Coal Plant Shutdown Threatens Power for Millions, Grid Operator Raises Alarm
PJM Interconnection, a power grid operator serving millions of Americans, has warned that the planned shutdown of the Brandon Shores coal-fired power plant in Maryland will severely threaten electricity supplies before new power sources come online. The operator stated that the closure will disrupt the reliability of the region's grid, as transmission upgrades are not expected to be completed until 2028. PJM has requested that the plant remains in operation until then, but Talen Energy, the plant's operator, is bound by an agreement with the Sierra Club to close the facility. Negotiations are ongoing to find a solution to the reliability concerns.