PSEG Announces Proposed Route and Public Information Sessions for Maryland Piedmont Reliability Project (MPRP)

(October 18, 2024 - NEWARK, N.J.) Public Service Enterprise Group (PSEG) today announced a proposed route for the Maryland Piedmont Reliability Project (MPRP). The project was ordered by PJM, the independent Regional Transmission Organization ("RTO") responsible for operating and planning the regional electric grid in all or parts of 13 states, including Maryland. PJM identified the need to increase the amount of available electricity to the state and diversify the grid geographically, and selected PSEG's MPRP solution to address these challenges. PSEG has extensive experience planning and constructing transmission and infrastructure projects in the mid-Atlantic region.

"Over the last four months, PSEG's team has analyzed over 5,300 public comments and arrived at a transmission solution. The proposed solution is community-informed, reliable and mitigates impact to individuals, communities, and wildlife as much as possible while delivering a cost-effective solution for Maryland and PJM electric customers," stated Jason R. Kalwa, project director at PSEG. "We are committed to transparency and community engagement as a part of this process and encourage all interested residents to attend our upcoming public information sessions so that we can hear their comments and concerns."

This week property owners along the proposed 150-foot-wide transmission right-of-way (ROW) will receive a letter informing them of the proposed route and upcoming public information sessions. Next month those property owners will receive letters advising how they can contact the PSEG team directly to set up a meeting to discuss their questions and next steps.

The public is invited to view the proposed route, learn more about the routing process and project by visiting: mprp.com.

Maryland Energy Challenges

Maryland is a net importer of energy, which means not enough power is generated in the state to serve the needs of all Marylanders, so most of the energy that Marylanders need is brought from states that produce more electricity than they use, like Pennsylvania and Ohio.

Due to significant generation retirements that have occurred in recent years without replacement resources, the energy deficit in Maryland is projected to grow unless additional infrastructure like the MPRP is built.

The additional import capability supported by the construction of the MPRP will help Maryland avoid growing their energy deficit, and thereby easing grid congestion and preventing grid overload, which can also benefit both energy affordability and reliability in the state. More transmission is needed to keep energy costs competitive and reduce the risk of rolling blackouts.

Project Description

The MPRP transmission line project was awarded to PSEG by PJM in December 2023. The project includes a high-voltage alternating current (AC) transmission line with a voltage level of 500-kV to transport large amounts of electricity over long distances. The approximately 70-mile proposed transmission route spans three counties, westward from the connection point within the existing Baltimore Gas & Electric transmission line ROW in northern Baltimore County, through Carroll County, and into the existing Doubs 500kV Station in southern Frederick County. The proposed date of operation is June 2027.

Public Information Sessions

A series of public information sessions will be held In November where the public can learn more about the project and offer comments to the project team. Sessions will be held in Baltimore, Carroll and Frederick counties. The schedule is as follows:

• Baltimore County:
  Tuesday, November 12, 6 p.m. - 8:30 p.m.
  Embassy Suites by Hilton
  213 International Circle, Hunt Valley, MD
  
  
• Carroll County:
  Wednesday, November 13, 6 p.m. - 8:30 p.m.
  Carroll County Agricultural Center
  706 Agricultural Center Dr., Westminster, MD
  
  
• Frederick County:
  Thursday, November 14, 6 p.m. - 8:30 p.m.
  New Market District Volunteer Fire Company
  76 W Main Street, New Market, MD

Following the public information sessions, PSEG is targeting submission for a Certificate of Public Convenience & Necessity (CPCN) to the Maryland Public Service Commission (PSC) by year- end 2024, although we recognize that date may move into early 2025 depending on the public feedback received.

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About PSEG
Public Service Enterprise Group (PSEG) (NYSE: PEG) is a predominantly regulated infrastructure company focused on a clean energy future. Guided by its Powering Progress vision, PSEG aims to power a future where people use less energy, and it's cleaner, safer and delivered more reliably than ever. With a continued focus on sustainability, PSEG has appeared on the Dow Jones Sustainability North America Index for 16 consecutive years. PSEG is included on the 2023-2024 list of U.S. News' Best Companies to Work For. PSEG's businesses include Public Service Electric and Gas Co. (PSE&G), PSEG Power and PSEG Long Island (https://corporate.pseg.com).

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