WASHINGTON — The U.S. Department of Energy said Secretary Chris Wright has issued an emergency order to reduce blackout risks in the Mid-Atlantic as demand rises and planned outages tighten supplies.
The order is effective Oct. 13 through Oct. 16, 2026. It directs PJM Interconnection to dispatch specified generating units and order their operation as needed to maintain reliability, the department said.
It also authorizes PJM to direct backup generation to operate as a last resort before declaring an Energy Emergency Alert 3, or during one, and to call on transmission owners and electric distribution companies to help carry out the order.
“This order will help ensure millions of American families and businesses across the mid-Atlantic have access to affordable, reliable, and secure electricity”
The department said the move followed an application PJM submitted on Oct. 11, 2026, under Section 202(c) of the Federal Power Act. It cited elevated demand, a high rate of planned generator outages during the autumn maintenance season, and numerous planned transmission outages.
PJM said it issued a Maximum Generation Alert and a Load Management Alert for Oct. 13 and extended its Capacity Advisory to Oct. 14. As of 4 p.m. Monday, it forecast demand of 112,447 megawatts on Tuesday and 112,282 megawatts on Wednesday, with generation outages expected to be about 62,000 megawatts through the affected period.
USA TODAY reported particular concerns in areas served by Baltimore Gas and Electric, Pepco and Dominion Energy, which serve parts of Maryland, Washington and Virginia. The order does not mean widespread outages are likely, the report said.
Residents were encouraged to follow updates from their electric utilities and local emergency officials for any instructions or changes in conditions.
