Trump Energy Department issues emergency order to prevent blackouts across 13 states amid unusual October heat
The US Department of Energy issued an emergency order allowing PJM Interconnection to use additional power generation to guard against possible blackouts as unusual October heat increases electricity demand. The order matters because scheduled maintenance has left some power plants and transmission facilities offline while the grid faces higher demand.
Issued under the Federal Power Act, it takes effect Tuesday and runs through Friday, 16 October, covering a region serving more than 60 million people across 13 states and Washington, DC. PJM said it does not expect everyday customers to be affected, but warned that demand is growing faster than new capacity and that unpredictable weather is making maintenance harder to schedule.
- Emergency power generation is authorised across PJM’s region.
- The order runs through 16 October amid unusual October heat.
- PJM says customers are not expected to notice an impact.
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PJM Interconnection is the regional organisation that coordinates electricity supply across parts of the eastern United States, serving more than 60 million people. It works with power plants and grid operators to keep supply matched to demand across its 13-state area and Washington, DC.
Electricity demand usually rises when people use more heating or cooling, while power plants and transmission equipment sometimes need to be taken offline for maintenance. If demand approaches the available supply, grid operators may call on extra generation to reduce the risk of outages; the Federal Power Act gives the US Energy Department authority to issue emergency orders in certain circumstances.
The issue matters because the balance between electricity demand and available capacity affects homes, businesses and public services across a large region. PJM has said demand is growing faster than new capacity, making it harder to plan maintenance around changing weather.