The U.S. Department of Energy has extended an emergency order to address potential blackouts in New England as another winter storm approaches. The extension, authorized under Section 202(c) of the Federal Power Act, allows ISO New England Inc. (ISO-NE) to operate certain power resources beyond normal environmental or state law restrictions.
ISO-NE requested the extension due to ongoing emergency conditions expected to continue past the initial order’s expiration. The original emergency order was issued on January 25, 2026.
“This winter storm demonstrates why the Trump Administration continues to reverse the dangerous energy subtraction agenda of the previous administration,” said U.S. Secretary of Energy Chris Wright. “Those policies weakened the grid and left Americans more vulnerable to blackouts and higher electricity prices. We are doing everything in our power to reverse those reckless decisions. The Trump Administration is committed to using every available tool, and unleashing all available power generation, to keep the lights on and Americans safe.”
President Trump declared a national energy emergency at the start of his term, citing concerns about grid vulnerability after policy changes by the previous administration. The North American Electric Reliability Corporation (NERC) reported that winter electricity demand is increasing rapidly and warned that early closures of coal and natural gas plants have made families more susceptible to outages during extreme weather events.
Power outages result in significant costs for Americans each year, with data from DOE’s National Laboratories indicating annual losses of $44 billion due to outages. The current order aims to reduce such disruptions in regions including the Mid-Atlantic and Carolinas while emphasizing policies focused on affordable and reliable electricity supply.
The extended order remains effective until 11:59 PM ET on February 14, 2026.
These actions align with President Trump’s Executive Order declaring a national energy emergency, aiming to maintain generation availability and minimize blackout risks.
