PJM Backstop Accepted but Suspended: February 28 Effective Date

July design: the context behind the filing

The July 27 Board action directed two filings at FERC. The RBP filing was subsequently accepted and suspended as described above. The Board design provides historical context for Reliability Backstop Procurement (RBP). Its initial central-procurement need is the 6,831 MW difference between the 2028/2029 auction's reliability requirement and cleared capacity. Qualifying bilateral contracts and self-supply commitments would reduce that volume before the central bid window.

PJM's design sets a volume-weighted maximum willingness to pay of $555/MW-day in UCAP terms. Selected resources could receive fixed commitments for as long as 15 years and must reach commercial operation by June 1, 2032. New annual demand-response and distributed-energy resources may participate if they have the required sites and contracts for the full commitment term.

The old solicitation calendar is under review

• September 29, 2026: FERC accepted the RBP filing, suspended it for five months, and established a paper hearing.
• September 30, 2026: PJM confirmed RBP did not begin as previously scheduled. All previously communicated milestones are under review, with revised timing TBD.
• February 28, 2027: Suspended effective date, subject to refund and further proceedings. This is not a confirmed bid-window opening.

The old September 30–October 21 bid window and October 22–December 2 evaluation period should no longer be used as current planning dates. FERC flagged the proposed October solicitation closing date inside the suspension window. The July design's June 1, 2032 in-service deadline is context, not proof that a resource has been selected or will operate by that date.

Who could pay

The July Board design proposed assigning backstop costs to load zones and load-serving entities associated with incremental large-load additions. A state or other retail regulatory authority could direct how costs are allocated within its jurisdiction. Where no directed approach applies, the design allows allocation across an LSE's load using peak-load contribution.

That is not a customer-specific bill forecast. The final effect depends on FERC-approved tariff language, state commission decisions, utility riders, supplier contract provisions, and each account's capacity obligation. Buyers should ask suppliers to identify whether RBP-related charges would be fixed, passed through, or reopened under a change-in-law clause.

The 50 MW large-load service line

The separate July Board proposal for Insufficient Resource Adequacy Service would place new loads of at least 50 MW at a single site, or within a one-mile area, in a Large Load Registry. New large loads without supporting supply by June 1, 2027 could be curtailed before PJM calls Pre-Emergency Load Management. Any compensation method would require FERC approval and still interact with state jurisdiction.

Starting with the 2029/2030 delivery year, incremental new load without qualifying supply would also be removed from the demand used in future capacity auctions until supporting resources are brought forward. The September 29 RBP order does not establish acceptance of this separate service proposal. Large campuses should track the separate service filing and resulting tariff before treating these terms as final obligations.

Buyer action list

• Separate status from certainty: track the accepted but suspended RBP filing, paper-hearing proceedings, and revised PJM milestones before assuming a start date or customer charge.
• Map contract exposure: identify capacity, regulatory-change, uplift, and new-rider pass-through clauses before renewal.
• For 50 MW-plus projects: document energization dates, supply arrangements, onsite resources, curtailment capability, and utility coordination.
• For flexible existing load: test whether a long-term demand-response commitment is operationally credible before treating RBP eligibility as revenue.

Sources: FERC order September 29, 2026, ER26-3380-000 and EL26-108-000; PJM announcement September 30, 2026; July 27 Board design documents. Retrieved October 6, 2026.