Regulators hold hearing on PATH line


NFPA 70E Training - 2027 Edition

Our customized live online or in‑person group training can be delivered to your staff at your location.

  • Live Online
  • 6 hours Instructor-led
  • Group Training Available
Regular Price:
$199
Coupon Price:
$149
Reserve Your Seat Today

PATH transmission line would add a 275-mile, 765-kV interstate corridor from West Virginia through northern Virginia to Maryland, boosting PJM grid reliability amid rising East Coast demand, AEP and Allegheny Energy say.

 

The Situation Explained

A 275-mile, 765-kV AEP/Allegheny project to ease PJM overloads by linking WV, VA and MD, improving grid reliability.

  • 275-mile, 765-kV line from WV through VA to MD
  • Aims to prevent PJM overloads, blackouts, brownouts by 2015
  • AEP and Allegheny Energy seek case extension to update demand

 

Developers of a proposed multi-state power transmission line are asking Virginia regulators to delay the review schedule for the line aimed at meeting the region's growing demand for energy.

 

American Electric Power and Allegheny Energy asked the State Corporation Commission to extend proceedings on its request for the Virginia segment of the $2.1 billion Potomac-Appalachian Transmission Highline, or PATH. Regulators indicated they plan to rule on the delay request in the case soon.

The proposed 275-mile, 765-kilovolt power line would run from AEP's John Amos plant in West Virginia, much like another 550-mile proposal announced in the region, 31 miles across three counties in northern Virginia, to a substation near Kemptown, Maryland.

The companies want to update the application, after previously pulling a Virginia filing in a related case, with new projections on increased energy demands along the East Coast by 2015 that were released in late December.

They have argued that the power line is needed to feed the Northeast's growing need for energy. The analyses found that PATH continues to be the best fix for overloading that's expected to start in 2015, the companies said.

PJM Interconnection, the transmission authority that manages the grid system for a 13-state region, said overloads and other issues could trigger blackouts and brownouts in the region by mid-2015 if the line is not built.

However, opponents of the line have argued that electrical demand projections are inaccurate and that, as some regulators urged dismissal of the PATH project, the line would only serve to continue the use of coal for electrical generation.

Similar requests are pending in West Virginia and Maryland as well.

 

Related News

Related News

Britain's National Grid Drops China-Based Supplier Over Cybersecurity Fears

National Grid Cybersecurity Component Removal signals NCSC and GCHQ oversight of critical infrastructure, replacing NR…
View more

Electricity blackouts spark protests in Iranian cities

Iran Power Outage Protests surge as electricity blackouts, drought, and a looming heat wave spark…
View more

Power Outage Disrupts Travel at BWI Airport

BWI Power Outage caused flight delays, cancellations, and diversions after a downed power line near…
View more

The Haves and Have-Nots of Electricity in California

California Public Safety Power Shutoffs highlight wildfire prevention as PG&E outages disrupt schools, businesses, and…
View more

Clean, affordable electricity should be an issue in the Ontario election

Ontario Electricity Supply Gap threatens growth as demand from EVs, heat pumps, industry, and greenhouses…
View more

California Gets $500M to Upgrade Power Grid

California Grid Modernization Funding will upgrade transmission and distribution, boost grid resilience, enable renewable energy…
View more

Sign Up for Electricity Forum’s Newsletter

Stay informed with our FREE Newsletter — get the latest news, breakthrough technologies, and expert insights, delivered straight to your inbox.

Electricity Today T&D Magazine Subscribe for FREE

Stay informed with the latest T&D policies and technologies.
  • Timely insights from industry experts
  • Practical solutions T&D engineers
  • Free access to every issue

Live Online & In-person Group Training

Advantages To Instructor-Led Training – Instructor-Led Course, Customized Training, Multiple Locations, Economical, CEU Credits, Course Discounts.

Request For Quotation

Whether you would prefer Live Online or In-Person instruction, our electrical training courses can be tailored to meet your company's specific requirements and delivered to your employees in one location or at various locations.