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Maryland’s Public Service Commission selected two transmission-connected battery projects totaling 440 MW and 1,760 MWh in the first round of a state storage procurement. The awards fall short of the 800-MW target; the commission says it expects more offers in round two, which must open by Jan. 1, 2027.
Maryland selected two battery storage projects totaling 440 MW and 1,760 MWh in the first round of its statewide energy storage procurement, falling short of the round’s 800-MW target. The Maryland Public Service Commission announced the awards Oct. 1 under the Next Generation Energy Act, as the state seeks additional grid capacity and relief from high regional electricity costs.
The selected projects are Flatiron Energy’s 400-MW/1,600-MWh Chalk Point Storage Project in Prince George’s County and REV Renewables’ 40-MW/160-MWh Jade Meadow III Battery Storage Project in Garrett County. Both are transmission-connected and are designed to discharge at full power for four hours, meeting the procurement’s minimum duration requirement.
The commission said the projects will receive flat pricing for 15-year terms. Their combined cost is expected to amount to 6.98 cents per month for the average Maryland residential customer, according to the commission. That figure is the reported customer cost estimate; the source material does not provide a detailed breakdown of how it may vary among households.
The commission did not select Oystercatcher Energy Storage’s proposed 500-MW/3,000-MWh project or Flatiron’s requested 135-MW/540-MWh expansion of Chalk Point. The expansion appeared in a revised filing after the first-round application window closed. The agency said Flatiron could apply for that expansion in the next round and invited Oystercatcher to consider doing the same.
Storage Awards Meet a Capacity Shortfall
The awards add long-duration storage to Maryland’s grid at a time when the regional operator, PJM Interconnection, is forecasting a capacity shortfall. The Utility Dive report said PJM’s shortfall for the 2028–2029 delivery year is 6.8 GW, 300 MW more than in the preceding period, while capacity prices remain at the $325/MW-day cap. The selected batteries are intended to contribute capacity, though their precise effect on regional prices or reliability is not yet established.
MAREC Action executive director Evan Vaughan said in a statement that the projects could help meet growing demand and reduce customers’ exposure to volatile capacity prices. The awards also support Maryland’s broader energy policy goals, including a statutory 2045 net-zero emissions target and a 2035 goal for carbon-free electricity set by gubernatorial order. The procurement is one part of that effort, not a guarantee that either target will be met.
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The State’s Two-Round Storage Plan
Maryland enacted the Next Generation Energy Act in 2025. It requires at least two solicitations for a combined 1.6 GW of storage capacity, with eligible projects able to discharge at full power for at least four hours. The first-round award announcement came on the statutory deadline, according to the commission.
The first-round total is 360 MW below the 800-MW target. Commission Chair Kumar Barve acknowledged the gap while pointing to a potential source of future bids: more than 40 additional storage projects in PJM’s Cycle 1 interconnection process. Barve said the commission expects that pool to help attract more offers in round two. The projects’ presence in an interconnection process does not by itself confirm that they will bid or be selected.
Chalk Point is planned at NRG’s oil- and gas-fired power plant in the southeastern corner of Prince George’s County. Jade Meadow III is planned for part of a reclaimed coal mine in mountainous Garrett County, near the borders with West Virginia and Pennsylvania. The commission cited the grid location of Oystercatcher’s proposed Harford County site as desirable, while saying further engagement with local stakeholders would be needed if the project proceeds.
“While we are disappointed that these awards are below our 800-MW target for Round 1, our Round 2 solicitation is expected to attract many more offers due to a pool of over 40 additional energy storage projects from PJM’s Cycle 1 interconnection process.”
— Maryland Public Service Commission Chair Kumar Barve
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Unselected Projects and Cost Effects
The commission has not announced whether Oystercatcher or Flatiron will submit revised or new applications in the second round. It also has not provided, in the source material, a project-by-project explanation of selection decisions, a schedule for construction, or expected commercial operation dates for the two winning projects.
The reported monthly customer cost is a combined estimate. The source does not describe its calculation in detail or quantify how the projects may affect bills or PJM capacity prices over time. While Vaughan said the batteries can help reduce exposure to price volatility, the scale and timing of any such effect remain uncertain.
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Round Two Opens by January
Under the law, Maryland must open bidding for the second solicitation by Jan. 1, 2027, and announce its project awards by Oct. 1, 2027. The commission’s next steps include releasing the round-two solicitation and evaluating any applications, including possible bids from projects that were not selected in round one.
Whether the next round closes the gap toward the law’s combined 1.6-GW procurement requirement will depend on the proposals received and selected. The commission’s expectation of more offers is based on a pool of projects in PJM’s interconnection process; the number that will bid, qualify or proceed remains unknown.
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Key Questions
Which projects did Maryland select?
The commission selected Flatiron Energy’s 400-MW/1,600-MWh Chalk Point project and REV Renewables’ 40-MW/160-MWh Jade Meadow III project.
Why is the 440-MW award below the target?
The state set an 800-MW target for round one, but the commission announced awards for 440 MW. The source material does not give a full account of why the selected total was lower.
What will the selected projects cost residential customers?
The commission said the two awards together would cost an estimated 6.98 cents per month for the average Maryland residential customer. The source does not provide additional detail on the estimate or differences among customers.
When will Maryland hold the next storage round?
State law requires bidding for round two to open by Jan. 1, 2027, with awards due by Oct. 1, 2027.
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