Power grid strains against extreme heat

What This is

• A major heat wave is pushing U.S. electricity demand toward record levels and raising the risk of power outages in parts of the Midwest, Mid-Atlantic, and Northeast.
• PJM Interconnection, the country’s largest grid operator, escalated emergency actions to keep enough reserves on hand and avoid blackouts as demand surged.
• The U.S. Department of Energy issued emergency orders for the PJM region to maximize power supply, including bringing on extra generation and using backup sources as a last resort.
• Officials also directed data centers and other large electricity users in the PJM region to switch to backup generators to reduce grid strain during peak heat.
• The heat wave has intensified scrutiny of data centers because their cooling needs raise electricity and water use, and backup diesel generators can worsen local air quality.
• Grid operators and utilities urged customers to conserve electricity during peak hours, including through demand-response programs and thermostat adjustments.

Why This Matters

• Grid failures during extreme heat can quickly become a public-safety crisis, because cooling is often the main protection against heat illness and death.
• Emergency grid orders raise hard questions about when government should override normal rules to keep power on, and who should be asked first to cut back during a crisis.
• Price spikes and storm-related outages show how heat can turn into sudden economic harm, with higher bills, lost business, and costly emergency repairs even without a long blackout.