The Department of Energy has issued an emergency order aimed at preventing blackouts across 13 states and Washington, D.C., as unseasonably warm October temperatures strain an electrical grid serving more than 60 million Americans.
The order, issued Monday under Section 202(c) of the Federal Power Act, takes effect Tuesday and remains in place through Friday, Oct. 16. It authorizes PJM Interconnection, the regional grid operator, to use additional power generation resources — including backup power — as rising electricity demand coincides with scheduled maintenance at power plants and transmission facilities. The measure allows certain generating facilities to operate beyond normal restrictions if needed to maintain electricity supplies.
PJM serves all or parts of Delaware, Illinois, Indiana, Kentucky, Maryland, Michigan, New Jersey, North Carolina, Ohio, Pennsylvania, Tennessee, Virginia, West Virginia and Washington, D.C.
The grid operator said it does not expect emergency conditions to affect everyday customers, but warned that growing demand and unpredictable weather are creating new challenges for reliability. Jeff Shields, a spokesperson for PJM, said electricity demand is growing faster than new generating capacity can come online, while unpredictable weather is leaving fewer opportunities for critical maintenance and construction. Planned maintenance periods, he added, now present reliability risks that grid operators previously faced primarily during summer and winter.
Energy Secretary Chris Wright said the order would help ensure millions of families and businesses across the mid-Atlantic have access to affordable, reliable and secure electricity by making additional power generation available as needed. Wright also criticized energy policies under former President Joe Biden, arguing that restrictions on conventional energy production have weakened grid reliability.
The emergency action comes as temperatures across parts of the Ohio Valley and Mid-Atlantic are expected to climb into the 70s and 80s, increasing electricity demand while some generating facilities and transmission lines remain offline for maintenance.
The order is separate from broader department investments in electrical infrastructure. The Energy Department recently announced plans to support 84 Tennessee Valley Authority transmission and distribution projects across eight states, representing approximately $581 million in planned investments. The projects include $250 million in federal funding and are expected to add roughly 2.5 gigawatts of grid capacity, improve reliability for 2.58 million families and businesses and support approximately 800 jobs. Final funding and regulatory approvals for the TVA initiative remain pending.
Representatives for the Department of Energy and the North American Electric Reliability Corporation did not immediately respond to requests for comment.