NextEra Energy Transmission Discusses Mid Atlantic Resiliency Link
WHITE SULPHUR SPRINGS, W.Va. – During the West Virginia Chamber of Commerce Annual Meeting and Business Summit, NextEra Energy Transmission presented an informational session on the Mid Atlantic Resiliency Link (MARL).
Kaitlin McCormick, the senior director on the project execution team, highlighted the growing need for the MARL, which has emerged as technology advances and demand for electricity escalates. As data centers proliferate and AI computing gains traction, projections indicate a steep increase in electricity demand.
“After decades of relatively flat electricity demand, America has entered a new era of rapid load growth,” McCormick explained, attributing this shift to increased electrification of homes, businesses, and large industrial facilities.
The proposed MARL is a 107.5-mile, 500-kilovolt high-voltage power line intended to stretch from Dunkard Township, Pa., through various West Virginia counties—Monongalia, Preston, Mineral, and Hampshire—before reaching Gore, Va. This initiative follows the identification of reliability issues by PJM Interconnection, the regional grid operator, due to the loss of power generation sources and rising electricity demand.
The state Public Service Commission (PSC) is currently reviewing the project. MARL developers submitted a joint motion with the PSC requesting modifications to the schedule, including a delay in an upcoming evidentiary hearing and postponing a final decision until May 22, 2027.
McCormick emphasized that while MARL will enhance grid stability, the construction phase will create 200 to 300 jobs, generating up to $37 million. The project is anticipated to spur $135 million in local economic activity and yield $130 million in state and local tax revenues.
“Access to reliable, abundant, and affordable power has become a competitive advantage,” McCormick noted, adding that the electric grid has become essential for a competitive economy.
Upon completion, the MARL will signal that West Virginia is prepared for business and capable of managing increased electrical demand. “Generation creates capacity. Transmission creates confidence, and confidence attracts capital,” she said.
McCormick expressed optimism about West Virginia’s potential to energize the country in the 21st century, indicating that companies will expand where they can secure reliable and affordable electricity.
Additionally, she mentioned potential opportunities for further interconnections and substations across West Virginia, including a substation at the 502 Junction near the Monongalia County/Pennsylvania state line and another near the Black Oak Substation close to the Mineral County/Maryland border.
Overall, the MARL project represents a significant investment in West Virginia’s electrical infrastructure and economic future.
