Emergency order aims to maintain electricity supply in Mid-Atlantic region during winter
U.S. Secretary of Energy Chris Wright has issued an emergency order to strengthen grid reliability and reduce the risk of power outages in the Mid-Atlantic region ahead of the upcoming winter. The directive instructs PJM Interconnection, working with Constellation Energy, to keep Units 3 and 4 at Pennsylvania’s Eddystone Generating Station available for operation. The goal is to ensure these units continue producing electricity, which is considered essential for maintaining reliable service in the PJM network during the colder months.
“Thanks to President Trump’s leadership, the Department of Energy is using all tools available to keep the lights on and heat running for the American people,” said Energy Secretary Wright. “This emergency order is needed to strengthen grid reliability and will help provide affordable, reliable, and secure power when Americans need it most.”
The Department of Energy (DOE) referenced its Resource Adequacy Report, warning that if dependable power sources are removed from service too quickly, outages could become far more frequent by 2030.
Secretary Wright had previously ordered these two Eddystone units to remain operational past their planned retirement date through a May 30, 2025 emergency order. Their continued operation helped meet demand during heat waves in June and July. A follow-up order was also issued on August 28, 2025.
PJM Interconnection’s territory continues to face significant challenges regarding energy supply and demand balance. In January 2025, PJM set a new record for winter electricity demand, surpassing levels last seen in 2015.
The current emergency order takes effect on November 26, 2025 and will remain active until February 24, 2026.
PJM has raised concerns about resource adequacy over several years. In February 2023, PJM released a report highlighting growing risks related to resource retirements outpacing new generation capacity additions amid increasing load growth. In December 2024 filings with the Federal Energy Regulatory Commission (FERC), PJM reported that it faces “substantial increases” in load additions while its concerns about having enough resources are “increasing at an extraordinary pace.” During a March 2025 hearing before Congress’ House Committee on Energy and Commerce, Manu Asthana—President & CEO of PJM—testified about a “growing resource adequacy concern . . . impacting a significant part of our country.”
For more information on recent FERC filings by PJM Interconnection regarding reliability initiatives: https://elibrary.ferc.gov/eLibrary/filelist?accession_number=20241213-5182&optimized=false
Testimony from Mr. Manu Asthana before Congress can be found here: https://docs.house.gov/meetings/IF/IF03/20250325/117601/HHRG-119-IF03-Wstate-AsthanaM-20250325.pdf
