FirstEnergy Corp., Dominion Energy Virginia, and American Electric Power have entered into a joint planning agreement to propose new regional electric transmission projects across the PJM footprint. This collaboration aims to address the growing power demand in the region through PJM's competitive planning process.
The initiative comes as the Federal Energy Regulatory Commission encourages efficient and cost-effective regional transmission development. The PJM region is experiencing an increase in power demand due to expanding energy-intensive industries, electrification of transportation and heating, and increased manufacturing onshoring. Additionally, the power generation mix is evolving with more renewables being added to the grid.
"Energy-intensive industries, electrification and the energy transition all rely on a robust power grid," said Mark Mroczynski, President of FirstEnergy Transmission. "By drawing upon the combined experience of three leading transmission developers, we can take proactive steps needed to build new infrastructure that will ensure our communities have the power they need for sustained health and economic growth in the future."
Ed Baine, President of Dominion Energy Virginia, stated: "This dynamic environment requires more regional collaboration to develop large-scale 'backbone' transmission infrastructure that spans across the areas served by our three companies." He emphasized that leveraging expertise from these industry leaders allows for superior solutions to resolve reliability issues across the PJM region.
Bob Bradish, Senior Vice President at AEP, highlighted their extensive experience: "AEP operates the largest transmission network in the nation and has more experience building 765-kV infrastructure than any other company in the U.S." He noted that their proposed solutions aim to provide reliable service while driving economic growth.
The companies submitted their proposals through PJM's Regional Transmission Expansion Plan Open Window process in September. Proposed projects include new 765-kV, 500-kV, and 345-kV transmission lines in Virginia, Ohio, and West Virginia. These projects are still in early development stages; if selected by PJM, a multi-year process involving route selection and environmental studies will follow.
In addition to joint proposals, each company has submitted individual proposals for other transmission projects consistent with past participation in PJM open windows.