It also said existing rights should be utilized to lay power lines.
FREDERICK, MD (KM) – The proposed Maryland Piedmont Reliability Project has stirred debate and strong opposition among Frederick County residents – a proposed 500 kilovolt transmission line from northern Baltimore County through Carroll County to the Doobs substation in Adamstown, Frederick County.
New Jersey's Public Service Enterprise Group was awarded a contract to build the line by PJM Intercontinental, the regional grid manager, but some Frederick County residents say they weren't informed early enough, and many landowners are upset that PSEG has said it won't rule out using public lands to acquire land needed for the line.
Tom Haterly, a retired energy consultant, says the state can't let PSEG control the project and that the state has to get involved. “There's so many opportunities right now and especially going forward,” he says. “But if just one company comes in and makes its own decisions and dominates the field, it's going to squander those opportunities.”
One of those opportunities, he says, has to do with the type of technology being proposed for the project. Hataly says the technology currently proposed is about 100 years old. “The old technology is basically steel-clad aluminum conductors. There were actually improvements made to it in the 1970s. Saying it's 100 years old is a bit of an exaggeration because there have been improvements made along the way,” he says.
Hataly said the new technology would allow the same cable to transmit at least twice as much power compared to current technology. “Carbon fiber is available. If you use carbon fiber in these cables, they're lighter, they're stronger and they don't sag,” he said.
“Not only is it more efficient, but it also loses half the energy of a traditional cable, so it's more efficient in that sense,” Hataly continues.
The proposed alternative would run through farmland in Frederick County, much of which is already in farmland conservation. Critics of the plan say it would make it harder for farmers to continue using their land, growing crops and raising livestock. Haterly said PSEG should use existing rights-of-way for the transmission line. “The company may not be able to privately access something, but the state can certainly allow it to use existing rights-of-way,” he said.
Critics also say the electricity these lines would send would be used by data centers in Northern Virginia. Haterly says that's a good thing because data centers are “economic engines,” good employers and “clean industries.” But he says he's looking for ways to make all of this happen together, rather than one company dictating everything.
Haterly, who serves as a state representative for Frederick County, said he has always been an environmentalist and conservationist, but he said it's best to never compromise the quality of life for residents. Haterly said he's looking for ways to meet everyone's needs, but in a cleaner, more efficient way.
The Frederick County Council is scheduled to debate and vote on a resolution opposing the project Tuesday night.
A final decision on the MPRP will be made by the Maryland Public Utilities Commission after a series of public hearings.
Kevin McManus
