As PJM Interconnection LLC deals with a logjam of renewable projects seeking to interconnect to the regional grid, the amount of new planned solar projects has so far eclipsed the natural gas-fired resources under development through 2027.
Over 23.5 GW of solar capacity is planned for PJM from 2022 to 2027, more than double the amount of new natural gas-fired generation set to come online, an S&P Global Market Intelligence analysis shows. Nearly 11.5 GW of solar is projected to come online in 2023 alone.
PJM said it had about 260,883 MW across 2,755 projects under study as of Sept. 20. This includes 114,557 MW of proposed solar and 44,242 MW of proposed wind capacity.
About 11.3 GW of natural gas-fired capacity is under development through 2027, the analysis shows. By contrast, an autumn 2021 analysis showed nearly 22 GW of gas capacity scheduled to come online through 2026 in the 13-state grid operator's territory.
About 12.8 GW of wind projects are planned through 2027, up from some 9.4 GW under development in the autumn of 2021. Also, 440 MW of storage is in the current pipeline through 2027.
Total new generation in PJM since 2010 amounted to 53.2 GW. Gas capacity represented the bulk of the additions subject to the analysis at nearly 36 GW, with more than 11 GW added in 2018.
Plant operators also have retired nearly 51 GW of capacity since 2010, led by 38 GW of coal retirements.
Dominion Energy Virginia's 2,587-MW Coastal Virginia Offshore Wind project is the largest planned capacity addition under development in PJM. The Dominion Energy Inc. utility will build the 176-turbine wind farm in three phases off the coast of Virginia Beach, with operations to begin by the end of 2026.
The Virginia State Corporation Commission approved the $9.8 billion venture in August, but Dominion objected to a performance guarantee that it views as a death knell for the project.
The other renewables projects among the 10 largest capacity additions planned through 2027 are the 1,510-MW Atlantic Shores Offshore Wind Project in New Jersey, 577-MW Fox Squirrel Solar Farm in Ohio and 480-MW Mammoth Solar Project in Indiana.
In the previous analysis, natural gas plants accounted for nine of the 10 largest planned capacity additions under development in PJM.
Developer Chickahominy Power LLC in early 2022 canceled plans for the 1,600-MW Chickahominy Power combined-cycle plant in Charles City County, Va. In October 2021, producer Robinson Power Co. LLC terminated plans to develop its 1,025-MW Beech Hollow gas plant in Washington County, Pa.
The 1,200-MW Jackson Generation Energy Center in Will County, Ill., began operating in May. J-Power USA Development Co. Ltd. in September agreed to sell a 49% stake in the gas-fired power plant to Gulf Energy USA LLC.
Advanced Power AG in October 2021 brought online the 1,132-MW South Field Energy plant in Columbiana County, Ohio.
The 1,174-MW Indeck Niles Energy Center in Cass County, Mich., began commercial operations in July. Indeck Energy Services Inc. owns a 20% interest in the plant, which is operated by Indeck Niles LLC, with the remaining interest held by Korean firms.
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