MORGANTOWN – Last week, the Preston County Commission sent a letter – just over two pages – to the state Public Service Commission listing its objects to the proposed NextEra Energy Transmission Mid Atlantic Resiliency Link (MARL) project.
On Thursday, the PSC wrote back to the commission, saying: “The concerns you raise in your letter are the type of issues that must be considered as part of the Commission review of the certificate application.”
The answer is a nuts-and-bolts outline of how the PSC reviews cases.
NextEra Energy Transmission MidAtlantic told the state Public Service Commission on Wednesday that it intends to apply for a certificate of public convenience and necessity for its MARL project. The application should arrive somewhere between 30-90 days.
The commission sent its letter on Aug. 20, and the PSC waited until after the filing, when the case became official, to respond.
The commission made several points. It said, “The proposed route would significantly disrupt local landowners, farms, forests, and rural communities, including long-standing family properties and environmentally sensitive areas.”
The commission said it recognizes the value of private property rights and the importance of protecting the livelihoods and quality of life of its residents.
“This project has been met with strong opposition from Preston County citizens who are deeply concerned about its potential negative impact on property values, agriculture, tourism, and the scenic integrity of our county.”
Also, while marketed as a regional reliability project, the commission said, the MARL line is designed primarily to move power across West Virginia to serve out-of-state markets. And the construction costs could be passed on to West Virginia ratepayers in the form of higher utility bills.
“While the Preston County Commission supports renewable energy development and grid reliability, we believe these goals must be pursued in ways that respect local communities, safeguard rural heritage, and avoid unnecessary harm. The MARL project, as proposed, fails to meet those standards,” it said.
The commission concluded, “For these reasons, we respectfully urge the Public Service Commission of West Virginia to deny approval of the Mid-Atlantic Resiliency Link Project. The people of Preston County have spoken clearly in their opposition, and as their elected representatives, we are united in protecting their interests.”
In response, the PSC explained how its review process works. It says that within 60 days of the filing of the certificate application, or within 90 days of final submission of oral argument or brief if a hearing is held, the PSC may approve the application.
Approval is based on conditions, the PSC said:
- Will the project economically, adequately and reliably meet customer needs or prove necessary and desirable for service reliability?
- Will the project be in the best interest of West Virginia customers and residents?
- Will it result in an acceptable balance between reasonable power needs and reasonable environmental factors?
The PSC says it may order conditions for approval or modify the proposed project to meet the power needs-environmental factors balance.
The PSC also spelled out to the commission how to subscribe to and follow case filings.
NextEra describes its project timeline: state regulatory application filings this fall; anticipated regulatory approvals by spring 2027; start of construction in fall 2029; and completed construction and line in-service by fall-winter 2031.
