US News
Energy Department issues emergency order to prevent blackouts across 13 states
Fox News reports the order lets grid operator PJM use extra generation as unseasonable heat and scheduled maintenance strain supply.
The short version
- The Trump administration issued an emergency order to head off potential blackouts across 13 states during unusually warm October weather.[Fox News]
- The Department of Energy authorized grid operator PJM Interconnection to use extra generation while maintenance reduces supply, and some facilities may exceed normal limits.[Fox News]
- PJM, whose grid serves more than 60 million Americans, told Fox News Digital it does not expect everyday customers to be affected.[Fox News]
- The order runs only through Friday, Oct. 16, and PJM warns that demand growth and unpredictable weather are creating reliability challenges.[Fox News]
Key facts
- The emergency order aims to prevent potential blackouts across 13 states as unseasonably warm October temperatures strain the grid serving more than 60 million Americans.[Fox News]
- The order was issued Monday under Section 202(c) of the Federal Power Act, takes effect Tuesday, and remains in place through Friday, Oct. 16.[Fox News]
- The Department of Energy authorized PJM Interconnection to use additional generation as rising demand coincides with scheduled maintenance at power plants and transmission facilities.[Fox News]
- The order allows certain generating facilities to operate beyond normal restrictions if needed to maintain electricity supplies.[Fox News]
- 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.[Fox News]
- Energy Secretary Chris Wright said the order will help ensure affordable, reliable and secure electricity for families and businesses across the mid-Atlantic.[Fox News]
What remains uncertain
- The order is preventive and time-limited, and its practical effect on blackouts is not yet known.[Fox News]
- Wright's claim that restrictions on conventional energy production have weakened grid reliability is his own argument and has not been independently assessed in the reporting.[Fox News]
- A separate $581 million Tennessee Valley Authority project package is expected to add capacity, but its final funding and regulatory approvals remain pending and it is distinct from the PJM order.[Fox News]
Sources
Outlet counts describe coverage, not independent confirmation. Reports may share a wire service or original source.