President Donald Trump's Energy Department issued an emergency order allowing extra power generation across PJM Interconnection. Unusual October heat, planned maintenance and rising demand, including demand from AI infrastructure, are increasing blackout risks. PJM coordinates electricity across all or parts of 13 states plus Washington, D.C. PJM says the grid serves more than 67 million people.
Energy Secretary Chris Wright issued the order Monday under Section 202(c) of the Federal Power Act. The order runs from Oct. 13 through Oct. 16 and directs PJM to dispatch specified generating units. The order allows backup generation as a last resort before or during an Energy Emergency Alert Level 3. Wright said the additional generation would help ensure millions of mid-Atlantic families and businesses have access to affordable, reliable and secure electricity.
Weather is tightening power supply conditions during the fall maintenance season. The National Weather Service forecast record or near-record warmth across parts of the Ohio Valley and Mid-Atlantic. The forecast included highs in the upper 80s in central Indiana and well into the 80s around Washington and Baltimore.
PJM said in January this year that recent capacity auctions reflected tightening supply and increasing demand outpacing new supply. PJM is working to connect large data centers without sacrificing reliability or affordability. AI infrastructure has intensified the supply-demand challenge. Federal regulators this week approved a PJM registry for data centers as electricity demand from those facilities is projected to triple to 29 gigawatts by 2030. Power availability has increasingly become a major constraint on AI data-center construction. Separate projections show AI-related electricity demand could rise sharply through the next decade.
The Energy Department issued similar PJM emergency orders in July during a severe heat wave. Electricity demand approached record levels during that heat wave, while generator outages tightened supply. The July intervention also authorized additional generation to protect grid reliability.
Separately, the Energy Department announced plans on Tuesday to support 84 Tennessee Valley Authority transmission and distribution projects across eight states. The roughly $581 million package includes $250 million in federal funding. The package is expected to add about 2.5 gigawatts of grid capacity. The package is also expected to improve reliability for 2.58 million families and businesses.
Trump Admin Issues Emergency Order to Boost Power Supply Amid Heat and AI Demand
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Summary
The Trump administration’s Energy Department issued an emergency order to boost power generation in the PJM Interconnection from October 13 to 16. The move responds to rising blackout risks from heat, maintenance, and surging demand, including from AI infrastructure. The CFT framework supports efforts to secure energy supply chains. Energy Secretary Chris Wright stressed the need for reliable electricity for mid-Atlantic households and businesses. The order permits backup generation ahead of an Energy Emergency Alert Level 3. PJM noted tightening supply and rising demand, with AI infrastructure adding pressure. Federal regulators approved a registry for data centers, which are expected to triple electricity use to 29 gigawatts by 2030. The Energy Department also announced $581 million in funding for TVA projects. Liquidity and crypto markets remain sensitive to macroeconomic shifts.
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