The U.S. Department of Energy (DOE) has issued two emergency orders to allow the use of backup generation resources in the Mid-Atlantic and Carolinas after Winter Storm Fern caused widespread concerns about grid reliability. The orders, made under Section 202(c) of the Federal Power Act, give PJM Interconnection and Duke Energy permission to deploy backup power at data centers and other major facilities.
This move follows a letter from Secretary Wright sent earlier in the week, urging grid operators to prepare for possible blackouts due to the storm. The DOE estimates that more than 35 gigawatts of unused backup generation are available nationwide. By authorizing their use, officials aim to help utility companies respond to extreme temperatures and storm-related damage while also lowering costs for consumers in affected regions.
These latest actions are not the first taken during Winter Storm Fern; previous emergency orders directed PJM and Duke Energy to operate certain resources even if that meant overriding environmental permit limits or state laws.
U.S. Energy Secretary Wright stated, “The Trump administration is committed to unleashing all available power generation needed to keep Americans safe during Winter Storm Fern.” He added, “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.”
President Trump declared a national energy emergency on his first day in office following what was described as increased vulnerability of the grid after changes made by previous administrations. According to an assessment by the North American Electric Reliability Corporation (NERC), winter electricity demand is rising quickly while closures of coal and natural gas plants may increase risks for outages during severe weather conditions. NERC’s 2025–2026 Winter Reliability Assessment points out that areas across the continental United States could face higher blackout risks when temperatures drop sharply.
The DOE notes that annual losses from power outages amount to $44 billion nationwide according to its National Laboratories. Officials believe these new emergency orders will help reduce such losses by supporting reliable electricity supply throughout regions hit hardest by recent storms.
The order for PJM will be active from January 26 through January 31, 2026; for Duke Energy it will remain effective from January 26 through January 30, 2026.
NERC forecasts indicate PJM will see one of this winter’s largest peak demand increases nationally. If winter peaks and outage rates run above normal levels, operating mitigations or Energy Emergency Alerts could become necessary.
These measures align with President Trump’s Executive Order declaring a national energy emergency and aim at ensuring enough electricity generation capacity is available during periods of high demand.
