Photo: JOSEPH PREZIOSO / AFP / Getty Images
A massive heat wave sweeping across the United States has pushed the country's electrical grid to the brink, leading the U.S. Department of Energy to declare an emergency and issue special orders to prevent blackouts. With 160 million people in 30 states under alert for dangerous temperatures, the heat wave is straining power supplies from the East Coast to the Midwest and the South.
On Sunday (June 30), Chris Wright, the U.S. Secretary of Energy, invoked Section 202(c) of the Federal Power Act after applications from PJM Interconnection, the country's largest electrical grid operator. These emergency orders, which took effect at 11:59 p.m. on Sunday and will remain active until 11:59 p.m. on Thursday (July 3), authorize PJM to require data centers and other large energy users to switch to backup generators within 15 minutes if needed. The goal is to conserve electricity for residential and essential services, such as hospitals and 911 call centers.
PJM Interconnection supplies power to about 65 million customers across Washington, D.C., and parts or all of 13 states, including Delaware, Maryland, Michigan, Kentucky, New Jersey, North Carolina, Ohio, Pennsylvania, Tennessee, Virginia, and West Virginia. The grid is forecasting demand to reach 166,304 megawatts on Wednesday (July 2), which would set a new all-time record, surpassing the previous peak of 165,563 megawatts in 2006.
"Maintaining affordable, reliable, and secure power in the PJM service territory is non-negotiable," Wright said in a statement. PJM has also been allowed to temporarily waive environmental permit restrictions so that power plants can operate at maximum capacity during the emergency, even if that means exceeding normal pollution limits.
The National Weather Service predicts that heat indices will reach between 100 and 113 degrees in cities such as Chicago, Detroit, New York City, Philadelphia, Washington, D.C., and Nashville, Tennessee. The heat coincides with the busy Fourth of July holiday, when many Americans are expected to be home running air conditioners, putting additional strain on the grid. Experts like Ramanan Krishnamoorti of the University of Houston warn that nighttime temperatures will not drop enough to ease the pressure on the system, potentially forcing utilities to consider rolling blackouts to prevent wider outages.
Other regional grid operators, including the New York Independent System Operator and Midcontinent Independent System Operator, are also preparing for near-record or record electricity demand during this stretch of extreme heat. In New England, ISO-New England expects tight conditions and is coordinating with neighboring states and Canada, which is experiencing its own heat wave.
Consumers are encouraged to reduce electricity usage during peak hours (2–7 p.m.) to help stabilize the grid, though residential customers are not required to take action unless notified. The emergency orders are designed as last-resort measures before initiating rolling blackouts, which could become necessary if power plants and backup systems cannot meet demand.