PJM endorses plan to break its interconnection logjam

PJM Interconnection members have voted to endorse plans to speed up generation interconnection requests, improve project cost certainty and improve the process by which new and upgraded generation resources are introduced onto the electrical grid in 13 states and the District of Columbia.

The members committee voted April 27 in favour of the process and transition plan that could go into effect in the last quarter of 2022, or the first quarter of 2023.

The proposals resulted from work over the past year by PJM and stakeholders, including renewable resource developers, transmission owners, state and consumer interests and others.

PJM announced plans to file the proposal with the Federal Energy Regulatory Commission in May.

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The grid operator said that as a result of the rapid growth in renewable generation development, the number of projects entering the New Services Queue has nearly tripled over the past four years.

PJM entered 2022 with nearly 2,500 projects under study, more than 95% of approximately 225,000 proposed megawatts coming from renewable or storage resources, or hybrids of those two. PJM said it studies more projects for interconnection annually than any other grid operator.

The proposal includes a two-year transition to work through the current backlog by prioritising more than 1,200 projects submitted before 2021. The transition would include a “fast lane,” which would prioritise about 450 projects.

Other aspects of the proposed process include:

• Projects would be addressed on a first-ready, first-served basis rather than first come, first served. Improvements to procedures around required permitting and site control will help reduce the current backlog of projects in the queue that may hold up other queued projects.
• PJM would simplify its analysis of the cost responsibility of individual projects by clustering projects within the same cycle. In addition, improvements have been proposed to reduce the number of restudies for project changes.
• Projects that don’t contribute to the need for network upgrades, or don’t need facilities studies, would be able to proceed to a final agreement early.
• The proposal was first endorsed by the markets and reliability committee by a sector-weighted vote of 4.37 out of 5.0 (87% equivalent), and then by 4.52 out of 5.0 (90% equivalent) in the members committee.

PJM coordinates and directs the operation of the region’s transmission grid, which includes over 85,103 miles of transmission lines; administers a competitive wholesale electricity market; and plans regional transmission expansion improvements to maintain grid reliability and relieve congestion.

A proposal overview can be accessed online.

This article was originally published on Power Grid.