Background: Two electric power generating plants in Anne Arundel County, Maryland (eg. Brandon Shores and HA Wagner) are slated to close in May 2029. To fill this void, PJM along with BGE (an Exelon company) is proposing the construction of another set of new power transmission lines from beyond Pennsylvania. Many citizens along this proposed path are concerned about yet another doubling (12 more 230 kV power lines) running thru our communities in Harford and Baltimore counties. Now there is word that the Pennsylvania Public Utilities Commission (PUC) is also against this project (Transource Pa. LLC v. Defrank) and is appealing a recent federal decision.

CALL TO ACTION

Today, Maryland imports approximately 40% of its needed electricity from neighboring states. If the Brandon Shores and HA Wagner power generating plants are closed, the amount of electricity that Maryland imports could skyrocket to ~70%... Why would Maryland rely on another state(s) for it's own electrical needs?

That's where the law of supply and demand kicks in... less generating capacity here in Maryland is going to drive up electric rates for all BGE customers. To support this notion, at a recent PJM electric capacity auction on July 30, 2024, prices soared (to $14.7B compared to last year's $2.2B... that's a 668% increase) on the regional electricity futures market since Brandon Shores and HA Wagner did not participate in the auction as those power generating plants are slated for closure...

The State of Maryland DOES NOT have an energy policy. State leaders are promoting clean energy with related greenhouse gas emission reductions but renewables (eg. wind, solar, storage) won't meet the increasing needs of Marylanders anytime soon...

A few clear paths forward exist. The immediate answer would be to convert the Brandon Shores power plant to burn natural gas (versus coal). A second path would involve the placement of Small Modular Reactors (SMRs) on the grounds of Brandon Shores where the electricity transmission lines and grid already exists (Amazon is now working with Dominion Energy in Northern Virginia to do just that). SMRs are a new generation of nuclear reactors that are smaller, safer and more flexible than traditional nuclear power plants. A few SMRs could meet all of Maryland's electrical needs for years to come while bringing calm and stability to the regional grid and your electric bills...

Longer term, Maryland should be moving forward with the building of a third nuclear reactor at Calvert Cliffs. Let the five (5) voting members of the Maryland Public Service Commission (PSC) along with your elected officials at the local, state and federal level know that higher BGE electric bills are not an option!

n.b. StopThePowerLines.org is a Kingsville, Maryland group formed to halt construction of new power transmission lines thru Harford and Baltimore counties when there is already a viable solution available - Keep the Brandon Shores Power Plant OPERATING on natural gas!

n.b. Twice now in the past 7 years or so, the original 115kV lines running thru Kingsville have been upgraded twice with a whole lot more 230kV conductors such that we now have twelve times (1200%) more electricity running thru our neighborhoods. Now comes BGE and PJM (yet again) and they want to double down and add another set of towers to add twelve times (1200%) more electricity for a total of twenty-four times (2400%) more electricity running thru this corridor. ENOUGH IS ENOUGH!