BALTIMORE, MD — The Maryland Public Service Commission (PSC) selected yesterday the Chalk Point Storage Project (Prince George’s County, 400 MW) and Jade Meadow III Battery Storage (Garrett County, 40 MW) under the Round 1 solicitation of the Next Generation Energy Act (NGEA). A coalition of clean energy and environmental organizations thanks the Commission for its work throughout the Case 9866 process and welcomes the approvals as a step forward for Maryland’s grid but calls on the PSC to do more.
What yesterday’s decision means:
- Progress on reliability and affordability: The selected project(s) will add 440 MW of transmission-connected, 4-hour battery storage, helping stabilize supply and demand and insulate ratepayers from peak pricing.
- Local benefits: The Chalk Point Storage Project and Jade Meadow III Battery Project are expected to bring construction jobs, permanent maintenance positions, and steady tax revenue to Prince George’s County and Garrett County.
- Next step is construction approval: The approved project(s) must still secure PSC construction approval, including additional public hearings on safety, siting, and environmental review, expected in late 2026 and into 2027.
The state’s grid — under mounting strain from PJM capacity constraints and rising demand — needs every cost-effective storage resource it can bring online.
In response to yesterday’s decision, advocates released the following statements:
“The proposals in this docket represent several years of state policymaking pertaining to grid reliability and a state storage program. 440 MW is a significant increase to our grid’s capacity. At a time when electricity affordability is a paramount concern for Marylanders, storage can reduce overall electricity system costs and can prevent rate increases by improving grid efficiency, maximizing low-cost renewable energy, and strengthening system reliability,” said Rebecca Rehr, Director of Climate Policy and Justice, Maryland League of Conservation Voters.
“Maryland should celebrate these first-round approvals, but we cannot stop at 440 megawatts when the state has set a 3,000-megawatt energy-storage goal by 2033 and sought 800 megawatts in this round alone,” said Brittany Baker, Maryland Director at Chesapeake Climate Action Network. “The Commission should build on this progress with an ambitious Round 2 that brings substantially more storage online, prioritizes responsible siting and community engagement, and gives Maryland households the reliable, affordable clean-energy grid they deserve.”
“While we commend the Commission approving these two projects for Energy Storage Capacity Credits, it missed a critical opportunity to deploy more clean capacity,” said Josh Tulkin, Sierra Club Maryland Chapter Director. “Maryland urgently needs to add more storage to the grid to combat rising electricity prices, improve reliability, and meet its climate targets. The approval of only two projects does not meet the urgency of this moment. The Commission should approve credits for more storage capacity in Round 2, including projects like the large, six-hour Oystercatcher project.”
As the PSC gears up for Round 2 solicitation, due to launch by January 1, 2027, advocates look forward to consideration of more energy storage projects that deliver the additional storage capacity Maryland needs to meet its reliability and climate goals.
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Chesapeake Climate Action Network is the first grassroots organization dedicated exclusively to raising awareness about the impacts and solutions associated with global warming in the Chesapeake Bay region. Founded in 2002, CCAN has been at the center of the fight for clean energy and wise climate policy in Maryland, Virginia, and Washington, DC.
Maryland LCV educates and activates people to take equitable and just political actions for clean water, healthy air, and climate-resilient communities.
Founded in 1892, the Sierra Club is America’s oldest and largest grassroots environmental organization. The Maryland Chapter has over 70,000 members and supporters, and the Sierra Club nationwide has approximately 800,000 members.
