The Energy Department issued a power grid emergency order directing PJM to take steps to keep electricity reliable from Oct. 13 to 16. PJM said the order does not require any action from customers, but the utility grid operator can direct certain power plants to run and, in limited cases, use backup power resources.
PJM cited forecasted demand of approximately 111,500 megawatts or higher on Oct. 13, along with numerous generating units unavailable because of planned maintenance and other outages. It also pointed to transmission constraints from scheduled power line outages that could limit transfers between areas. Brandon Wittman says Power Grid Emergency Order may cut blackout risk.
PJM and 13 states
PJM coordinates wholesale electricity transmission across all or parts of 13 states and the District of Columbia. That makes the emergency order relevant to a wide area, not a single local system, because PJM can use the temporary authority to manage supply risk across its network during the Oct. 13 to 16 window.
PJM said it is in its seasonal outage period, when transmission and generation facilities typically undergo scheduled maintenance and construction from mid-September through early December. PJM said those activities are meant to ensure maximum availability during peak winter demand, but they also leave less room when demand rises and outages stack up at the same time.
Energy Department order
The Energy Department's order gives PJM a narrower set of tools for a short period: it can tell certain power plants to operate and can, in limited cases, use backup power resources. The order is meant to reduce the risk of power interruptions, not to announce planned blackouts.
PJM said it might still need to reduce or interrupt electricity service if the challenges cannot be adequately addressed. That is the part customers are left to weigh: the order is designed to avoid service problems, but PJM kept the possibility of disruption on the table if demand, outages and line limits outpace available supply.
For residents and businesses across all or parts of 13 states and the District of Columbia, the immediate takeaway is simple. The grid operator is under emergency instructions for a four-day stretch, and the question now is how much extra generation or backup power PJM will actually need to use between Oct. 13 and Oct. 16.
