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FERC orders 30-day PJM report, bars pulling generation until transmission upgrades are complete
Summary
FERC's chair said the commission will require PJM to file an informational report within 30 days on scheduling proposals to address resource adequacy and clarified that the colocation order prevents removing existing generation pending transmission upgrades to protect reliability.
FERC Chair Sweat on Thursday told market participants the commission will require PJM to file a detailed informational report within 30 days on scheduling proposals aimed at preserving resource adequacy as co-located data centers expand.
The requirement is part of a new FERC order addressing colocation arrangements and data center interconnections, and it is intended to ensure that connecting large new loads does not erode reliability in PJM, the interstate grid operator that serves 13 states and the District of Columbia. "You cannot pull existing generation off of the grid under the contemplated language until all of the transmission upgrades are complete," Chair Sweat said, framing the rule as a reliability safeguard.
Why it matters: PJM is the country's largest regional transmission organization and changes there can affect tens of millions of customers. Commissioners and staff signaled urgency about resource adequacy while trying not to stall ongoing stakeholder efforts to speed new generation and interconnections.
Chair Sweat said the commission wants PJM to show specific, near-term scheduling proposals in the informational filing and that FERC will "keep a close eye" on implementation to meet its statutory reliability mandate. "We're requiring this informational filing within 30 days," she added.
The order focuses on the record developed in the consolidated PJM dockets, but the chair acknowledged the broader national debate over how to handle data-center interconnections, noting the Department of Energy's concurrent rulemaking and related submissions to the commission. She emphasized that state governments retain exclusive authority over siting and resource mix decisions for new generation, while FERC's action is designed to clarify market and interconnection rules.
The commission did not vote on a separate binding remedy beyond the order and the informational requirement at this session; staff were made available for technical follow-up. The chair closed by urging stakeholders to submit the information requested and said FERC will monitor PJM's proposals closely.
