Maryland lawmakers plan to support statewide measures to hamper power line project

BALTIMORE — Carroll lawmakers plan to support bills that would support alternative energy solutions and restrict government-granted eminent domain powers, amid the pending approval of the Maryland Piedmont Reliability Project, a 70-mile power line that would run through Carroll, Frederick and Baltimore counties.

The Public Service Enterprise Group, the company contracted to construct the MPRP, applied Tuesday for a Certificate of Public Convenience and Necessity from the Maryland Public Service Commission. PJM, the organization responsible for operating and planning Maryland’s electric grid, has contracted with PSEG to build the $424 million project, projected to be operational by June 1, 2027.

“PJM determined through its federally regulated regional transmission expansion planning process that the MPRP is critically needed to prevent severe, extensive, and widespread reliability violations on the existing 500 kV transmission system that serves Maryland and its surrounding states,” according to the application’s cover letter. “If unaddressed, these violations could compromise overall system reliability in the PJM region, including for Maryland customers, and could lead to widespread and extreme conditions in 2027, such as system collapse and blackouts.”

The project has been controversial since it was announced. Carroll County lawmakers say it threatens the environment; would increase local energy costs; would result in a loss of farmland and revenue for farmers; would be disruptive; and would have other consequences.

One measure proposed by Sen. Chris West would allow electric companies to own and operate their own power-generating facilities. West said building additional power generation capacity in the right places will negate the need to construct additional power transmission lines through rural Maryland.

“The people of Maryland aren’t going to benefit one iota from the electricity that’s going to flow through this line,” West said, “if it ends up being built.”

Another of West’s proposed bills would change the way eminent domain works in Maryland, banning quick-take authority for any land under a preservation or conservation easement, requiring compensation to reflect land value diminution for land-owners within 150 feet of any land acquired through eminent domain to install a power line, paying for attorney and court-related expenses for any land owner that wins a case challenging their valuation, according to West.

“I’ll be co-sponsoring bipartisan bills to restrict usage of eminent domain to take private property for corporate profits,” Sen. Justin Ready said, “and legislation to slow this process down so we can get a full, impartial analysis of Maryland’s energy production and grid needs before any action takes place on MPRP.”

West proposed another measure that would have the Maryland Public Service Commission require a grid optimization study to be conducted, “evaluating the potential for increasing the capacity and efficiency of the state’s existing transmission and distribution infrastructure” before a project can be approved, according to West. The study would deduce the potential for increasing capacity by using advanced technologies, optimizing existing transmission lines, reducing load on the grid, and improving energy efficiency to reduce demand. The public and the Office of People’s Counsel would have the opportunity to comment on the study before the commission determines if the applicant is compliant with the Federal Energy Regulatory Commission’s terms.

Another of West’s proposed bills would call on the Maryland Public Service Commission and the Maryland Energy Administration to, “establish a plan to gradually phase out Maryland’s natural gas energy generation facilities,” only after Maryland can meet half of its energy needs using renewable sources like wind, solar, hydroelectric, geothermal and nuclear power, according to West.

“Our state’s energy crisis will be the next most important issue,” Del. Chris Tomlinson said. “Over the course of many years, Maryland lawmakers have passed policies that make it nearly impossible to create or produce reliable sources of energy. Everything from closing coal power plants to limiting natural gas production to irresponsible ‘climate’ goals that require drastic reduction in production. At the same time, new energy sources such as wind and solar are unable to produce equal amounts of energy. As a result, our state is forced to import energy from states that still generate energy the old-fashioned way [coal, natural gas, etc.].”

One bill, also proposed by West, would direct the Maryland Public Service Commission to refrain from approving any new power line projects until May 1, 2026. In that time, a 21-member task force would be assembled to ensure reliable energy access to Marylanders while planning to reduce the amount of energy imported from out-of-state.

The proposed task force — composed of a representative from the House of Delegates, one member of the state Senate, the secretary of the Environment, the secretary of Agriculture, the Maryland Energy Administration, the People’s Counsel, the Public Service Commission, PJM, Baltimore Gas & Electric, Constellation Energy Corporation, Potomac Electric Power, Potomac Edison, Delmarva Power & Light, Southern Maryland Electric Cooperative, Maryland’s independent electricity generating companies, the Maryland Farm Bureau, environmental nonprofit organizations, Maryland ratepayers, and one energy expert appointed by the governor — would report to the governor by Dec. 31, 2025.

“Among the options that shall be considered by the Task Force shall be the expansion of the state’s nuclear energy generation capability, the expansion of the state’s renewable energy resources, the prioritization of energy storage facilities and the upgrading and enhancement of the state’s existing electricity transmission system,” according to West.

“The Data Center Energy Independence Act” is another of West’s proposed bills that would require any data center constructed in Maryland that uses more than 20 megawatts of electrical power per year to build and operate a power-generation facility capable of meeting the entirety of the data center’s energy needs, according to West.

“Our energy demand has increased due to AI technology/data centers,” Tomlinson said, “and the electrification of everything from cars to buildings to leaf blowers. As a result, our state is facing an energy crisis of epic proportions. And the direct result of these terrible politics is the Maryland Piedmont Reliability Project that looks to tear Baltimore, Carroll, and Frederick counties in half. The House Republican Caucus, including me personally, will be introducing several bills that look to address this specific transmission line and the overall problem our state faces.”