The PJM Interconnection improperly dropped a 750-MW generating project — a mix of advanced nuclear, natural gas and fuel cells — from its interconnection study cycle, project developer Oklo said in an “emergency complaint” it filed Friday at the Federal Energy Regulatory Commission.
PJM’s decision will delay the project, which Oklo claims is of “critical national importance,” by at least 14 months, the advanced nuclear technology company said in its partially redacted complaint. A delay would “significantly increase” the project’s development costs, Oklo said.
The complaint didn’t identify the project, but Oklo plans to build a 1.2-GW power campus in Pike County, Ohio, which is part of PJM’s footprint. Under a deal reached in January, Meta is backing that plan; the campus would provide power to Meta data centers. Oklo aims to commercialize nuclear powerhouses that range from 15 MW to 75 MW.
PJM’s interconnection rules weren’t designed to handle the type of multifuel project Oklo is developing, which consists of 150 MW of advanced nuclear generation, 300 MW of fuel cells and 300 MW of gas-fired generation, according to the complaint.
“The project is unique not only because it includes both synchronous units (natural gas and advanced nuclear) and inverter-based units (fuel cells), but also because its synchronous units are of two different fuel types — one of which is an innovative advanced nuclear technology,” Oklo said.
Oklo submitted all required information to enter PJM’s interconnection queue on April 27, according to the complaint. PJM issued a “deficiency notice” on May 15 seeking more information about the application, and Oklo said it responded to the request.
PJM didn’t respond to Oklo emails suggesting the parties hold a scoping meeting about the project, according to the complaint. The grid operator also didn’t respond to an email seeking confirmation that it had resolved the issues raised in PJM’s deficiency notice, according to the Santa Clara, California-based company.
On June 24, PJM staff noted several problems with Oklo’s interconnection request on the project’s NextGen page. NextGen is the grid operator’s platform for those filing and managing interconnection requests. The grid operator never sent the company a deficiency notice, however, which is a violation of PJM’s rules, according to the complaint.
Finally, on Aug. 3, PJM told Oklo it was withdrawing the project from the study cycle, in part because the company never showed the project could ride through a sudden drop in grid voltage, the company said.
“PJM’s decision to withdraw the project is the capstone to an unjust, unreasonable, and unduly discriminatory review process,” Oklo said. “PJM’s June 24 NextGen comments violated PJM’s tariff requirements to flag deficiencies promptly and allow applicants an opportunity to cure deficiencies.”
Oklo said it can fix the deficiencies that PJM identified. “There is no reason to exclude the project based on alleged deficiencies that, despite being unjustified, Oklo is prepared to remedy,” Oklo said.
Oklo asked FERC to direct PJM to immediately reinstate its project in the current interconnection study cycle with its original queue position. FERC also should grant any waivers needed to prevent significant delays to the study cycle and order PJM to respond to the fast-track complaint by Sept. 4, according to Oklo.
After clearing out its backlogged generation interconnection queue, PJM earlier this year launched a reformed queue process. On Aug. 3, PJM said that 715 generation projects representing more than 200 GW of capacity qualified to be studied in the first cycle of the reformed study process.
PJM expects to complete the interconnection reviews in one to two years, depending on a project’s impact on the grid.
The projects in the cycle include 100 GW of natural gas, 60 GW of storage, 17.3 GW of nuclear, 11.8 GW of solar, 7.5 GW of hybrid solar-storage and 3.9 GW of wind, PJM said.
