The U.S. Department of Energy on May 18 issued an emergency order authorizing the PJM Interconnection to deploy backup generation resources at data centers and other major facilities.
The emergency order authorizes “the deployment of backup generation resources to help mitigate blackouts in the Mid-Atlantic amid a heatwave and elevated transmission and generation outages tied to seasonal maintenance outages,” DOE said.
PJM is authorized to call upon its Transmission Owners and Electric Distribution Companies to implement this order as needed.
The order follows a request for the action that PJM submitted on May 17, 2026.
Backup generation was used in February of this year, when DOE issued three emergency orders to prevent blackouts and save lives in Florida as exceptionally low temperatures impacted the state.
“This order will help mitigate the possibility of power outages in the Mid-Atlantic and highlights the commonsense policies of the Trump administration to ensure Americans have access to affordable, reliable and secure electricity,” DOE said.
This order is in effect from May 18, 2026, through May 20, 2026.
