Maryland awards 440 MW storage to address PJM capacity shortfall
Maryland's first energy storage procurement under the Next Generation Energy Act awarded 440 MW to two projects, a step toward its 1.6 GW goal amid PJM's grid reliability crisis.
The Maryland Public Service Commission has conditionally selected two transmission-connected energy storage projects. The awards total 440 megawatts with a four-hour duration, representing the first round of procurement under the state's Next Generation Energy Act.
Both projects will receive flat pricing for 15-year terms. The commission selected the Chalk Point and Jade Meadow III proposals as the most cost-effective and highest-ranked options following public hearings. The Next Generation Energy Act mandates at least two solicitations for a cumulative 1,600 MW of front-of-the-meter, transmission-connected storage with a minimum four-hour duration.
Project details and locations
Two transmission-connected energy storage projects received Energy Storage Capacity Credit awards. The larger facility is a 400 MW project at an existing power plant site, while the second is a smaller solar-and-storage development on reclaimed mining land.
| Project Name | Developer | Capacity & Duration | Location |
|---|---|---|---|
| Chalk Point Storage Project | Flatiron Energy | 400 MW / 1,600 MWh | NRG's Chalk Point power plant site, Aquasco, Prince George's County |
| Jade Meadow III Battery Storage Project | REV Renewables | 40 MW / 160 MWh | Reclaimed coal mine, Barton, Garrett County |
The Chalk Point Storage Project will be built at NRG's oil- and gas-fired Chalk Point power plant in southeastern Prince George's County. The Jade Meadow III Battery Storage Project is a combined solar-and-storage facility sited on a portion of a reclaimed coal mine in mountainous Garrett County, near Maryland's borders with West Virginia and Pennsylvania.
Context of PJM capacity crisis
This procurement aims to address PJM Interconnection's worsening capacity shortfall. The regional grid operator faces a projected capacity deficit of 6.8 gigawatts for the 2028-2029 delivery year, an increase of 300 MW from the previous period.
Capacity prices in the PJM market remain at the regulatory cap of $325 per megawatt-day. Federal Energy Regulatory Commission chair Laura Swett described PJM's capacity situation as a 'mess.'
State policy and future rounds
Maryland's Next Generation Energy Act, passed in 2025, requires the state to conduct at least two storage solicitations for a combined 1.6 gigawatts. The law mandates that the Maryland Public Service Commission announce project awards for the second round by October 1, 2027.
The Round 2 Request for Applications will be issued by January 1, 2027. Commission staff indicated Round 2 is expected to attract many more offers due to a pool of over 40 additional energy storage projects from PJM's Cycle 1 interconnection process.
Round 2 Request for Applications will be issued by January 1, 2027.
