Over 700 New Generation Projects Accepted Into First Cycle of Reformed Interconnection Process

More Than 200 GW in Planned Resources Move Forward To Address Growing Electricity Demand

VALLEY FORGE, Pa., Aug. 3, 2026 /PRNewswire/ -- PJM Interconnection today announced that 715 new generation projects, capable of generating more than 200 GW of electricity, have qualified to be studied in the first Cycle of PJM's reformed interconnection process.

This marks the first group of proposed generation resources to be processed under a new approach designed to reduce speculative projects, improve predictability and increase the overall pace of interconnection.

Projects will be reviewed in the Cycle in what is designed to be a one- to two-year process, depending on the impact of an individual project. There is no remaining backlog from prior queues.

"PJM is encouraged at the number and quality of applications that are proceeding through the study process to help address the long-term shortage of electricity supply that we are facing," said Jason Connell, Vice President – Planning. "The rigorous process that is now in place is designed to encourage projects that will get built."

The application window closed April 27 and drew 811 proposals for new resources, subject to an initial screening process that vets applications for required technical information and financial deposits. PJM's new first-ready, first-served approach requires projects to demonstrate viability before entering the Cycle study process, including meaningful up-front financial commitments and proof of site control.

The applications include a diverse mix of generation resources:

• 715 total projects, led by storage (314), natural gas (147), solar (117), wind (61), solar-storage hybrids (37), nuclear (24), other (10) and hydro (5)
• 201.5 GW of nameplate capacity, led by natural gas (99.8 GW), storage (60.0 GW), nuclear (17.3 GW), solar (11.8 GW), solar-storage hybrid (7.5 GW), wind (3.9 GW), other (1.1 GW) and hydro (0.07 GW)

The "other" category includes biomass, coal, fuel cell, fusion energy and methane.

"The number and diversity of projects indicates that developers are eager to build in the PJM region, and we will continue to streamline our processes to meet the speed-to-power needs of the industry," Connell said. "Bringing new generation online is critical to support grid reliability and control electricity costs by balancing supply and demand."

PJM is using advanced tools and pathways it has implemented in recent years to improve efficiency at scale. This includes HyperQ, an AI-enabled tool developed by Google's Tapestry to help review large volumes of application data. PJM will be evaluating the tool's impact throughout Cycle 1.

PJM expects electricity demand to increase by up to 70 GW by 2038, driven largely by data centers and other large load customers. Demand growth is outpacing the addition of new supply, risking reliability and making the timely interconnection of new resources critical to keeping the lights on for 67 million people in 13 states and the District of Columbia.

The nameplate capacity figures cited above represent the maximum potential output of a resource into the system. Based on historical performance, only a percentage of projects that apply for interconnection will sign interconnection agreements and become operational.

Details on specific projects seeking interconnection may be found on the Cycle Service Request Status Page of PJM.com.

Since 2020, PJM has processed more than 300 GW of projects, resulting in over 100 GW worth of projects with signed interconnection agreements. PJM currently has 51 GW of generation with signed agreements, but many of these projects are either not being built at all or are being slowed by hurdles such as state permitting and supply chain backlogs. PJM, its stakeholders, and state and federal policymakers are united in efforts to solve these challenges.

PJM expects to significantly add to the number of projects with signed agreements at the completion of Transition Cycle 2 in early 2027 and Cycle 1 in 2028.

PJM will post its summer peak model on Aug. 28, with the winter peak and light load cases following on Sept. 11. This allows developers to understand potential system impacts that may arise in the Phase 1 study and informs their decision to proceed or withdraw.

PJM Interconnection, founded in 1927, ensures the reliability of the high-voltage electric power system serving 67 million people in all or parts of Delaware, Illinois, Indiana, Kentucky, Maryland, Michigan, New Jersey, North Carolina, Ohio, Pennsylvania, Tennessee, Virginia, West Virginia and the District of Columbia. PJM coordinates and directs the operation of the region's transmission grid, which includes 88,417 miles of transmission lines; administers a competitive wholesale electricity market; and plans regional transmission expansion improvements to maintain grid reliability and relieve congestion. PJM's regional grid and market operations produce annual savings of $5 billion. For the latest news about PJM, visit PJM Inside Lines at insidelines.pjm.com.

SOURCE PJM Interconnection