by Fiona Lipczenko ‘25

Public Service Enterprise Group (PSEG), a Mid-Atlantic local energy company, has proposed the Maryland Piedmont Reliability Project (MPRP), consisting of constructing a 70 mile long power line throughout Western Maryland. PSEG claims the project is necessary for power grid reliability and affordability, though landowners, economists, and environmentalists have voiced concerns against MPRP. Maryland must find more environmentally sustainable solutions to its energy needs.

Maryland’s power grid is the most congested in the Mid-Atlantic, due to limited transmission infrastructure and recent power plant closures. PSEG claims the power line project is necessary to meet Maryland’s growing consumer demand. According to MPRP Project Director Jason Kalwa, “there will be rolling brown-outs and blackouts if this project is not placed in service by June of 2027.” PJM and PSEG are pushing for rapid progress in the project’s development.

However, not everyone shares such perspectives on the power line. Local homeowners and farmers have expressed unease about the possibility of PSEG invoking eminent domain, forcing them to abandon their livelihoods. Frederick County Council wrote to PJM and PSEG to advocate for more transparency and inclusion of residents in the development process. According to a letter from one such exchange, “the new transmission lines … will directly and negatively impact current homes, businesses and farms (many of which are in agricultural preservation programs utilizing state and/or local funds), historical preservation sites, and will diminish the property values of thousands of Frederick County residents.” Numerous affected counties actively oppose MPRP, though their County Councils cannot prevent the power line from being built. It is up to residents impacted by MPRP to speak out.

The proposal to build such a power line also raises environmental concerns. It is still unclear what route the power line will take, but it will most likely transmit power from a nuclear or coal plant. Coal power is notorious for contributing to air pollution and nuclear power furthers global warming through thermal water pollution. PSEG claims to be devoted to clean energy; however, the energy they utilize may not be so environmentally friendly as intended. What Maryland needs is a transition away from non-renewable energy and pollutants, towards green energy sources, such as geothermal. If PSEG is truly dedicated to alleviating unreliability and high expenses, green energy will serve them better in the long run. Though more costly upfront, renewable energy sources save money over time. They also protect the sustainability of the world.

Due to the number of Maryland power plants being retired, it is still uncertain whether MPRP will even fix the problem at hand. According to Kalwa, “MPRP is the first of several transmission line projects across Maryland that aim to bolster the reliability of the state’s power grid.” Maryland may be in for more future energy projects than anticipated, which could mean negative impacts for residents of many other counties, including Montgomery. Invasive power lines and non-renewable energy does not only affect Western Maryland residents. Soon, it will affect everyone. Maryland residents must stand up for themselves and for the greater good of the planet.