DOE emergency order directs PJM to shore up Mid-Atlantic grid

DOE orders PJM to dispatch backup power for Mid-Atlantic through September 8

The emergency order lets PJM Interconnection call on backup generators to prevent blackouts in the Mid-Atlantic through September 8, 2026.

By OGGN Staff·1 Sep 2026, 08:00·2 min read

Example of a high-voltage transmission line, not the site in this story. Photo: Lupus in Saxonia, CC BY-SA 4.0.

The U.S. Department of Energy ordered PJM Interconnection on September 1, 2026, to dispatch specific power plants across the Mid-Atlantic and, if necessary, call on backup generators to head off blackouts during forecast hot weather and an expected rise in electricity demand.

What the order requires

DOE issued the emergency order after PJM filed an application the same day, September 1, 2026. The order directs PJM to dispatch specified generating units and order their operation as needed to keep the grid stable. It also authorizes PJM to call on backup generation resources as a last resort, either ahead of declaring an Energy Emergency Alert Level 3 (EEA3) or while one is already in effect. EEA3 is the top rung of PJM's emergency alert scale, used when the grid operator expects it cannot cover demand from its normal reserves. The order lets PJM direct its Transmission Owners and Electric Distribution Companies to carry out its terms as needed.

Capacity and timing

Issued: September 1, 2026
In effect through: September 8, 2026
Applicant: PJM Interconnection, L.L.C.
DOE estimate of unused backup generation available nationwide: more than 35 GW

The secretary's statement

Energy Secretary Chris Wright said keeping power "affordable, reliable, and secure" during hot weather is "non-negotiable" and that the order uses "every available tool" to keep the Mid-Atlantic powered. Wright said grid policies under the previous administration had left Americans more vulnerable during events like this heat wave, and credited the Trump administration with reversing them.

Why it matters

The order gives PJM authority to call on backup generators before conditions force a formal EEA3 declaration, effectively pre-positioning reserves ahead of peak demand. For grid operators and traders, it shows PJM expected tight margins over the September 1-8 window even before any shortfall occurred.

What's next. The order expires September 8, 2026Watch whether PJM has to formally declare an EEA3 before then, or whether the emergency dispatch authority alone keeps the grid stable.

Sources

PrimaryUS DOE · energy.gov

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Policy

DOE orders PJM to dispatch backup power for Mid-Atlantic through September 8

What the order requires

Capacity and timing

The secretary's statement

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