The U.S. Department of Energy (DOE) has issued an emergency order allowing the Electric Reliability Council of Texas (ERCOT) to deploy backup generation resources at data centers and other major facilities during Winter Storm Fern. The order, which is authorized under Section 202(c) of the Federal Power Act, aims to reduce the risk of blackouts as extreme winter weather affects Texas.
Energy Secretary Wright stated, “The Trump administration is committed to unleashing all available power generation needed to keep Americans safe during Winter Storm Fern. Unfortunately, the last administration had the nation on track to lose significant amounts of baseload power, but we are doing everything in our power to reverse those reckless decisions. The Trump administration will continue taking action to ensure that the 35 GW of untapped backup generation that exists across the country can be deployed as needed during Winter Storm Fern and in the future.”
Earlier this week, President Trump declared a national energy emergency. This move follows concerns about grid vulnerability due to previous energy policies and plant closures. The North American Electric Reliability Corporation (NERC) reported that winter electricity demand is rising rapidly and warned that closures of coal and natural gas plants have increased risks for American families during severe weather events. NERC’s 2025–2026 Winter Reliability Assessment indicates that areas across the continental United States face elevated blackout risks when extreme conditions occur.
According to DOE’s National Laboratories, annual costs from power outages in the United States reach $44 billion. The emergency order is intended to help mitigate such outages in Texas by making use of more than 35 gigawatts of unused backup generation capacity nationwide.
The emergency order will remain in effect from January 24 through January 27, 2026.
NERC’s recent assessment found ERCOT at an elevated risk for blackouts this winter and recommended preparations for possible operating mitigations and Energy Emergency Alerts if above-normal peak demand or outages take place.
