PJM's Expedited Track Accepts 2,115 MW of Projects
PJM accepted the first three projects into its temporary Expedited Interconnection Track: two battery projects and one upgrade to an existing natural-gas facility totaling 2,115 MW of nameplate capacity. PJM says the projects are slated for mid-2029. Acceptance starts an accelerated interconnection path; it does not establish accredited capacity, guarantee commercial operation, or determine customer rates.
The first accepted projects
PJM published the first EIT acceptances October 8. The two battery projects account for 1,660 MW, or about 78.5% of the accepted nameplate total. The gas-facility upgrade supplies the remaining 455 MW, or about 21.5%. Those percentages describe nameplate capability only.
| Project | Resource | Location / zone | Nameplate |
|---|---|---|---|
| Wayne 345 kV | Battery storage | Crawford, Pennsylvania · PENELEC | 860 MW |
| Galion 345 kV | Battery storage | Morrow, Ohio · ATSI | 800 MW |
| Hunterstown 500 kV | Existing gas-facility upgrade | Adams, Pennsylvania · Met-Ed | 455 MW added |
What acceptance establishes
The EIT is a temporary process for advanced, large projects that have support from a relevant state siting authority and can begin operation within three years. PJM may approve up to 10 requests in each of 2026 and 2027. Each project must offer at least 250 MW of unforced capacity, the amount used for reliability credit, and PJM expects a Generation Interconnection Agreement within 10 months of submission. The process sunsets at the end of 2027.
Acceptance is a meaningful supply-pipeline milestone because PJM has moved from a proposed fast track to named projects. It remains an intermediate milestone. The announced 2,115 MW is nameplate capacity, while the qualifying rule refers to unforced capacity. The October announcement does not publish the projects' final accredited capacity or show that they have executed interconnection agreements.
Buyer interpretation
Treat these acceptances as a visible medium-term supply response, not near-term rate relief. The projects target mid-2029, and their contribution to capacity pricing will depend on completed studies, executed agreements, accreditation, construction, and actual operation. No customer-specific savings estimate follows from the accepted nameplate total.
Keep EIT and the backstop separate
The Expedited Interconnection Track accelerates study of selected projects. PJM's Reliability Backstop Procurement is a separate regulatory proceeding with its own FERC status and calendar. Do not use the EIT project list as proof that a backstop solicitation has started or that backstop costs will reach a particular account.
For the current backstop status, read PJM Backstop Accepted but Suspended: February 28 Effective Date. That owner explains the September 29 FERC order, the suspended effective date, and why earlier procurement dates are no longer current planning dates.
What to watch next
- Execution of Generation Interconnection Agreements for the three accepted projects.
- PJM's published EIT status file for additional 2026 acceptances or changed project status.
- Project-specific accredited or unforced-capacity values, which may differ from nameplate MW.
- Permitting, construction, and in-service evidence against the mid-2029 target.
Why this page changed
This route originally covered PJM's March proposal package, including the capacity-price collar and the then-proposed expedited track. The October update follows the part of that package that now has a concrete, source-reported project outcome. Earlier estimates of customer savings and per-kWh effects have been removed because they do not establish an account-level result, and the old auction and backstop dates no longer describe current conditions.