PJM Capacity Auction Hits Price Cap for Third Consecutive Time

cleantechnica.com Jul 16, 2026

PJM Capacity Auction Hits Price Cap for Third Consecutive Time

Curated by Shubham · TechCapsules · Jul 16, 2026

AI-summarised brief · reviewed before publication

PJM Interconnection, the United States’ largest regional grid operator, concluded its 2028‑2029 capacity auction on July 15 after prices hit the $325 /MW cap for the third straight auction. The ceiling, negotiated by a coalition of PJM state governors in April 2026, failed to curb costs, leaving PJM’s 67 million customers facing record‑high electricity bills. Independent analysis estimates that annual customer expenses rose from $2.2 billion in 2024 to $14.7 billion in 2025, an increase of $12.5 billion. The auction’s cleared capacity will be 64 % fossil‑fuel generation—46 % gas and 18 % coal—despite cheaper clean‑energy options. PJM plans a “backstop reliability” auction in September without the price collar, aiming to secure additional capacity for high‑demand users such as data centers. Sierra Club senior advisor Jessi Eidbo warned the recurring price caps underscore systemic barriers to renewable participation and call for stronger safeguards against costly fossil reliance.

💡 Why It Matters

· The repeated price‑cap breach exposes a structural flaw in PJM’s market design that forces consumers to shoulder the financial burden of fossil‑fuel reliance, even as clean‑energy resources remain underutilized.

Read full article on cleantechnica.com

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