world
PJM Power Grid Needs Urgent Reform, Regulator Says
The Federal Energy Regulatory Commission chair told attendees at PJM's annual meeting that the nation's largest power grid operator may have grown too large to function effectively. The chair called for urgent reform of the organization responsible for electricity transmission across 13 states and the District of Columbia. PJM oversees the world's largest competitive wholesale electricity market.
BloombergAudio version
Tap play to generate a narrated version.
Developing·Limited corroboration so far. This page will refresh as more sources emerge.
The chair of the Federal Energy Regulatory Commission said at PJM's annual meeting that the nation's largest power grid operator may have become too big to function adequately and requires urgent reform. PJM manages electricity transmission for 13 states and the District of Columbia, serving more than 65 million people.
It operates the world's largest competitive wholesale electricity market, coordinating the movement of power across a territory spanning more than 100,000 square miles. The comments come as the grid operator faces increasing demands from data centers, electrification, and renewable energy integration.
PJM has been working to process a backlog of more than 2,000 proposed generation projects seeking to connect to its system.
Officials have noted that PJM's expansion over the past two decades has added layers of complexity to decision-making and market operations. The organization now coordinates among more than 1,000 member companies, including utilities, generators, transmission owners and power marketers.
Reform efforts could focus on streamlining governance, improving planning processes and addressing delays in bringing new resources online. Any changes would require coordination between PJM, its independent board, member stakeholders and federal regulators.
The scale of PJM's responsibilities has grown as the region experiences rising electricity demand driven by sectors including technology and manufacturing. Grid planners project that the PJM footprint could need thousands of megawatts of additional capacity in the coming years to maintain reliability.
