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PUC Sets Feb. 11 Hearings On PPL Transmission Line Projects In York County Related To Three Mile Island, Peach Bottom

On January 13, the Public Utility Commission Office of Administrative Law Judge announced public input hearings to gather feedback on multiple applications filed by PPL Electric Utilities Corporation (PPL) for electric transmission line projects.

These projects involve constructing, rebuilding, and upgrading key transmission lines and associated facilities in parts of Chanceford, East Hopewell, and Hopewell townships in York County, which PPL says are necessary to address transmission reliability issues associated with data center load growth in the mid-Atlantic region.

The PUC public input hearings for this case will be held February 11 at 1:00 p.m. and 6:00 p.m. at the Chanceford Township Municipal Office, 33 Muddy Creek Forks Road, Brogue, PA 17309

PUC Administrative Law Judge Jeffrey Watson will preside over the hearings.

Pre-registration is not required to testify at an in-person public input hearing. There will be a sign-up sheet in the hearing room.

PPL Transmission Line Filings

The filings submitted by PPL address the following projects:

-- New Transmission Lines: PPL proposes to build two new 500-kilovolt (kV) transmission lines including the Three Mile Island – Chanceford 500 kV Line and the Chanceford – Peach Bottom kV Line between the existing Three Mile Island – Peach Bottom 500 kV transmission line and a proposed electrical switchyard in Chanceford Township.

-- Upgraded Existing Lines: PPL’s plans include rebuilding several existing lines, including the existing Otter Creek – Conastone 230 kV transmission line for future double circuit 500 kV capacity (the Chanceford – Doubs 500 kV transmission line and the Otter Creek – Conastone 500/230 kV transmission line).

Additionally, PPL has filed for the following:

-- New Switchyard Structure: PPL is also seeking approval related to a structure to shelter electrical and control equipment at a proposed switchyard in Chanceford Township.

-- Land Acquisition: An application to use eminent domain to acquire a right of way and easements over a portion of land in Chanceford Township, York County, for the proposed Chanceford Switchyard associated with the proposed Chanceford 500 kV transmission line rebuilding project.

Requests for Interpreters

If you require an interpreter, please contact Judge Watson’s office at (412) 565-3550 or via email at mswarner@pa.gov, as soon as possible to allow enough time to arrange for an interpreter. If you request an interpreter, we will make every reasonable effort to have one present.

Offering Testimony at a Public Input Hearing

The PUC offers tips on how to participate in a public input hearing, including: Prepare what you are going to say beforehand. Even though it is not required, you may want to write out your statement, which can be read.

Any formal testimony that is offered during the hearing will become part of the record on which the PUC will issue its final decision.

Understand that parties in the case may want to ask you a question to clarify something you said.

Documents related to these proposals can be found at PUC Docket Nos.: A-2024-3051167, P-2024-3051163, and A-2024-3051213.

Click Here for the PUC announcement.

NewsClip:

-- York Dispatch: PUC To Hold Hearings On PPL Transmission Line Projects In York County

Extreme Cold Alert!

-- Public Utility Commission Urges Consumers To Prepare For Extreme Cold Next Week [PaEN]

-- Shapiro Administration Urges Readiness In Advance Of Dangerous Cold Weather

-- PJM Interconnection: New All-Time Peak Electricity Demand Possible Jan. 20-22; PJM Working With Gas Generators To Try To Get Them Online Before Extreme Cold Hits [PaEN]

-- Bloomberg: Wintry Blast To Unleash Snow, Test Electric Grids From Midwest To NYC

PA Oil & Gas Industry Public Notice Dashboards:

-- PA Oil & Gas Weekly Compliance Dashboard - Jan. 11 to 17 - More Abandoned Shale Gas, Than Conventional Wells So Far In 2025; Failed Act 2 Cleanup; Acid Forming Rock; Expired Permits [PaEN]

-- What The Shale Gas Industry Is Leaving Behind: Diversified Production LLC Starts 2025 With 11 Violations For Abandoning, Not Plugging Shale Gas Wells [PaEN]

-- PA Oil & Gas Industrial Facilities: Permit Notices, Opportunities To Comment - January 18 [PaEN]

-- DEP Posted 107 Pages Of Permit-Related Notices In January 18 PA Bulletin [PaEN]

What The Shale Gas, Conventional Oil & Gas Industry Is Leaving Behind:

-- What The Shale Gas Industry Is Leaving Behind: Diversified Production LLC Starts 2025 With 11 Violations For Abandoning, Not Plugging Shale Gas Wells [PaEN]

-- What The Conventional Oil & Gas Industry Is Leaving Behind: Abandoned Conventional Oil & Gas Wells On Federal Lands - Shenango River Lake, Allegheny National Forest [PaEN]

-- What The Shale Gas Industry Is Leaving Behind: DEP: Diversified Production LLC Failed To Plug 2 Abandoned Shale Gas Wells For 42 Months + At Least 9 Other Shale Gas Wells Abandoned [PaEN]

-- What The Shale Gas Industry Is Leaving Behind: DEP: Nucomer Energy LLC Fails To Restore Shale Gas Well Pad, Water Impoundment In Forest County For More Than 12 Years After Drilling Was Completed [PaEN]

-- What The Shale Gas Industry Is Leaving Behind: DEP Issues 10 Violations To Big Dog Energy, LLC, Diversified Production LLC For Abandoning Shale Gas Wells; Violations For Shale Gas Abandonments More Than Doubled In 2024 [PaEN]

Related Articles This Week:

-- Registration Now Open! 2025 Shale Gas & Public Health Conference At Duquesne University, Pittsburgh, Online Feb. 27 [PaEN]

-- Rep. Vitali Introduces Bill To Ban Road Dumping Millions Of Gallons Of Conventional Oil & Gas Wastewater, Supported By The Shapiro Administration [PaEN]

-- Post-Gazette Editorial: Oil & Gas Companies Need Greater Incentives To Cap Their Old Wells [Higher Well Plugging Bonds Needed To Keep Number Of Abandoned Wells From Rising]

-- Rep. Vitali Introduces Bill To Establish DEP Environmental Justice Permit Review Program In Law, Analyze Cumulative Impacts Of Pollution From Facilities, Supported By DEP [PaEN]

-- EPA Issues Permit To Seneca Resources Company For Elk County Oil & Gas Wastewater Injection Well [PaEN]

-- TECfusions Unveils Massive 1,400-Acre Data Center Project With 3 Gigawatts Of Natural Gas-Fired Power Generation In Westmoreland County [PaEN]

-- 30 Stakeholder Comments Received By PUC On Adequacy Of Electricity Supplies In Pennsylvania; Increasing Natural Gas Power Plant Reliability To 90-95% Would Mean No Imminent Capacity Problem [PaEN]

-- Gov. Shapiro Threatens To Pull Pennsylvania Out Of PJM If It Does Not Protect Consumers Against Soaring Power Prices [PaEN]

-- PUC Commissioner Kathryn Zerfuss Appointed To National Committees On Natural Gas, Pipeline Safety

-- PennTAP: Small & Mid-Size Industries Must Complete An Energy Technical Assessment Report To Be Eligible For RISE PA Decarbonization Grants [PaEN]

-- DEP Hosts Jan. 24 Webinar Q&A On RISE PA Decarbonization Grant Program [PaEN]

-- NASEO Hosts Jan. 27 Webinar On RISE PA Decarbonization Grant Program, PA Energy Programs For Industry [PaEN]

-- PA Solar Center Hosts Jan. 31 Webinar On RISE PA Decarbonization Grant Program For Industry [PaEN]

NewsClips:

-- PennLive Letter: There Must Be More Oversight Of Dangerous Fracking Wastewater In PA - By Dr. Robert Little