in Maryland generating 554 MW; 1 project in Kentucky generating 786 MW and 1 project in West Virginia.

The projects consist of 39 uprates and 12 new construction proposals.

The uprates apply to existing natural gas (1.978 GW), nuclear (496 MWe), coal and onshore wind resources. 

Of the new projects, half are gas (6.143 GW), five are batteries (2.275 GW) and one is nuclear (887MWe). 

The uprates total 2,108 MW of unforced capacity (UCAP), or the amount of energy a resource can be expected to provide during times of highest system reliability risk. 

The new projects would contribute 7,253 MW of UCAP, for a combined total of 9,361 MW.

Most of the projects, or 90%, are expected to be online by 2030. All are projected to be online by 2031. 

PA Projects

The projects PJM selected in Pennsylvania are--

Bradford County

-- East Towanda - Penelec - Uprate Natural Gas - 60 MW - 2026 in service

Clearfield County

-- Madera-Westover South - Penelec - Uprated Wind - 20 MW - 2026 in service

Dauphin County

-- Three Mile Island - New Nuclear - 803 MW - 2027 in service. [Three Mile Island data center project]

Indiana County

-- South Bend - APS - Uprate Natural Gas - 268.6 MW - 2030 in service

Lackawanna County

-- Lackawanna - PPL - Uprate Natural Gas - 78.6 MW - 2028 in service.

Lycoming County

-- Saegers - PPL - Uprate Natural Gas - 30 MW - 2026 in service

Snyder County

-- Sunbury #1 - PPL - Uprate Natural Gas - 32.4 MW - 2027 in service

Projects Not Selected In PA

PJM did not selected these 6 projects in Pennsylvania that would have generated 7.1 GW of power from natural gas--

-- Adams County - ME - Uprated Natural Gas - 20 MW

-- Beaver County - ATSI - New Natural Gas - 1650 MW

-- Columbia County - PPL - New Natural Gas - 2070 MW

-- Columbia county - PPL - New Natural Gas - 1380 MW

-- Columbia County - PPL - New Natural Gas - 1380 MW

-- Luzerne County - PPL - New Natural Gas - 637.8 MW

Click Here for a copy of the 51 projects and other background on the process.

PJM is urging states to work with developers to help get generation constructed once it has cleared PJM’s study process.

PJM Interconnection ensures the reliability of the high-voltage electric power system serving 67 million people in all or parts of Delaware, Illinois, Indiana, Kentucky, Maryland, Michigan, New Jersey, North Carolina, Ohio, Pennsylvania, Tennessee, Virginia, West Virginia and the District of Columbia. 

Resource Links:

-- PJM Interconnection: 51 Generation Projects, 9.3 GW To Move Forward To Address Near-Term Electricity Demand Growth-- 39 Upgrades, 12 New Construction  [PaEN] 

-- PUC Hearing On Data Center Growth Impacts Finds 30-40% Of Utility Demand Could Be From Data Centers; Concerns About Stranded Costs; Major Commitments To Net-Zero Carbon Emissions Energy Use

-- PUC House Budget Hearing: We Aren’t Going To Build Our Way Out Of Electric Generation Shortfalls On PJM Grid; We Need To Diversify Our Generation Sources   [PaEN]

-- PUC Invites Stakeholder Comments On The Issue Of The Adequacy Of Electricity Supplies In Pennsylvania  [Background On Issue]  [PaEN]

-- 30 Stakeholder Comments Received By PUC On Adequacy Of Electricity Supplies In Pennsylvania; Increasing Natural Gas Power Plant Reliability To 90-95% Would Mean No Imminent Capacity Problem  [PaEN]

-- Gov. Shapiro Launches Legislative Push for 'Lightning Plan’ To Build More Energy Projects, Speed Up Permitting, Lower Costs, Create Jobs For Pennsylvanians [PaEN]

-- Pennsylvania’s Electric Grid Is Dependent On One Fuel To Generate 59% Of Our Electricity; Market Moving To Renewables + Storage  [PaEN]

-- Gov. Shapiro Reaches Agreement With PJM To Prevent Unnecessary Price Hikes And Save Consumers Over $21 Billion On Utility Bills [PaEN]

-- PA Senate Republican Leader: ‘Every Consumer Of Electricity In This Commonwealth Is Going To Pay More;’ ‘What You’re Going To Face Is Going To Be Really Unpleasant’  [PaEN]

-- PJM Electricity Auction Price 9 Times Higher Than Previous Auction-- $269.92/MW-Day For 2025/26 Delivery Compared To $28.92/MW-Day In 2024-25; Extreme Weather Risk Big Factor  [PaEN]

Related Articles This Week - Energy:

-- PA Senate Committees To Hold May 12 Hearing On PJM Grid Reliability Initiative, Electric Generation Markets Update  [PaEN] 

-- PA Senate Republicans Vote To Punish Communities Taking Steps To Protect Their Residents From Health, Environmental Impacts Of Shale Gas Drilling  [PaEN]

-- Environmental Health Project: 34 Organizations Sign Letter Urging Pennsylvania To Adopt Measures To Better Protect Public Health, Environment From The Impacts Of Shale Gas Drilling  [PaEN] 

-- New Report: Shale Gas Industry Expected To Drill 8,400 More Wells In PA; 171 Shale Wells Abandoned So Far; Shale Well Plugging Expected To Cost Up To $8.5 Billion  [PaEN]

-- Evangelical Environmental Network Celebrates House Passage Of Community Solar Energy Legislation In PA  [PaEN] 

-- PJM Releases List Of 51 Fast Tracked Power Projects To Provide 9.3 GW Of Power-- 7 In PA With Power Potential Of 1.2 GW  [PaEN]

-- PPL Residential Electric Price To Compare To Increase To 12.491 Cents/kWh On June 1, Up From 10.771 Cents-- 15.9%   [PaEN] 

-- House Energy Committee Hears Testimony On How PA Has Enough Geothermal Energy To Meet 100% Of Pennsylvania’s Electricity, Heating Energy Needs  [PaEN]

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NewsClips:

-- Capital & Main - Audrey Carleton: Solar Grants Being Held Hostage In PA Legislature As Demand Soars

-- Sen. Yaw Senate Bill 349 To Encourage Responsible Solar Development, Protect Landowners Approved By Senate 49 to 1 [Sen. Laughlin (R-Erie) Voted No]

-- PennEnvironment: Delaware County Officials Hold May 10 Expo Promoting Renewable Energy, Environmental Protection

-- The Allegheny Front: President’s 2-Year Exemption From Hazardous Air Pollutant Regs Gives Coal Plants ‘A Free Pass To Pollute’

-- Group Against Smog & Pollution: Allegheny Health Dept. Imposes $238,675 Penalty Against US Steel For 2023 Air Pollution Violations At Clairton Coke [Coal] Works

-- Group Against Smog & Pollution: Companies Requesting Exemptions From Hazardous Air Pollution Standards In Western PA, Including Clairton Coke [Coal] Works 

-- Pittsburgh Business Times: US Steel Requests 2 Year Exemption From Hazardous Air Pollution Limits At Clairton Coke [Coal] Works 

-- PublicSource.org: $10 Billion Natural Gas Power Plant Would Transform Homer City, Indiana County, But Into What?

-- Reuters: Constellation Energy Refocusing On Grid-Connected A.I. Data Centers, Moving Away From Data Centers Connected Directly To Power Plants

-- Washington & Jefferson Center For Energy Policy & Management: Report: PJM Grid Operator At Inflection Point, Reform Needed To Reduce Energy Costs, Increase Clean Energy Resources

-- Utility Dive: PJM, Others Urge FERC To Dismiss Ratepayer Advocates’ Capacity Auction Complaint

-- Utility Dive: PJM Fast-Tracks 11.8 GW, Mainly Gas Power Projects To Bolster Grid Supplies

-- WHYY: Philadelphia Gas Works Customers Tell Regulators To Reject Potential Rate Hike, Plan Better For Climate Impacts

-- WHYY: No A/C, Fans Through LIHEAP In PA This Summer Due To Federal Funding Cuts

-- Post-Gazette: Residents Struggle With No Power, Spoiled Food, Growing Frustration A Week After Deadly Storm

-- KDKA: Rep. Steele Wants House Hearing On Impact Of Storm Power Outages, How To Prevent Problems In The Future

-- DEP: Power When It Matters Most: How Microgrids Are Making Pennsylvania More Resilient  [PDF of Article] 

-- Scranton Times: Throop Boro Approves Landfill Gas Plant Expansion At Keystone Landfill

-- Reuters: Coterra Energy Reports Higher Profits, To Reduce Capital Spending By $100 Million Due To Macroeconomic Uncertainty 

-- Financial Times: Sunoco Strikes $9 Billion Deal To Buy Canadian Rival Parkland To Form North American Fuel Distributor Giant

-- Reuters: Exclusive: US, Russia Explore Ways To Restore Russian Natural Gas Flows To Europe, Sources Say

-- Reuters: Global Shipments Of Energy Products Slowing With Global Economy ‘Stunned’ By President’s Tariffs  

-- Financial Times: US Oil Output Has Peaked Amid Price Fall, Top Shale Producer Warns

[Posted: May 7, 2025]  PA Environment Digest