Public Hearings Set on Planned High-Voltage Power Line in Region

Southwestern Pennsylvania residents will have the opportunity to voice their opinions on a proposed 107-mile, high-voltage electric transmission line that will carry power from this region through Western Maryland and Northern West Virginia to provide more power to Virginia.

The state Public Utility Commission scheduled four public hearings in November in Fayette and Greene County on the siting plan for the proposed MidAtlantic Resiliency Link (MARL). The 500-kilovolt line project is being developed by NextEra Energy Transmission.

The route begins in Dunkard Township, Greene County, and passes through part of southern Fayette County, then travels into Western Maryland and Northern West Virginia, to finally reach its end point near Gore, Va. It will include a high-voltage substation in Frederick County, Va., and well as interconnection points on the Maryland and Pennsylvania borders.

It was one of the projects selected by PJM Interconnection, the grid operator for 13 Mid-Atlantic states, as part of its regional expansion plan to help boost grid stability and provide more power in major demand areas, like Northern Virginia, which is home to a large number of data centers. The PJM grid is under strain as rapidly rising demand is colliding with a limited amount of generation as older fossil-fuel plants are retired and new projects are not being added quickly enough.

The Institute for Energy Economics and Financial Analysis determined that the cost of the project has risen to $960 million from an initial estimate of $441 million, with a significant portion of those costs being passed onto utility ratepayers.

In order to move forward, the siting plan must receive approval from the Pennsylvania PUC and the West Virginia Public Service Commission. The West Virginia board is holding evidentiary hearings to address numerous concerns about the project cost and scope. The Pennsylvania PUC public hearings will allow residents of this state to also provide their input.

The Greene County hearings will be held at the American Legion, 319 Mount Morris Road, Mount Morris, on Nov. 17 at 1 p.m. and 6 p.m. The Fayette County hearings will be held Nov. 18 at 1 p.m. and 6 p.m. at the American Legion, 109 Railroad Street, Point Marion. Those who plan to testify are urged to register on the PUC website.