The Consumer Advocates of the PJM States (CAPS) commissioned a handbook to help consumers, their advocates, and others improve their understanding of how transmission — one of the three primary components of the electric network — is developed and funded in the PJM Interconnection.
Consumer electric rates are rising across the region, raising alarms for consumer advocates. Increased investment in transmission infrastructure is one driver of these rising costs. But the complex laws and regulations that govern PJM, plus the wide variety of methodologies that utilities use to determine rates, make it difficult for consumers to understand exactly what they’re paying for and why.
The handbook is intended to: (1) demystify the transmission planning, development, and cost recovery processes, and (2) help advocates identify areas where additional transparency or process reform is needed to ensure PJM develops and maintains a cost-effective transmission network.
The handbook includes the following volumes:
- Volume 1: Executive Summary
- Volume 2: Background on the Electric Network, PJM, and PJM Members
- Volume 3: Electric Customer Bills
- Volume 4: Transmission Planning in PJM
- Volume 5: Transmission Siting in the PJM Region
- Volume 6: Transmission Project Costs and Charges
- Volume 7: Transmission Rate Cases in PJM
Update July 2025: DGA published updated versions of Volumes 1, 4, and 6 of this handbook to reflect newly-published data on transmission costs. The updated volumes also include additional details on FERC’s landmark Order 1920 which will impact transmission planning practices in PJM. Both the new and original volumes are available to view.
Fill out the form below to view the complete handbook.
Update December 2024: DGA published an interim update to the charts and graphs in the PJM Handbook. The update — which is based on the latest data available as of December 31, 2024 — aimed to help consumer advoates, and others, stay on top of of the latest transmission cost trends. Click here to view the update.
Please note: this update is not a complete version of the handbook; for the latest version of the complete volumes, fill out the form above.
