Maryland Regulators Approve BGE Grid Reliability Upgrades
Maryland regulators have approved BGE’s transmission upgrade project, aimed at maintaining grid reliability following the planned retirement of two major power plants.
The project, directed by PJM Interconnection in 2023, follows plans to retire Talen Energy’s Brandon Shores and H.A. Wagner generating stations. PJM determined that upgrades were needed to prevent potential reliability violations affecting customers in Maryland and the wider Mid-Atlantic region.
The work, targeted for completion in December 2028, will include two new substations, three substation expansions or rebuilds, eight miles of transmission line upgrades and 29 miles of new transmission circuits. The upgrades will largely use existing transmission corridors.
The project will also enable the permanent removal of nearly 2,000 MW of coal-fired generation from Maryland’s energy mix.
Tamla Olivier, BGE’s president and CEO, said the approval provides clarity on the immediate measures needed to maintain reliable service, while noting the need for longer-term energy solutions as in-state generation declines.
BGE’s sister utilities PECO and Pepco have also been directed by PJM to undertake transmission upgrades related to power plant retirements.
Source: dailyenergyinsider.com
