PSEG Renewable Transmission LLC, a developer, has officially applied to construct the Maryland Piedmont Reliability Project with the state. The proposed high-voltage transmission line, which spans Baltimore, Carroll, and Frederick Counties, is seeking approval from the Maryland Public Service Commission (PSC), as reported by FOX Baltimore.

In applying for the Certificate of Public Convenience and Necessity (CPCN), PSEG has highlighted severe reliability violations forecasted by PJM Interconnection, which manages the regional power grid, predicting potential widespread blackouts and voltage collapse by 2027 if unaddressed. According to PSEG, the MPRP represents the most cost-effective and reliable resolution to these vulnerabilities. "This project is needed to preserve grid reliability for Maryland consumers as electricity demand increases and generation resources are retiring both in the state and in the broader PJM region," said Paul McGlynn, Vice President – Planning at PJM. "Transmission overloads this severe can lead to widespread and extreme conditions such as system collapse and blackouts if not addressed," McGlynn told WBAL-TV.

However, the project has sparked a debate over its benefits to Maryland. Senate Benjamin Brooks, who represents Baltimore County, preferred alternative solutions such as Grid Enhancement Technologies (GETs) that wouldn't require building the 70 miles of high-voltage towers, which he fears would burden Marylanders with additional costs for decades. Brooks' sentiments reflect the concerns of other lawmakers and public feedback gathered before the filing.