Maryland cases

Click a heading below to read the information and related documents.

MARL & Gore-Doubs-GooseCreek Cases Active, Valley Link North Submit Comments To Valley Link

Western Maryland (Garrett and Allegheny Counties)

Contact Engage Mountain Maryland  and on Facebook  and see the Engage Mountain Maryland Blog for impacts and updates

Read: Mid-Atlantic Resiliency Link (MARL) Puts Maryland Family’s Paradise in Jeopardy

Frederick and Montgomery  – Contact us here or  on Facebook and let us know your opposition group!

Valley Link North Must Do

Read: How to Engage in the MD CPCN Process

Read : More Information on the Maryland Public Service Commission 

Maryland Transmission Case Details

MD PSC Mid-Atlantic Resiliancy Link (MARL) Case 9857 In-Progress

Mid-Atlantic Resiliency Link (MARL)

The Mid -Atlantic Resiliency Link (MARL) and  Gore-Doubs-Goose Creek applications are two segments of the same transmission line.  The energy is being pulled from multiple West Virginia power plants from the 502 Junction in Pennsylvania to the delivery point – the Goose Creek Substation – in Loudoun County’s Data Center Alley.  There will be two cases at the Maryland Public Service Commission but it is the same transmission line! 

NextERA is proposing to take a new 200′ easement for their portion of the 500kV line through  Garrett and Allegheny counties in Maryland.  This impacts rural property owners  as well as the wildlands. Specifically, Big Savage Mountain Wildland, Bear Pen Wildland and Dan’s Mountain Wildland  This would be a brand new 200′ easement through all three(3) wildlands,  Bear Pen Wildland does not have any transmission line easements at all at this time.

See NextERA’s MARL Project Map

MD PSC Case Number: 9857  

Procedural Dates :

  • April 3, 2026 Intervenor Deadline
  • September 30, 2026 MD PPRP status update
  • July 1, 2027 Direct Testimony Deadline
  • Week Of July 19, 2027, Public comment hearings, date, location , time tbd
  • August 9, 2027 PPRP Status : If contested issues remain between any of the Parties as of August 9, 2027, a further procedural schedule will be developed for supplemental, rebuttal and surrebuttal testimony, as well as for a contested evidentiary hearing, after consultation with the Parties. This further procedural schedule will address a shortened time frame for responses to any additional data requests. If there are no contested issues as of August 9, 2027, an evidentiary hearing will be held on August 23, 2027.

MD PSC Gore-Doubs-GooseCreek Case 9870 In-Progress

Gore-Doubs-Goose Creek Improvements

The Mid -Atlantic Resiliency Link (MARL) and  Gore-Doubs-Goose Creek applications are two segments of the same transmission line.  The energy is being pulled from multiple West Virginia power plants from the 502 Junction in Pennsylvania to the delivery point – the Goose Creek Substation – in Loudoun County’s Data Center Alley.  There will be two cases at the Maryland Public Service Commission but it is the same transmission line! 

The Gore-Doubs-GooseCreek Improvements Project  impacts private property owners in Frederick and Montgomery counties  in Maryland and the C&O Canal National Historical Park, Dickerson Conservation Area, Banner Park,  Monocacy NRMA, Sugarloaf Mountain, and Owens Park 

The Gore-Woodside-GooseCreek segment  of this application is part of the Mid-Atlantic Resiliency Link Project. It requires a special use exemption from the Frederick County Board Of Supervisors. 

Read how this line was re-routed into Maryland by Loudoun County. 

The Doubs-Aspen segment is part of the Maryland Piedmont Reliability Project (MPRP)

From the Gore Doubs Goose Creek application: “Potomac Edison plans to utilize self-supporting steel poles as the support structures for the transmission line conductors. Based on preliminary engineering, Potomac Edison anticipates using structure heights ranging anywhere from approximately 85 feet to approximately 260 feet in height above ground level.”

The proposal is a rebuild within the existing easements through Frederick and Montgomery counties in Maryland. For some properties in Frederick and Montgomery, south of the Doubs substation, the project will result in 3 – 500kV and 2 – 230 lines in the existing two easements. 

In addition to the Special Exemption required by Frederick County to cross these Resource Conservation and Agriculture zones,  this application raises  serious property rights issues concerning the existing easements. 

Easements are deeded for a specific purpose, there are two existing easements one for each existing transmission line, the plats would show a center line and possibly the positions of the structures.  Easement rights are not unrestricted. Adding two additional 500kV lines on 3 parallel structures would be in conflict with the existing easement deeds and would contradict Maryland easement laws.   Similar conflicts with easement laws are being raised by the property owners at No More Powerlines  who have been fighting MD PUC Case 9748. 

See FirstEnergy’s Gore-Doubs-GooseCreek Project Map

See First Energy’s Maryland Fact Sheet

MD PSC Case Number:  Case No. 9870

Procedural Dates:

  • April 20, 2026 Intervenor Deadline
  • May 5, 2026 PPRP Status, PPRP recommended the Application be deemed Incomplete
  • September 28, 2026 PPRP Status Update
  • September 30, 2027 Direct Testimony due
  • November 2, 2027 – Status Update, if there are no contested issues the evidentiary hearing will be November 16, 2027

Read: The Gore-Doubs-Goose Creek Application and notes

MD PSC Valley Link North Case TBD Application Expected Fall 2026

Valley Link North

This 765kV line is proposed take new  200′ easements for its entire length, from the John Amos power station in Putnam County, West Virginia, thru Garrett County, Maryland, West Virginia and Virginia counties. It would terminate at a new 765kV substation, named Rocky Point, that would be located @ 2 miles south of the Doubs substation in Frederick County, Maryland. These lines are proposed to be on v-structs with guyed-wire,  these are the largest structures and highest voltage available. Typically, 765kV  substations take 80 – 120 acres .  This infrastructure is massive and will be a significant industrialization of the area if it is approved. 

See the Valley Link North Project Site for additional information (Maps Available here ) 

If your property is in a study area enter your comments to First Energy 

(Instructions are here.)

Valley Link North Must Do

Maryland Transmission Case Details — source image; open to enlarge
Maryland Transmission Case Details — source image; open to enlarge
Maryland Transmission Case Details — source image; open to enlarge

MARYLAND PUBLIC SERVICE COMMISSION

Recent Cases  (for examples of document filings  

(scroll through and use a filing that says “(pro se) Motion To Intervene” ) as an example if you are going to represent yourself)

  • Case 9773 PSEG Maryland Piedmont Reliability Project (MPRP) 

                  For examples of what to file see the “(pro se) Motion To Intervene” files #5, #7, #8, #12 …)

                  Landowners opposing this line:  stopmprp.com

If your property is impacted by the  Gore-Doubs-Goose Creek line  we suggest reviewing the landowner (Limited Intervenors) case filings (documents numbered 72, 73, 78, 111, 112, 113, 118, 119, 120,  134, 137 and 142 especially the post hearing briefs as these have easement  information as well as case law ).  The BGE case is similarly proposed “within the existing easements” as is Gore-Doubs-Goose Creek.  Get a copy of the easement documents for your property and review them with a land lawyer.  You may have a similar case to be made that P does not have unrestricted access to add an additional 2 500kV transmission line across your property – even if it is within the easement.  

Maryland Additional Information

Please review the Easement Information and read how property owners in West Virginia were treated by the land agents in the TrAIL and PATH cases. Don’t be taken advantage of!

Gore-Doubs-Goose Creek Maryland Application 9870

This project adds 2 – 500kV lines into Data Center Alley

The Gore-Doubs-GooseCreek Improvements application for a CPCN includes components of three separate transmission projects:

  1. A re-build of the existing 60 year old 500kV line previously planned (MD PSC Case No. 9669 and VA SCC Case PUR-2021-00276 ) that was applied for in 2021 and would have satisfied the energy demand but for the data center build out. These applications were  canceled although the VA one was already approved  
  2. A 500kV (Doubs-Aspen) to move the power from the MPRP line from PA thru Doubs to Data Center Alley  and 
  3. A 500kV segment (Woodside- Goose Creek)  of the MARL/Gore-Doubs-GooseCreek line from the 502 Junction bypassing Doubs and continuing to Data Center Alley. Read how the Woodside-Goose Creek line was re-routed into Maryland by Loudoun County

=>  Approval of this project assumes that both MPRP and MARL are also approved, because without MPRP and MARL there is no additional energy for the two new 500kV lines!

 Notes from the Application:

  • Pg 3: The company is requesting a final order by December 20, 2027
  • Pg 6: Additional authorizations: Frederick County Department of Permits and Inspections … zoning types crossed in Frederick County include Resource Conservation and Agriculture according to the Frederick County Zoning Code these zoning types require a special exception with a site development approval 
  • Pg 7: “two sets of lattice structures supporting an existing 500kV line and two 230kV lines will be removed and replaced with three sets of steel structures that will support five transmission lines total (the existing lines plus two new 500kV lines)“
  • Pg 13: “Potomac Edison plans to utilize self-supporting steel poles as the support structures for the transmission line conductors. Based on preliminary engineering, Potomac Edison anticipates using structure heights ranging anywhere from approximately 185 feet to approximately 260 feet in height above ground level.”
  • Pg 17: ” The  project area is home to forest resources, including within the C&O  Canal National Historical Park, Dickerson Conservation Area, Banner  Park, Monocacy NRMA, Sugarloaf Mountain, and Owens Park.” 
  • Pg 22: Lists alternatives submitted by the company and states that “PJM ultimately selected the Project subject to this CPCN submission.”   That is not exactly true PJM selected NextERA’s proposal in December of 2023 then approved an Alternate MARL Re-Route in August of 2024 that re-routed the MARL line into Frederick and Montgomery counties in order to accommodate  Loudoun County’s routing preference. Then PJM assigned the new Woodside – Goose Creek segment to the company.  The re-route added an additional  $167M to the overall project cost to PJM rate payers.
Download MD_9870_Gore-Doubs-Goose_CPCN_Application

Mid-Atlantic Resiliency Link (MARL) => Alternate Route MARL

A bit of history on the MARL/Gore-Doubs-GooseCreek Project. The Mid-Atlantic Resiliency Link project approved by PJM in December of 2023, contained within Loudoun County, Virginia .  The project route in December of 2023,  did not cross the Potomac River and run through Frederick and Montgomery counties and back across the Potomac River into Data Center Alley. 

StopMARLVirginia proposed alternate routes down highways from West VA that connect to Route 7, and down Route 7  which  leads directly to the center of “Data Center Alley”, or alternately  underground HVDC, as had been investigated for the PATH project. But we did not have a seat at the negotiating table  as we are in the vicinity of the “alternative route” preferred by Loudoun County’s BOS.

To make a long story short, NextEra did not hold public meetings or make routing maps available for comments in any state prior to the August 2024 re-route. PJM  accommodated Loudoun County’s elected officials preferences for local routing and re-configured the project, at an additional cost of $167.28M to PJM Regional ratepayers (a 24% increase in the cost of the project).  PJM also shifted the in-service date for the project four and a half years from June 30, 2027 to December 31, 2031 .  Apparently, the brownouts and blackouts used to justify the project need date of 2027 have also magically “shifted” four and a half years. 

The articles below provide the sequence of events:

1) December 13, 2023: Loudoun Now PJM Advances Proposal For Transmission Line In Western Loudoun

2) April 17, 2024: 

3) July 5, 2024: Loudoun Now: LTLA Releases MARL Impact Study NextEra to Consider Alternate Route

4)July 9, 2024: Loudoun Now:PJM Considers Alternate Route for Western Loudoun Power Line

  • “Del. Geary Higgins (R-30) who has been working with residents, community groups, NextEra, PJM and Gov. Glenn  Youngkin to have the line moved said, while it is still early in the  process to change the route, he was hopeful. “We have been advocating that  this is the only reasonable and acceptable alternative since day one,” he  told Loudoun Now. He said the community input was a crucial part of  the conversation. “The people had their voice heard,” he said.”
  • “Sen. Russet Perry (D-31) agreed  adding that she was “cautiously optimistic.” “While the      proposed route change is a clear testament to both the power of citizen  participation and the willingness of Next Era to engage with local  stakeholders, I am still very aware that the new route has its own opposition and concerns, and I plan to be involved in the additional  discussions and meetings surrounding the new route,” she said. “

5) August 9, 2024 :Loudoun Now: PJM Board Approves Alternate Powerline Route

6) August 12, 2024 : Loudoun Times: PJM Recommends New Transmission Route Using Existing Corridors

7) Loudoun Living: Loudoun County Board Challenges Proposed Transmission Line Route To Protect Local Heritage  “As the approval process unfolds, Loudoun County will serve as a referral agency for the proposals within its jurisdiction, with the State Corporation Commission (SCC) overseeing the final approval.”  Loudoun County has no jurisdiction over any of this!

Mid-Atlantic Resiliency Link (MARL) => Alternate Route MARL — source image; open to enlarge
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