Grid Expansion Accelerates as PJM Approves 2.1 GW of New Capacity

PJM Interconnection has fast-tracked approval for 2.1 GW of new grid capacity from Engie IR Holdings and LS Power, targeting mid-2029 operations to address transmission bottlenecks.

PJM Interconnection recently approved expedited interconnection for 2.1 GW of new capacity from Engie IR Holdings and LS Power. This includes Engie’s planned 860 MW storage project in Crawford, Pennsylvania, and 800 MW storage project in Morrow, Ohio, alongside LS Power’s 455 MW gas-fired uprate at Hunterstown power plant in Adams, Pennsylvania. The projects qualify under PJM’s expedited review process for capacity over 250 MW with a three-year operational timeline, and PJM expects all to be operational by mid-2029. The approvals directly respond to supply constraints driven by surging data center demand, which has strained the grid.

The mechanism here is PJM’s expedited interconnection track—approved by the Federal Energy Regulatory Commission in June 2026—to rapidly scale grid capacity where transmission bottlenecks impede renewable energy integration and critical demand growth. This expansion directly addresses the energy infrastructure constraints that limit how much clean power can flow to communities and data centers.

For SUSTENANCE and SECURITY, this capacity boost reduces transmission bottlenecks that raise energy costs and risk grid instability. By enabling faster renewable integration and handling data center load, it supports more reliable, affordable energy access for households and businesses while strengthening grid resilience against supply shocks.

What to watch: The expedited process expires in 2027, and PJM’s projected mid-2029 operational timeline may shift if contextual factors like data center demand growth or regulatory changes delay construction. The source notes operational dates are projections, not guarantees.

Source: Utility Dive