For Immediate Release
August 8, 2012 Contact: Jeff Tittel, NJ Sierra Club, 609-558-9100
Susquehanna-Roseland Line Should Be Cancelled
Today the PJM Transmission Expansion Advisory Committee (TEAC) announced that a major powerline expansion project similar to the Susquehanna-Roseland line should be cancelled.Due to falling demand, new generation plants, and the efficiency of demand response programs, the Mid Atlantic Power Pathway (MAPP) project in Maryland and Delaware was scrapped.This project along with Susquehanna-Roseland, was proposed as part of Project Mountaineer, a FERC devised plan to increase connections between Mid-Western coal plants and the East Coast.The Susquehanna-Roseland line should also be stopped as similar programs on demand response, new energy sources, and dropping need are also seen here in New Jersey, obviating the need for the project.
"Cancelling the MAPP line is great news and shows these types of transmission projects are unnecessary to meet our energy needs.We need to pull the plug on the Susquehanna-Roseland line too," *said Jeff Tittel, Director, NJ Sierra Club*."The Susquehanna-Roseland line is not needed.PSE&G is fleecing ratepayers to finance dirty coal.PJM should kill this project." New Jersey has approved four new natural gas plants in the past year that will produce 2600 megawatts (MW).One of the plants, LS Power in South Jersey, is already in operation and earlier this summer construction started on the new Woodbridge plant.Two New Jersey coal plants are being rebuilt to run on natural gas, the Deepwater plant and BL England.Close to two dozen combined heat and power projects have been approved in the last two years.Our solar sector is now back on track after recent legislation was passed with 700 MW already on line.With these new generation facilities, we do not need to import more coal-fired power from out of state.
"Energy efficiency, conservation, renewable energy, and new power plants have made the Susquehanna-Roseland line unnecessary.We need to investing in clean energy and efficiency, not in the fossil fuelishness of the past.PJM should cancel this line just like they cancelled the MAPP line, and PATH line before it," said Jeff Tittel. Demand for energy is decreasing as our energy efficiency and demand response programs are working.A report by the Electric Power Research Institute in September found that over the next ten years, energy demand will decline by about 0.5 percent each year. This is on top of a significant decline in the demand growth rate from 2000 to 2010. Demand across all sectors is only expected to grow by 0.7 percent per year through 2035.
"Across the country 114 coal plants are slated for retirement.We should be investing in clean energy technologies and demand response, not the dirty polluting fossil fuel infrastructure of the past, including the Susquehanna-Roseland line," said Jeff Tittel. The Susquehanna-Roseland line would cut through some of the most environmentally sensitive areas in New Jersey, including the Delaware Water Gap National Recreation Area and the Highlands region.The project would impact waterways, wetlands, and forests to import more dirty coal energy.
"This projects not only hurts our environment, but our economy as well.With this project we will be shipping jobs and money to Pennsylvania and importing more pollution in return," said Jeff Tittel.
-- Kate Millsaps Program Assistant NJ Chapter of the Sierra Club 609-656-7612