The November 4, 2025 meeting of the PJM Transmission Expansion Advisory Committee (TEAC) marked a major milestone in the 2025 RTEP Window 1 cycle. PJM presented the preliminary short-list of candidate projects to address 2030–2032 reliability and transfer constraints, reviewed several supplemental project needs from Transmission Owners (TOs), discussed long-term regional drivers shaping future RTEP cycles, and outlined next steps for stakeholder engagement.
With PJM navigating steep load growth, generation retirements, new renewable clusters, and increasing data center concentration, TEAC continues to be the central forum where future grid architecture is shaped. Below is an expanded, in-depth breakdown of the November 4 TEAC meeting.
RTEP Window 1: Preliminary Short-List of Projects
PJM kicked off the meeting by unveiling the preliminary short-list of Window 1 project proposals. These represent conceptual and actionable solutions intended to resolve reliability criteria violations, thermal overloads, voltage concerns, and transfer constraints emerging in PJM’s 2030–2032 planning horizon.
Why These Projects Matter:
The short-list reflects cumulative drivers across the region:
- Substantial load growth, particularly in the Dominion (DOM) zone, Northern Virginia, and zones seeing accelerated data-center development
- Major forecasted retirements of coal and older gas-fired generation
- Shifting flow patterns as renewable and storage clusters expand in Western and Central PJM
- Increasing interregional transfer needs affecting both north–south and west–east corridors
Nature of the Proposed Projects: PJM’s portfolio includes:
- Large backbone transmission expansions
- 345 kV and 500 kV line up-rates or reconstructions
- Substation expansions and transformer upgrades
- Localized reliability projects addressing aging infrastructure gaps
These projects range from highly localized fixes to multi-state high-voltage corridors.
PJM’s Evaluation Focus: PJM emphasized that the short-list is subject to:
- “Do No Harm” assessments
- Detailed cost-benefit evaluations
- Standardized comparison across competing proposals
- Preliminary environmental and routing feasibility checks
PJM anticipates releasing final recommendations in early 2026.
Supplemental Project Needs from Transmission Owners: Several TOs presented supplemental needs under the M-3 process — a critical component of TEAC meetings.
Examples Highlighted at the November 4 Meeting:
- AEP Zone:
Structural and conductor issues on the 345 kV Hanna–Tanners Creek circuit built in 1961. PJM materials flagged cracked conductor strands, tower corrosion, and “open condition” structures requiring proactive replacement. - PECO Zone:
Load-driven needs at multiple substations due to expanding distribution-level demand, new customer interconnection requests, and aging equipment approaching end-of-life. - DPL & PPL Zones:
Asset condition concerns related to 1930s–1950s-era equipment now exceeding safe operational thresholds.
Supplemental needs undergo a 10-day comment window, after which TOs refine scope, evaluate alternatives, and prepare solution proposals under the M-3 process.
Reliability Drivers & Regional Trends
The November TEAC meeting reinforced four major reliability drivers:
1. Accelerating Load Growth: Data centers, industrial reinvestment, electrification of transportation and buildings, and mixed commercial load growth continue to exceed prior forecasts.
2. Generation Fleet Transition: Retirements of less efficient fossil units are increasing reliance on solar, wind, and storage — shifting system flows and requiring new transmission to maintain NERC standards.
3. Transfer Capability Limitations: Emerging constraints on major north–south and west–east paths are expected to exceed thermal ratings by early next decade without new backbone reinforcements.
4. Aging Infrastructure: Lines built in the 1930s–1960s require replacement due to structural deterioration, load growth, or inability to meet today’s reliability margins.
Financial & Cost Allocation Impacts
TEAC discussions increasingly focus on who pays for upcoming reinforcements — a central concern for developers, large loads, and TOs. Key Messages From PJM include:
- RTEP Window 1 projects will be subject to PJM’s cost allocation rules, which differ based on whether a project addresses reliability, market efficiency, or public policy needs.
- Backbone upgrades under Window 1 may involve cross-zone or regional cost sharing, increasing cost exposure for entities outside the immediate project footprint.
- If a project initially appears supplemental but is later elevated to baseline RTEP classification, cost allocation responsibility may shift materially.
- Developers emphasized concerns about cost allocation overlap between LRTP in other RTOs (like MISO) and PJM’s own long-term planning regime.
PJM noted that the expansion of high-voltage transmission is likely to increase capital requirements — and therefore transmission rates — in the coming decade.
What This Means for Developers & Large-Load Customers
The TEAC outcomes have significant implications for siting, queue strategy, and long-term project economics.
For Developers:
- Backbone upgrades may change injection limits, altering viability of queue-positioned projects.
- Pending interconnection facilities might be reclassified, shifting upgrade cost responsibility.
- Areas with repeated reliability violations may face limited headroom, affecting the feasibility of new renewable additions.
For Large Loads (data centers, industrials):
- Load-heavy pockets (DOM, PECO, APS) may see upcoming thermal mitigation projects enabling larger blocks of load growth, but timelines may not align with commercial schedules.
- Customers should monitor which areas PJM flags for structural upgrades to avoid siting load where transmission headroom is approaching zero.
- Large loads may need to participate earlier in TEAC or M-3 discussions to influence project prioritization.
Key Upcoming TEAC & Board Milestones
RTEP Window 1 Timeline
- Dec 2025–Jan 2026: Detailed evaluation of short-list projects
- February 2026: Expected final recommendations to the PJM Board
- Spring 2026: Board approvals and initiation of project execution phases
Supplemental Needs Timeline
- 10-day stakeholder comment window
- Early 2026: Solution proposals and follow-up TEAC presentations
Other 2026 Milestones
- Queue reform and cost allocation workshops
- Additional TEAC sessions for infrastructure health and aging-asset assessments
- Updates on future RTEP Window 2 preliminary needs
Interpret PJM TEAC Outcomes with ZEG
ZEG specializes in helping developers, utilities, and large-load customers interpret PJM TEAC outcomes, evaluate transmission headroom, mitigate interconnection risk, and plan projects around upcoming RTEP and M-3 upgrades. Whether you’re siting a new facility, moving through the PJM queue, or preparing a multi-year development roadmap, we turn complex TEAC insights into clear, actionable decisions. Contact us for a tailored grid-integration assessment aligned with TEAC outcomes.
Resources & Reference Documents
Below are the official TEAC and PJM RTEP resources referenced while preparing this summary:
PJM Reliability Analysis Update:
https://www.pjm.com/-/media/DotCom/committees-groups/committees/teac/2025/20250909/20250909-item-16—reliability-analysis-update.pdf
PJM TEAC Meeting Materials (Nov 4, 2025):
https://www.pjm.com/committees-and-groups/committees/teac/20251104
AEP Supplemental Projects Filing:
https://www.pjm.com/-/media/DotCom/committees-groups/committees/teac/2025/20251104/20251104-item-07—aep-supplemental-projects.pdf
PECO Supplemental Projects Filing:
https://www.pjm.com/-/media/DotCom/committees-groups/committees/teac/2025/20251104/20251104-item-09—peco-supplemental-projects.pdf
PJM Preliminary RTEP Window 1 Short-List (Press Release):
https://insidelines.pjm.com/pjm-presents-preliminary-short-list-of-projects-for-2025-rtep-window-1/
