Energy Secretary Chris Wright ordered a power grid emergency in 13 states on Monday, giving the Department of Energy authority to help prevent blackouts as unusual October heat strains the system. The order takes effect Tuesday and stays in place through Friday, Oct. 16.
Wright said, "This order will help ensure millions of American families and businesses across the mid-Atlantic have access to affordable, reliable and secure electricity by making additional power generation, including backup power, available to use as needed," The Department of Energy said the action was issued under Section 202(c) of the Federal Power Act.
PJM coverage area
The order authorizes PJM Interconnection to use additional power generation resources for a grid serving more than 60 million Americans. 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.
That authority gives PJM room to use certain generating facilities beyond normal restrictions if needed to keep electricity supplies steady. The emergency action comes while some generating facilities and transmission lines remain offline for maintenance, and temperatures across parts of the Ohio Valley and Mid-Atlantic are expected to climb into the 70s and 80s.
Jeff Shields on demand
Jeff Shields, a PJM spokesperson, said electricity demand is growing faster than new generating capacity can come online. He also said unpredictable weather is leaving fewer opportunities for critical maintenance and construction, and that planned maintenance periods now carry reliability risks grid operators previously faced mainly during summer and winter.
PJM said it does not expect everyday customers to be affected. The order still points to a narrow operational problem: PJM can call on additional generation if needed, but the specific facilities or backup resources to be used were not identified in the order.
Friday, Oct. 16 deadline
The practical effect is limited to the short window already set by the Department of Energy. Customers in the covered states and Washington, D.C., now have a grid operator with added authority, but the action is temporary and tied to the current strain on available supply. Once the order expires on Friday, Oct. 16, the extra authority goes with it.
