Governor Moore Expresses “Grave Concerns” Over Piedmont Reliability Project

Maryland Governor Wes Moore released a statement late Friday expressing his “grave concerns” about the Piedmont Reliability Project. 

Maryland Governor Wes Moore

Late last week, Maryland Governor Wes Moore released a statement expressing his “grave concerns” over the 70-mile Piedmont Reliability Project (PRP). The project crosses Baltimore, Carroll, and Frederick Counties, creating a transmission corridor to bring power from Pennsylvania to Northern Virginia’s burgeoning data center sector.

Governor Moore’s full statement,

Over the past several months, I have listened to concerns from local leaders, businesses, and residents about the Piedmont Reliability Project. I appreciate and respect the many Marylanders who have voiced strong opposition—especially the farmers, small business owners, and residents whose livelihoods stand to suffer impact.

As I have said from the start, I share grave concerns about how the study area for this project was determined, the lack of community involvement in the planning process, and the lack of effective communication about the impacts of this project. The single most important factor remains wholly unclear: the project’s comprehensive benefit to Marylanders.

In October, I joined Gov. Pritzker, Gov. Carney, and Gov. Murphy in signing a letter imploring PJM leadership to embrace, without delay, opportunities to work collaboratively on transmission planning. Together, we recognize that energy and economic development goals are not mutually exclusive and that progress depends upon true partnership to achieve growth.

To be clear: We need sustainable and cost-effective infrastructure to ensure the reliability of our grid and build the economy of the future in our state. But the approach must be one that puts people first.

In the coming days, I will ask leadership from PJM Interconnection and PSEG, the companies in charge of this project, to meet with me to dis​cuss serious reservations about how this process has been conducted thus far, and the type of engagement I expect with our communities.

The 2025 legislative session is set to focus heavily on energy issues. The PRP and predicated utility rate hikes have been top of mind for most legislators, counties, and their constituents.

Read more from the Office of Governor Wes Moore. 

Read the full story. 

This energy broadly will be covered at length during the 2024 MACo Winter Conference session, “Powering Maryland: A Roundtable on the State’s Energy Landscape.” MACo’s Winter Conference, “Anticipate, Adapt, Achieve: Thriving Through Turbulent Times” is scheduled for December 11-13, 2023, at the Hyatt Regency Chesapeake Bay Hotel in Cambridge, MD. More information can be found on our conference website.

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