The U.S. Department of Energy today announced it will reconsider its October decision to designate a vast geographic region of the northeastern U.S. as energy-congested and in need of additional electric transmission, handing a temporary victory to opponents of a local power line project.

In a short, two-paragraph order, the Energy Department states that "in order to afford additional time for consideration of the matters raised in the rehearing requests," it will grant new hearings into a plan that created a national interest electric transmission corridor, or NIETC, in 52 of Pennsylvania's 67 counties, as well as in seven other states in the northeast.

An identical order was issued for another NIETC in the southwest, where 10 counties in California and Arizona will be affected.

Locally, protesters are concerned about a plan from Greensburg-based Allegheny Power to construct a 37-mile, 500-kilovolt power line through Washington and Greene counties.

Although the project is under review now by the state Public Utility Commission, if the state denies the permit, makes no decision within a year, or places too many restrictions on the company, the company would have the right to seek a permit from the federal government because southwestern Pennsylvania is within the corridor.

More details in tomorrow's Pittsburgh Post-Gazette.