Power grid emergency in 13 states
The gist
The US Department of Energy issued an emergency order covering 13 states and DC.
It lets backup generation run in PJM, forecast within 900 MW of reserve margin.
How it unfolded
- Oct 12, 2026The DOE issued an order Monday under Section 202(c) of the Federal Power Act to mitigate blackout risks in the mid-Atlantic.
- Oct 13, 2026The emergency order took effect and runs through Oct. 16, 2026. PJM issued a Maximum Generation Alert and Load Management Alert for the day.
- Oct 13, 2026PJM forecast demand at approximately 111,500 MW or above, with one report citing 112,200 megawatts.