Del., Maryland granted transmission line cost rehearing

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(AP) – The Federal Regulatory Commission has granted a rehearing sought by Delaware and Maryland officials over planned cost allocations for a $278 million regional electric transmission line project.

The commission on Thursday granted a rehearing sought by the two states after FERC in 2016 denied their complaint alleging that the cost-sharing formula used by regional grid operator PJM Interconnection was unfair.

The project calls for construction of a 230-kilovolt line from the Artificial Island nuclear complex in southern New Jersey to Delaware as a way to improve system reliability.

Delaware and Maryland officials have argued that ratepayers on the Delmarva peninsula would pay more than 90 percent of the cost for a project that mostly benefits New Jersey. They have urged FERC to consider alternative cost methodologies.