The U.S. Department of Energy has issued an emergency order directing the nation’s largest grid operator to keep power plants running and to stand ready to fire up backup generation at data centers and large industrial sites, as the supply picture tightens across 13 states.
The order, DOE Order No. 202-26-50, was issued Oct. 12 under Section 202(c) of the Federal Power Act by Energy Secretary Chris Wright and covers PJM Interconnection, which serves more than 65 million people across 13 states and the District of Columbia. It is effective from Oct. 13 through Oct. 16, according to reports citing the order.
PJM sought the authorization on Oct. 11, forecasting demand at or above 111,500 megawatts on Oct. 13 and projecting the system would sit within 900 megawatts of its reserve margin on Oct. 14. Anticipated generation outages total about 61,591 megawatts, with the most acute pressure expected in the BGE, Pepco and Dominion zones, which serve Maryland, Virginia, North Carolina and the Washington, D.C. area.
What the emergency order does
The order authorizes PJM to dispatch specified generating units and order their operation as needed, and to direct backup generation resources — including those at data centers and other large commercial and industrial facilities — as a last resort before or during a Level 3 Energy Emergency Alert. It also gives PJM limited flexibility on certain environmental operating restrictions for the duration of the order.
Reports attribute the strain to a mix of unseasonably warm autumn weather, planned seasonal maintenance that has taken plants offline, transmission outages that limit how power can move north to south and west to east, and firm export obligations. PJM issued Maximum Generation and Load Management alerts for Oct. 13 ahead of the window.
Why the order matters now
Similar emergency actions were issued in June during a summer heatwave, when Wright authorized the dispatch of specific units and backup resources ahead of forecast record demand. The current order runs through Oct. 16, when temperatures are expected to ease and maintenance schedules lighten.
Federal regulators have been busy across fronts this month. A federal judge halted border-barrier work across Texas’ Big Bend sector, while a judge ordered the Kennedy Center closure plan unsealed as a privilege fight escalates. Energy officials, meanwhile, say forecasts will be updated as conditions develop.
This is a developing story. We will update it as grid conditions and official statements develop.
