Legalectric

Underground transmission is the topic of the week, month, well, maybe year. Underground transmission has been approved in Iowa – the Soo Green transmission project was approved back in 2023. It’s a DC line to be routed along railroad tracks! An underground DC project was “approved” by PJM from the Heritage substation to the Mosby substation, both in Virginia, though it’ll need state approval, PJM, like MISO, is NOT the decider, they are NOT the regulators.

Rather an opposite situation in Maryland, where there’s an underground transmission project proposed, and it turns out that in Maryland, the Public Service Commission doesn’t have regulatory authority over underground projects, only above ground!

Support grows to stiffen state oversight of underground power lines

This jurisdictional issue is slogging its way through the Maryland legislature.

Locally, there are objections to that project, mapped out above, and below, because it’s going through a historical district. What would be their take on an above ground transmission line on that route?

Here’s the PJM report of the Sub Regional RTEP Committee – Mid-Atlantic from way back in 2016, they’re still trying to figure this out:

And this: