Constellation Energy has unveiled significant plans to deliver up to 5,800 megawatts of new generation and battery storage capacity in Maryland. The plans, which involve significant investments by private firms, target increased demand and support Maryland’s climate objectives. The measures include immediate fast-track projects and long-term investments in nuclear technologies, making Maryland one of the drivers of clean energy infrastructure and reliability.
The overall energy mix addresses present and future demands
The proposed measures include various energy technologies with the capability to offer reliable power under various conditions and over different time cycles. The short-term plan has over 1,500 megawatts of fast-track capacity with advanced battery-based systems and gas units, which can be refueled with hydrogen fuels in the future. The proposed measures can address over 5% of Maryland’s peak load and boost overall generation capacity by over 10%.
The battery storage part has up to 800 megawatts of capacity that can be quickly released to supply power at times when demand is high. The technology can be used to provide support to the grid at times when high usage is caused by adverse climatic conditions. The firm also has over 700 megawatts of gas-fired capacity that can be promptly installed and then retrofitted to produce hydrogen, making it carbon neutral.
“Advanced battery storage technology, according to solar developer and energy provider Constellation, can provide up to 800 megawatts of battery capacity that can supply power to the grid quickly and provide a stable power supply in hot and cold seasons.”
Nuclear expansion plans promise decades of clean baseload power
The overall strategy of Constellation revolves around its investments in nuclear, which include up to 4,000 megawatts of clean power capacity. One of its vital parts is the extension by 20 years of its operative life of the Calvert Cliffs Clean Energy Center, thereby protecting around 2,000 megawatts of emission-free capacity that supplies over 1.3 million Maryland homes, as it has been doing so, and with extension, as it will be closing down in 2034 and 2036.
Besides life extension, Constellation plans to enhance the capacity of Calvert Cliffs by modernizing equipment and technology, which will add 190 megawatts of generation capacity—exceeding all existing wind and solar capacity combined in Maryland by far. This expansion strategy also foresees the construction of next-generation nuclear units with 2,000 megawatts at the site, which will essentially double the overall capacity of the facility and offer ample clean generation capacity to fuel economic growth.
Strategic market approach eliminates ratepayer risk while maximizing benefits
The competitiveness of its market structure is one of the points on which Constellation prides itself. This allows it to forego any potential profits and bear all the risks of investment, not Maryland’s ratepayers. Joe Dominguez, its president and CEO, stated that his firm has already poured over $1 billion into Maryland’s wind, hydro, and nuclear resources without raising its electrical prices.
The concept utilizes Maryland’s presence in the PJM regional grid market, in which power producers bid to supply the lowest-priced generation to a region covering 13 states and the District of Columbia. This market structure has maintained constant generation expenses over 15 years, despite recent capacity charge hikes due to growing electric demand. Constellation Energy cites its advantages over traditional investor-owned generation, which has guaranteed returns and is passed along to customers.
The comprehensive plan developed by Constellation offers a transformative vision for Maryland’s energy sector, one that addresses pressing grid reliability in the short term while making long-term investments in the clean energy infrastructure of the state. The desire to take risks and operate under market conditions offers Maryland policymakers a game plan to address growing demands in providing electricity without increasing the expenses incurred by its citizens.
