What is MARL?

The Mid-Atlantic Resiliency Link (MARL) is a proposed 107.5-mile, 500-kV transmission line spanning Pennsylvania, West Virginia, Virginia, and Maryland, with the primary purpose of delivering power to Northern Virginia data centers. The proposed route is planned to run parallel to existing transmission lines and roads to minimize impact on communities and ecosystems in Garrett and Allegany counties.

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Who is NextEra Energy?

NextEra Energy Transmission (a subsidiary of NextEra Energy, Inc.) is developing the MidAtlantic Resiliency Link (MARL), a proposed 500-kilovolt, 107-mile transmission line running from Pennsylvania to Virginia. Selected by PJM Interconnection, MARL aims to strengthen grid reliability, with construction aimed for 2029 despite local opposition.

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What is PJM?

MARL is part of the PJM Interconnection power grid, which is the largest regional transmission organization (RTO) in the United States, managing the electric grid and wholesale electricity market for over 65 million people across 13 states (including PA, NJ, MD, OH, IL, VA) and Washington, D.C. As a neutral grid operator regulated by the Federal Energy Regulatory Commission (FERC), it ensures grid reliability, coordinates 88,115+ miles of transmission lines, and operates competitive day-ahead and real-time energy markets.

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What is MPRP?

The Maryland Piedmont Reliability Project (MPRP) is a proposed 70-mile, 500-kilovolt high-voltage transmission line developed by PSEG and managed by PJM to improve regional grid reliability. It would run through Baltimore, Carroll, and Frederick Counties, facing significant opposition due to its impact on farmland, forests, and residential properties. This is a significant project because it predates the MARL line in Garrett and Allegany Counties. What happens in central Maryland could set a precedent for other Maryland counties. StopMPRP is an advocacy group working to disrupt the project and protect property owners subjected to potential development.