U.S. Secretary of Energy Chris Wright has issued an emergency order to address grid reliability concerns in the Mid-Atlantic region. The directive instructs PJM Interconnection, L.L.C., working with Constellation Energy Corporation, to keep Units 3 and 4 of the Eddystone Generating Station in Pennsylvania available for operation. The goal is also to use economic dispatch to minimize costs for consumers. These units were previously scheduled for shutdown on May 31, 2025.
“The energy sources that perform when you need them most are inherently the most valuable—that’s why natural gas and oil were valuable during recent winter storms,” Secretary Wright said. “Hundreds of American lives have likely been saved because of President Trump’s actions keeping critical generation online, including this Pennsylvania generating station which ran during Winter Storm Fern. This emergency order will mitigate the risk of blackouts and maintain affordable, reliable, and secure electricity access across the region.”
During Winter Storm Fern from January 26-29, the Eddystone units operated for over 124 hours in total, providing essential power during an energy emergency.
The Department of Energy’s Resource Adequacy Report indicates that if reliable power continues to be taken offline, outages could increase significantly by 2030. In addition, the North American Electric Reliability Corporation’s (NERC) 2025 Long-Term Reliability Assessment warns that a continued move toward weather-dependent resources and less fuel diversity increases risks of supply shortfalls during winter months.
Secretary Wright had previously ordered these two units at Eddystone Generating Station to remain operational beyond their planned retirement date in a May 30, 2025 emergency order. Additional orders followed on August 28 and November 26, 2025. Keeping these units running has contributed to energy security in the PJM region; they were called upon during both summer heat waves and Winter Storm Fern.
The current order will be effective from February 24 through May 24, 2026.
In related efforts to strengthen U.S. energy resilience and affordability, the Department of Energy announced a $225 million program funded by President Biden’s Bipartisan Infrastructure Law aimed at supporting implementation of modern building energy codes across states and local governments: https://www.energy.gov/articles/biden-harris-administration-launches-225-million-program-lower-utility-bills-through-more
Additionally, as part of ongoing initiatives under President Biden’s Justice40 Initiative—which aims for federal agencies to deliver at least forty percent of clean energy investments to disadvantaged communities—the Department has launched more than one hundred forty programs focused on grid resilience and equitable access: https://www.energy.gov/articles/doe-announces-more-140-programs-supporting-president-bidens-justice40-initiative
