FERC rejects Oklo complaint seeking to reinstate project to PJM’s interconnection study cycle

Federal regulators have rejected a bid by nuclear company Oklo to reinstate a large power project into the grid operator PJM's current interconnection study cycle, the process that reviews new power plants before they can connect to the grid. The Federal Energy Regulatory Commission said PJM did not violate its rules when it dropped the 750-megawatt project in Virginia, and Oklo had not fixed application problems that PJM staff had flagged.

The project, planned to connect at two Dominion Energy substations between Washington, D.C. and Richmond, combines 150 megawatts of advanced nuclear generation with fuel cells and gas-fired generation. Oklo had argued the setback would delay the project by at least 18 months and raise its costs. Regulators noted Oklo can correct the errors and resubmit for a later study cycle, or apply for PJM's faster-track review process, which remains open through the end of 2027.

This case is specific to a large commercial power project and does not involve home rebates or upgrades. But it is a reminder that new power generation serving your region, including nuclear and gas projects like this one, moves through a lengthy and sometimes contested approval process at PJM, the grid operator covering much of the mid-Atlantic and parts of the Midwest. Delays in adding new generation can affect how tight electricity supply is in your area over time, which in turn can influence electricity rates. Five similar disputes over dropped projects are still pending before the same regulators, so more decisions on the region's power supply are likely to come.