WV PSC objects to NextEra’s MARL route changes, cites missing info
CHARLESTON, W.Va (WCHS) — The Mid Atlantic Resiliency Link, or MARL, is a 107.5 mile long transmission line which would run through parts of Northern West Virginia to supply power to Virginia's data center hub.
"West virginians are being asked to subsidize economic growth in another state. We're basically being asked to be an extension cord. Let's run the cord across the state and let's make West Virginia pay for that cord which is just not fair," West Virginians Against Transmission Injustice Preisdent, Tony Campbell said.
Next Era Transmission proposed what it calls, minor route changes to the project. This causing the PSC to object, noting these changes could impact land owners who were not notified previously, not giving them enough time to respond before the evidentiary hearing.
"The Public Service Commission staff has come back and said this this application is not ready to go. It's missing information. Next Era has had to go back and correct correct a lot of information and what the staff is saying is we we can't proceed on our jobs because we're just missing too much information," Campbell said.
Campbell said they feel the case should be dismissed and Next Era should have to start over. He noted that the application has had countless errors in it since the company submitted it.
However, with the propsed route changes, the price tag for this project continues to go up.
"When PJM awarded the contract to Next Era, their bid for this line was $441 million that was just less than three years ago. They put that price in and then last fall right before they filed their application with the Public Service Commission, Next Era jacked that cost up to $900 million more than doubling it and now it's up to $1.2 billion and then it could go up another million dollars, which would be $1.3 billion," he said.
According to the PSC docket, 7,419 people are against this project and 153 people are in support.
The submission date for direct testimony is September 8th and the evidentiary hearing is set to begin on October 26th.