A 37-mile transmission upgrade won approval from Maryland regulators. The project is meant to improve grid reliability and set up the retirement of the state's last operating coal plant.
As The Baltimore Banner reported, the ruling advanced a long-delayed effort and pointed to a larger issue of how outdated electrical supplies will meet excess demand.
What happened?
The Maryland Public Service Commission on Friday gave final approval to the Brandon Shores transmission project by leaving in place an earlier decision from a utility law judge.
The outlet reported the route would connect the Brandon Shores coal plant in northern Anne Arundel County with the Pennsylvania line, allowing power from outside the state to flow into Maryland.
PJM Interconnection chose Baltimore Gas and Electric for the project in 2023, and BGE submitted its application to the commission in March 2024. The company is targeting a December 2028 completion date.
The Banner reported that BGE estimates the transmission lines themselves will cost $350 million. Once substation upgrades, rebuilt lines, and additional circuits are included, the total project will cost $1.1 billion to $1.5 billion because of years of delay and shifting economic conditions.
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Why does it matter?
The decision is significant because of what it means for Brandon Shores, Maryland's last operating coal plant.
According to the Banner, the plant's owner had planned to close it in 2025, but PJM Interconnection asked twice for more time as power demand increased.
This week, federal regulators approved the newest extension, keeping the plant online through 2031, the publication reported. In more recent filings, PJM has indicated that delayed infrastructure work and changing electricity demand could make the plant necessary even beyond that point.
The grid has been under pressure from data centers and other new demand as major Maryland generators have retired, the Banner noted. PJM has warned that if the needed upgrades are not completed in time, the area could face outages and voltage drops.
A March filing from the PSC's utility law judge projected an average increase of $2 to $4 in BGE customers' monthly bills, according to the outlet. Consumer advocates have already objected to the cost.
What's being done?
The focus is on moving the transmission buildout forward so replacement electricity can reach Maryland more reliably. The Banner reported that the route would follow existing rights of way, avoiding the forest and farmland clearing associated with another proposed line.
BGE said the commission's approval gave the company the certainty it needed for the next construction phase but indicated it might be a Band-Aid on a looming problem.
The utility is still working toward its 2028 completion goal while larger questions about in-state power supply remain unresolved, as BGE President Tamla Olivier said in a statement.
"While this approval provides clarity on the immediate steps needed to maintain reliable service for our customers, the continued loss of in-state generation makes it even more important … to work together on sustainable, long-term energy solutions for Maryland," Olivier said, per the Banner.
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