[Baltimore Sun] FOX45: County leaders continue to demand answers about the proposed transmission line project
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Leaders in Baltimore and Carroll counties continue to push for answers about the Maryland Piedmont Reliability Project, as the preferred route of the proposed 70-mile transmission line is expected to be released soon.
Baltimore County Executive Johnny Olszewski and Carroll County commissioners sent a letter to Gov. Wes Moore at the end of September that said, in part, “questions remain about the scale and need for the project based on undefined future data center development projections, use of eminent domain, exploration of alternatives like underground installation and the aggressive project delivery timeline.”
“As leaders of two of the three jurisdictions most impacted by the powerline installation, we are asking for your swift intervention in working with the regional electric grid operator, PJM, to address and simplify our unanswered questions,” the letter said.
“I’d like to see [them] slow this down and give us some more local control on where the route is,” said Carroll County Commissioner Kenneth Kiler.
“We’re still looking for data projections about the use of data centers or what is driving the demand, or where that use is coming from,” Olszewski said. “We haven’t gotten full clarity on that.”
In addition to questions about transmission alternatives, like putting the lines underground, Olszewski said his concerns about eminent domain continue to be an issue. He said he wants the potential for eminent domain as a way to obtain right of ways for the transmission line to be taken off the table, which has yet to happen.
Both Olszewski and Kiler said Moore’s office has been responsive to their concerns and they have had discussions about the project.
In a statement, Moore’s office said “Governor Moore is committed to ensuring the reliability of Maryland’s critical infrastructure while also protecting the interests of Maryland residents. The governor has been clear that he shares real concerns about the lack of community involvement in the Maryland Piedmont Reliability Project — as well as the lack of state involvement in the decision-making process that led to the project’s selection by PJM and its proposed routes in Maryland. Governor Moore will continue to work in the best interests of all Marylanders with the state legislature, local elected officials, and community partners to meet the state’s energy needs.”
Public Service Enterprise Group, the developer of the transmission line, said the preferred route would be released mid-October and was necessary to address growing electric needs, including electrification of transportation and business, along with increased needs from data centers.
“The driving force behind this project is reliability,” representatives from PSEG said in a recent email. “PJM has indicated that there will be rolling brown-outs and blackouts if this project is not placed in service by June of 2027.”
PJM, the regional transmission organization for this region, has also reiterated the critical need for the proposed transmission project to maintain reliability of the grid.
“As they are planning to release routes, I hope they take a step back and first an foremost make sure these questions are answered, because its pretty premature to be releasing routes or submitting an application until all those questions are answered,” Olszewski said.
However, in a statement, a spokesperson from PSEG said, “We have been and continue to regularly communicate with elected officials in Baltimore, Frederick and Carroll counties. We look forward to publicly addressing these questions and engaging with the public and receiving their feedback when we present our proposed route in the near future.”
“As we’ve discussed with the County Executive’s office, PSEG has extensive experience with underground transmission. However, the need of this project as defied by PJM precludes the use of underground transmission for two reasons. The first being cost and impacts. An underground line costs 10 to 15 times that of overhead transmission and would have significant impacts to land and the community during construction and operation. The second, the need as defined by PJM, requires an in-service date of June 2027 to provide reliable energy to the state of Maryland. An underground line would take around 5 years just to construct making it unfeasible for both costs, impacts and benefits. It should also be noted that farming is generally not compatible with underground transmission,” the statement continued to say.
Have a news tip? Contact Jessica Babb at jbabb@sbgtv.com or x.com/jess_babb.
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