Commission Watch

Is the "pathway concept" the answer to Virginia's qualms?

PJM, at its annual meeting, announced a plan to integrate ComEd into PJM by Oct. 1, pursuant to FERC's April 1 order, despite Virginia's saying no to membership by American Electric Power (AEP) or any other jurisdictional utility, according to PJM spokesman Ray Dotter. PJM introduced the "pathway concept" as a way to work around that state while the jurisdictional issues are being fought at FERC. (May 16 was the deadline for filings at FERC on whether the integration can proceed.)

If AEP does not become a PJM member, Exelon, ComEd's parent, and other market participants would use firm transmission capacity that they have purchased from AEP to link PJM and ComEd. "So folks who are not using their firm transmission capacity can contribute that to an aggregation that would function as sort of a virtual transmission line" Dotter explained.

He added that it is not a single line, but the combination of capacities over whatever lines are between ComEd and PJM, and that pathway would be operated and managed by PJM as a dynamic transmission line. The line would be subject to the same constraints as an actual transmission line.

It will be a two-way link so that power can flow in both directions.

So far, a few hundred megawatts are available from ComEd and Exelon, but PJM believes others might also contribute. For example, if a plant goes down for maintenance, that capacity for a month's down time could be used.