Frequently Asked Questions

PJM Interconnection is the regional grid operator that coordinates the sale and movement of electricity in Pennsylvania, West Virginia, 11 surrounding states and the District of Columbia. It’s PJM’s responsibility to meet the electricity needs of 65 million people in its footprint. This includes planning for the future needs of the electric system.

As part of its long-term planning process, PJM selected the Kammer-Juniata Transmission Project to modernize the electric grid, enhance reliability and enable access to low-cost electricity.

PJM’s long-term forecast shows that electricity demand in this region will surge through 2035. If new transmission lines are not built, the existing grid could face bottlenecks that sharply increase energy costs and put reliability at risk, including the possibility of grid failures, brownouts and blackouts.

Upgrading the transmission infrastructure is not just recommended, it is essential to prevent these disruptions. This new transmission line would serve as a critical energy backbone, ensuring power can reliably reach communities when and where it’s needed, protecting the region against power outages for generations to come.

PJM selected two American companies – NextEra Energy Transmission MidAtlantic and Exelon Transmission Company – to jointly develop and own Kammer Juniata Transmission, LLC.

PJM identified widespread issues on existing 500 kilovolt (kV) corridors in the near future. These are system-level risks that can’t be solved with small, local upgrades.

PJM’s Transmission Expansion Advisory Committee served as the main public forum for stakeholders and PJM staff to exchange ideas, discuss study assumptions and review project details. Members of the public were able to participate in these meetings, either in-person or by phone, and provide their feedback to PJM.

This project is the product of a competitive PJM planning process focused on long-term reliability. Advancing it now helps avoid higher costs and reliability risks later.

The NextEra Energy Transmission MidAtlantic and Exelon Transmission Company joint venture was awarded the project in mid-February 2026. We are in the early stages of planning a routing study and will be taking input from the local community. We will conduct open houses and surveys and provide information through our website and project hotline. In addition, we will meet with local and state leaders, state and federal agencies, community members and other stakeholder groups.

We are at the beginning of a multi-year process. There will be numerous opportunities for public input and engagement as the project progresses.

As a transmission developer, we do not set customer rates but understand customers’ concerns regarding their electric bills. PJM allocates costs across the region to all benefitting communities as part of its responsibilities as the regional grid operator.

This line would provide access to lower-cost electricity for homes and businesses across Pennsylvania and West Virginia while spurring significant economic growth. Consumers would benefit from a modern and more efficient energy system. The completed transmission line would improve reliability, helping to prevent power outages and spikes in energy costs during high demand.

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The proposed line would not be built for one customer or one industry. PJM identified the project as a regional reliability solution to strengthen the grid for all electricity users. This proposed 765-kV transmission line would provide access to safe and reliable electricity and drive economic development. Those benefits would flow to communities throughout Pennsylvania, West Virginia and the surrounding region.

No route has been determined. The public will have opportunities to provide input as part of the routing process through the project website, surveys, open houses and the permitting process through the Pennsylvania Public Utility Commission and the Public Service Commission of West Virginia. These regulatory agencies will issue the final decision on the project.

The project is expected to provide numerous benefits to communities throughout West Virginia and Pennsylvania, including enhancing the reliability of the regional grid and unlocking access to low-cost energy. In addition, the project would help support the region’s growing economy and spur economic investment in the community during construction.

• 2026: Awarded project
• 2027: Open houses, public engagement and route selection
• 2028: Submit application for state approvals at the Pennsylvania Public Utility Commission and Public Service Commission of West Virginia
• 2029: Construction starts
• 2031: Project in service

     The project schedule is subject to change.