The U.S. Department of Energy (DOE) has issued two emergency orders to deploy backup power generation in the Mid-Atlantic and Carolinas following Winter Storm Fern. The orders, made under Section 202(c) of the Federal Power Act, authorize PJM Interconnection, LLC (PJM), as well as Duke Energy Carolinas, LLC and Duke Energy Progress (collectively known as Duke Energy), to activate backup generation resources at data centers and other major facilities.
This decision follows a letter from Secretary Wright sent to grid operators on Thursday, urging them to prepare for the use of backup generation if necessary due to blackout risks from the storm. DOE estimates that more than 35 gigawatts of unused backup generation are available nationwide. The emergency orders are intended to help PJM and Duke address extreme temperatures and storm-related damage while also aiming to reduce costs for residents in affected regions.
These latest directives are the second set of emergency orders issued during Winter Storm Fern. Earlier orders permitted specified resources within PJM and Duke regions to operate without regard for limits set by environmental permits or state law.
“The Trump administration is committed to unleashing all available power generation needed to keep Americans safe during Winter Storm Fern,” said U.S. Energy Secretary Wright. “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 after what he described as an “energy subtraction agenda” under President Biden left the grid vulnerable. The North American Electric Reliability Corporation (NERC) has reported that winter electricity demand is increasing rapidly, while closures of coal and natural gas plants have increased outage risks for families across America. NERC’s 2025–2026 Winter Reliability Assessment warns that several areas across the continental United States face an elevated risk of blackouts during extreme weather.
According to DOE’s National Laboratories, annual power outages cost Americans $44 billion. The new orders aim to help mitigate outages in impacted states and reflect policies promoted by the current administration focused on maintaining reliable access to electricity.
The order for PJM will be effective from January 26 through January 31, 2026; for Duke Energy, it will run from January 26 through January 30, 2026.
NERC’s recent assessment projects that PJM will see one of the largest increases in peak demand this winter nationwide. It also notes that above-normal winter peaks or outage conditions could necessitate operational interventions or trigger energy emergency alerts.
Orders like these follow President Trump’s executive order declaring a national energy emergency and seek to ensure enough electric supply is available during periods of high demand.
