The details: That’s the major takeaway from PJM’s new proposal—Interim Resource Adequacy Service (IRAS)—that it filed with FERC last week. Yes, another acronym. Under IRAS, new large loads lacking fresh capacity would be ordered to reduce power use when regional supplies are dangerously tight. In these situations, PJM would alert utilities to curb or transfer demand from these heavy power users before any other customers.
The big picture: IRAS aligns with the White House’s Ratepayer Protection Pledge, PJM noted, which encourages large loads to shield other customers from new generation costs. Other grid operators, including ERCOT and SPP, have offered similar large-load proposals.
The confusion: Large loads that comply with IRAS may receive credits. You may be thinking: Who’s paying for them? That’s up to states and utilities to figure out, the grid operator said.
What’s next: PJM has asked FERC to accept its submission by mid-October. If the proposal pans out, PJM will exclude large loads sans new supply from future capacity targets (beginning with the 2029/30 auction).
Sun, Aug 16
Molly Glick
Energy Central Team
NEWS: PJM to data centers: BYO new capacity…or get curtailed.
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