DNR’s power‑plant review program reports an 800% rise in solar CPCN filings, extends review windows

Bob Ciesinski, director of the Maryland Department of Natural Resources’ Power Plant Research Program, told the House Environment and Transportation Committee that PPRP’s caseload has increased sharply and that staff and contract resources have been strained.

Ciesinski said PPRP has moved from an average of about seven cases per year to roughly 57 active solar CPCN cases in 2025 and identified more than 110 projects in pre‑application. "Just in 2025, we've had 57 active solar cases," he said, and the office is now extending internal review timelines from the statutory six months to as much as 10–12 months in agreement with applicants and stakeholders to handle the volume.

PPRP described its role as a one‑stop environmental reviewer for generation and transmission CPCNs and said reviews consider 70 different factors — cultural resources, wetlands, forest impacts, decommissioning and environmental justice screening. The program said it is using its environmental trust funds and reserves; Ciesinski said the reserve will cover consultant and workload costs for about two years at current levels.

Committee members raised local siting, decommissioning and community impacts, including coal‑ash oversight for sites such as Brandywine. PPRP said it maintains an online inventory of coal‑ash sites and recommended members review the agency’s cumulative environmental impact reports and the CPCN checklist posted on its website.

The committee did not take action; PPRP offered to provide more district‑level breakdowns of project locations and timelines on request.