Orange County Supervisors have joined with other counties to intervene in the Federal Energy Regulatory Commission’s case involving PJM Interconnection.
On Feb. 27, PJM filed a proposal to expedite interconnection studies of new power generation that meet certain requirements. According to PJM, the idea is to provide an alternate path for advanced projects of significant size to get connected quickly to address the need for greater capacity. Under the fast track option, projects would take 10 months to be awarded a connection agreement, decreased from the current years-long process. The project would have to offer at least 250MW of “accredited unforced capacity” and be able to be in operation within three years. Up to 10 projects would be chosen for the fast track process per year over two years. Approval of the filing is requested by May 28, becoming effective July 31.
The expedited process would allow projects like the Joshua Falls-Yeat Transmission Line Project, which aims to place 765kV lines through nine localities including Orange County, to have its approval process timeline decreased. An initial public comment period on the proposal was held in March. The proposal was amended in early April, creating a new comment period through May 1.
Last week, Orange County Supervisors voted to join other counties impacted by the Joshua Falls-Yeat project as interveners in the FERC process. Five counties joined together in the motion–Culpeper, Louisa, Fluvanna, Goochland and Orange. The motion designates Richmond attorney Dale G. Mullen as the lead representative and requests the five county administrators be added to the official service list for the case.
In the joint motion, the counties seek to add the localities as having primary siting authority with implemented notice windows. It also acknowledges that the SCC will make the final determination on the Joshua Falls-Yeat project.
District 2 Supervisor Ed Van Hoven voiced support for intervening in the FERC process. He said it’s the first step in the overall process. District 1 Supervisor Jason Capelle disagreed stating in his mind, the FERC process isn’t where the real fight is going to be. The project will be determined at the SCC, he said. An exact monetary value to participate as an intervener was not solidified, though District 5 Supervisor and board chair Bryan Nicol said it would likely be somewhere between $125 and $500, depending on how many counties joined.
“It’s a fairly small decision,” he said.
In addition to intervening, the supervisors submitted an additional comment to FERC. In the four page letter, they asked the commission to not approve “a framework that accelerates upstream decisions without addressing the practical consequences for downstream planning and public engagement.”
The next open meeting of FERC will be held May 21 at 10 a.m. in Washington, D.C.
