US-based energy distribution company PJM Interconnection (PJM), under its Reliability Resource Initiative (RRI), has selected 51 projects that can come online quickly and are capable of providing more than 9.3GW of capacity.
The initiative prioritises shovel-ready resources with short lead times to construction and operation, aiming to enhance reliability and swift addition of energy to the grid.
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The projects comprise 39 uprates to existing resources such as natural gas, nuclear, coal, and onshore wind, alongside 12 new construction proposals.
The uprates will provide 2.11GW of unforced capacity (UCAP), while the new projects are projected to contribute an additional 7.25GW of UCAP, culminating in a total of 9.36GW.
Approximately 90% of these projects are anticipated to be operational by 2030, with the remainder expected by 2031.
The selection process involved 94 applicants and was based on a weighting system that prioritised UCAP and in-service dates, followed by Effective Load Carrying Capability and location in zones with a high need for generation.
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By GlobalDataAlthough the initiative originally intended to select 50 projects, a tie in the scoring system allowed for 51 projects to be chosen.
In 2022, the Federal Energy Regulatory Commission approved PJM’s reforms to the interconnection process, shifting from a “first-come, first-served” to a “first-ready, first-served” approach.
Besides RRI projects, PJM will also process approximately 62GW of projects in 2025 and 2026.
PJM has implemented several measures to address the increasing electricity demand and the retirement of generators. These include enhanced automation and staffing, which has reduced the backlog by 60%, and a collaboration with Google and Tapestry to deploy AI tools for streamlining the planning process for linking new generation resources to the grid.
PJM has received approval from FERC to simplify the process for utilising the unused capacity of interconnection services for facilities that are unable to operate continuously, 24/7, throughout the year.
A reform package, supported by PJM stakeholders and currently under review by FERC, aims to streamline the interconnection process for replacement resources that intend to utilise the capacity interconnection rights of retiring resources.
