Delaware Gov, John Carney and Maryland Gov. Larry Hogan on Tuesday sent a letter to members of the Federal Energy Regulatory Commission, urging commissioners to expedite their review of the $278 million Artificial Island transmission line project and consider a financing model that does not unfairly burden electric ratepayers on the Delmarva Peninsula.
Carney and Hogan urged FERC to consider alternative cost methodologies presented in June by PJM’s Board of Managers. Under PJM’s alternative methods for cost allocation, Delmarva ratepayers would fund approximately 7-10 percent of the project costs.
The plan would send a power line into the Red Lion area in Delaware. That would stabilize the grid around the Salem nuclear power plant complex in New Jersey, which sits in a relatively isolated area away from population centers.
The two states would receive little benefit from the project.
As currently financed, residential and commercial electric ratepayers on Delmarva would fund more than 90 percent of the cost of the project through higher electric bills, while receiving few of the project’s direct benefits. Governors Carney and Hogan previously appealed the cost allocation to FERC, and urged PJM to support a more equitable solution for ratepayers on Delmarva.
“We remain optimistic that FERC will consider a financing plan for this project that will not unfairly burden businesses and families on the Delmarva Peninsula,” said Carney. “As we’ve said all along, as currently financed, this is a bad deal for Delaware ratepayers, who would be asked to finance this project, while receiving few direct benefits. Thank you to FERC commissioners for considering our request to expedite their review. And thank you to Governor Hogan for his continued partnership and leadership on this issue.”
“Our administration has expressed our repeated opposition to any proposal that unfairly and inequitably allocates the costs associated with this project,” said Hogan. “Maryland will continue to stand with Delaware to protect our citizens from disproportionately paying hundreds millions of dollars in rate increases, and we will continue to work with all stakeholders to reach a speedy, reasonable, and equitable solution to this process.”
