The U.S. Department of Energy (DOE) announced it is ready to take emergency measures to prevent power outages as winter storm Fern approaches. Secretary of Energy Chris Wright sent a letter to grid operators, urging them to stay in contact with the DOE and prepare to use backup generation resources at data centers and other large facilities if needed.
According to the DOE, there are more than 35 gigawatts (GW) of unused backup generation available across the country. Using these resources could help avoid blackouts and reduce costs for millions of Americans during the storm.
“The Trump administration will not stand by and allow the previous administration’s reckless energy subtraction policies and bureaucratic red tape put American lives at risk,” said Secretary Wright. “We have identified more than 35 GW of unused backup generation that exists across the country and are taking action to ensure that if the nation needs it, the generation will be made available. Rest assured, President Trump and the Energy Department remain committed to doing everything in our power to mitigate blackouts and lower energy costs for the American people.”
President Trump declared a national energy emergency on his first day in office, citing concerns about grid reliability following policy changes under the previous administration. The North American Electric Reliability Corporation (NERC) has reported that winter electricity demand is increasing rapidly, while early closures of coal and natural gas plants have left families more exposed to outages. NERC’s 2025–2026 Winter Reliability Assessment warns that many areas in the continental United States face an increased risk of blackouts during severe weather.
The DOE also noted that power outages cost Americans $44 billion each year, based on data from its National Laboratories. The draft order aims to reduce such losses by ensuring reliable access to backup power during critical periods.
The proposed order, developed under section 202(c) of the Federal Power Act, would apply broadly—including data centers, industrial sites, commercial facilities, auxiliary systems, standby generators, directly connected units, and battery storage—regardless of their connection status with bulk systems. These resources would only be used after all demand response options are exhausted and just before a Reliability Coordinator declares an Energy Emergency Alert Level 3.
