Across the country, rapidly increasing demand from data centers, electric vehicles and building electrification has created a need for improved transmission capacity.

In several east coast states, plans are underway to address that need. On Feb. 26, 2025, the PJM Board of Managers authorized additions and changes to its Regional Transmission Expansion Plan (RTEP). The action includes approval of projects to address increasing load growth in the various areas served by the regional transmission organization (RTO).

Of note, the proposals include a 765-kilovolt transmission line connecting the distribution system owned by the participating utility, American Electric Power (AEP), located in the western portion of the region with the central and southern portions within the network overseen by the RTO. The state of Virginia, home to “Data Center Alley,” the world’s largest concentration of data centers, will be one the beneficiaries of this new line.

That project includes the building approximately 260 miles of 765-kV transmission line and two substations between Putnam County, W.Va., and Frederick County, Md., approximately 155 miles of 765-kV transmission line and a substation between Campbell and Fauquier counties in Virginia, and a new substation in Caroline County, Va.

Overall, the PJM-approved projects include an investment of nearly $6 billion in transmission system enhancements.

PJM is the RTO that coordinates the transmission and distribution of electricity in all or parts of 13 states in the Midwest and Atlantic regions, including Delaware, Illinois, Indiana, Kentucky, Maryland, Michigan, New Jersey, North Carolina, Ohio, Pennsylvania, Tennessee, Virginia and West Virginia, as well as the District of Columbia.

The RTEP was approved in August of 2024. Since then, PJM has identified the need for additional enhancements to meet growing demands, which is accounted for in the new work that was approved.