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The Trump administration has issued an emergency order aimed at preventing potential blackouts across 13 states as unseasonably warm October temperatures strain the electrical grid serving more than 60 million Americans.
The Department of Energy authorized PJM Interconnection, a regional grid operator, to use additional power generation resources as rising electricity demand coincides with scheduled maintenance at power plants and transmission facilities.
The order, issued Monday under Section 202(c) of the Federal Power Act, takes effect Tuesday and remains in place through Friday, Oct. 16. It allows certain generating facilities to operate beyond normal restrictions if needed to maintain electricity supplies.
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Power lines. (Kurt “CyberGuy” Knutsson)
PJM serves all or parts of Delaware, Illinois, Indiana, Kentucky, Maryland, Michigan, New Jersey, North Carolina, Ohio, Pennsylvania, Tennessee, Virginia, West Virginia and Washington, D.C.
PJM Interconnection told Fox News Digital that it does not expect the emergency conditions to affect everyday customers, but warned that rising electricity demand and unpredictable weather patterns are creating new challenges for grid reliability.
Jeff Shields, a spokesperson for PJM, said electricity demand is growing faster than new generating capacity can come online, while unpredictable weather is leaving fewer opportunities for critical maintenance and construction.
Shields added that planned maintenance periods now present reliability risks that grid operators previously faced primarily during summer and winter.
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WASHINGTON, DC – APRIL 08: U.S. President Donald Trump holds up an executive order on American energy production after signing it during a ceremony in the East Room of the White House on April 08, 2025 in Washington, DC. The Trump administration has elected to roll back Biden-era environmental policies with the intention to help revive coal-fired plants in order to restore America’s energy independence. (Anna Moneymaker/Getty Images)
“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,” Energy Secretary Chris Wright said.
The emergency action comes as temperatures across parts of the Ohio Valley and Mid-Atlantic are expected to climb into the 70s and 80s, increasing electricity demand while some generating facilities and transmission lines remain offline for maintenance.
Wright also criticized energy policies under former President Joe Biden, arguing that restrictions on conventional energy production have weakened grid reliability.
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Data centers depend on transmission lines and substations capable of delivering enormous amounts of power reliably, often requiring costly grid upgrades. (Brendan Smialowski/AFP/Getty Images)
The emergency order comes as the Energy Department pursues separate investments to strengthen the nation’s electrical infrastructure.
DOE recently announced plans to support 84 Tennessee Valley Authority transmission and distribution projects across eight states, representing approximately $581 million in planned investments.
The projects, which include $250 million in federal funding, are expected to add roughly 2.5 gigawatts of grid capacity, improve reliability for 2.58 million families and businesses and support approximately 800 jobs.
The TVA initiative is separate from the PJM emergency order, and its final funding and regulatory approvals remain pending.
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Representatives for the Department of Energy and the North American Electric Reliability Corporation did not immediately respond to Fox News Digital’s requests for comment.