FirstEnergy Transmission, LLC, jointly owned by FirstEnergy Corp. and Brookfield Super‑Core Infrastructure Partners, and Transource Energy, a partnership of American Electric Power and Evergy, received approval from the PJM Interconnection Board on February 12, 2026, a decision announced on February 16, 2026. The approval authorizes a new 300‑mile, 765‑kV transmission corridor that will run through central Ohio.
The corridor will be developed through Grid Growth Ventures, LLC, a newly formed joint venture between FirstEnergy Transmission and Transource Energy. The project will upgrade existing substations and add high‑voltage lines capable of delivering power to up to two million homes, positioning the region to meet the growing electricity demand from manufacturing, data centers, and electric‑vehicle infrastructure in the Columbus area.
PJM’s approval marks a significant milestone for FirstEnergy’s transmission strategy, which seeks to expand its network in a region projected to see a 48‑GW increase in peak load by 2035. The corridor is designed to address the accelerating load growth driven by data centers and electrification, with PJM’s 2026 Long‑Term Load Forecast projecting a winter peak load growth of 4.0% per year over the next decade.
FirstEnergy’s transmission subsidiaries operate approximately 24,000 miles of lines, and the project reinforces the company’s position as a regional transmission monopoly. Brookfield’s investment in FirstEnergy Transmission is part of a broader strategy aligned with decarbonization and electrification goals. AEP’s partner, Doug Cannon, President of AEP Transmission, stated: 'AEP has built and owns more extra‑high voltage lines than any other company in the United States. The project we're undertaking with FirstEnergy addresses the rapidly evolving energy demand we are seeing across the region.' He also added: 'AEP has an unrivaled history in 765‑kV transmission development.' FirstEnergy Transmission’s president, Mark Mroczynski, added: 'Our transmission system is ideally situated at the center of regional growth, making it a powerful platform for economic development and energy reliability.'
The project was first proposed through PJM’s 2025 Regional Transmission Expansion Plan (RTEP) Open Window process in August 2025. The approval follows PJM’s rigorous scenario‑based planning, which identified the corridor as a critical link to support the region’s projected load growth, particularly from data centers that are expected to contribute significantly to the 0.3% annual growth rate in the 2021 Long‑Term Load Forecast.
The approval represents a key regulatory milestone that will enable the corridor to enhance reliability, support economic development, and accelerate the region’s transition to a more electrified and data‑center‑heavy economy.
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