US Power Grid Emergency Declared for 13 States Amid Heatwave

A power grid emergency has been declared across 13 U.S. states, impacting over 60 million Americans, as the Department of Energy (DOE) scrambles to prevent potential blackouts during a sudden, unseasonably warm spike in temperatures. The DOE issued a short-term emergency order, allowing the regional power grid operator PJM Interconnection to exceed normal pollution limits.

PJM manages electricity for Delaware, Illinois, Indiana, Kentucky, Maryland, Michigan, New Jersey, North Carolina, Ohio, Pennsylvania, Tennessee, Virginia, West Virginia, and Washington D.C. The emergency order, effective Tuesday, is expected to last through Friday. Forecasters predict temperatures in the Ohio Valley and Mid-Atlantic will reach the 70s and 80s, increasing demand for electricity as millions turn on air conditioners and fans.

Officials expressed concern that the surge in demand could overtax PJM's grid, which had already reduced capacity due to seasonal repairs on power plants and transmission lines. Secretary of Energy Chris Wright stated the order aims to reduce the risk of widespread blackouts. Wright also attributed the grid's vulnerability to policies that have restricted energy production from coal and natural gas in favor of intermittent sources like wind and solar.

"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," Wright said in a statement. He criticized previous DOE leadership for allegedly placing the country in a precarious position reliant on less dependable energy sources.

This order, issued under Section 202(c) of the Federal Power Act, permits power plants to operate beyond their annual restrictions on producing air pollutants such as nitrogen oxides, carbon monoxide, sulfur dioxide, particulate matter, and ammonia. Any pollution generated during this emergency will not count toward the power companies' yearly emissions limits. The measure also allows PJM to reactivate and operate specific power plants, primarily natural-gas facilities and some coal- or oil-burning plants, even if they are normally idled due to pollution regulations.

Typically, a DOE order of this nature is a last resort to avert rolling blackouts, particularly to prevent an 'Energy Emergency Alert Level 3,' the highest grid emergency level. A PJM spokesperson indicated that the tight grid conditions are a result of increased electricity usage combined with generators being serviced before winter. Major transmission projects that required power lines to be temporarily decommissioned for safety also contributed to fewer available systems to meet the sudden demand.

The DOE has utilized this emergency decree more frequently in recent years. The Trump administration, for instance, declared a power grid emergency over 60 times in the two years prior to 2025, compared to about 20 times between 2000 and 2024. Environmental groups and some states have challenged the DOE's use of this emergency power, arguing it has been misused to keep certain power plants operational. In September, the U.S. Court of Appeals for the D.C. Circuit ruled that the DOE had overstepped its authority under Section 202(c) by attempting to keep the JH Campbell coal plant in Michigan open.