Federal Emergency Order Aims to Prevent Power Outages Across Mid-Atlantic, Including Virginia

The Energy Department authorizes additional power generation as high electricity demand and scheduled maintenance strain the regional power grid.

The U.S. Department of Energy issued an emergency order to prevent power outages across the Mid-Atlantic region, including Virginia, as electricity demand and scheduled maintenance threaten to strain the regional power grid.

Energy Secretary Chris Wright issued the order on October 12, 2026, directing PJM Interconnection, which coordinates electricity transmission across much of the Mid-Atlantic, to take additional steps to maintain reliable electric service.

The order took effect October 13 and remains in place through October 16.

Federal officials say the emergency action is intended to reduce the risk of blackouts during a period when the electric system faces several challenges at once.

Those challenges include elevated electricity demand, many power-generating facilities temporarily offline for planned autumn maintenance, and scheduled outages affecting transmission lines that carry electricity across the region.

Together, these conditions could make it harder for grid operators to keep electricity supply and demand balanced.

What the Emergency Order Allows

The order gives PJM additional authority to direct certain generating facilities to operate as needed to maintain grid stability.

It also authorizes the use of backup power generation as a last resort before the system reaches its highest emergency alert level or while that level is in effect.

Energy Emergency Alert 3, or EEA 3, represents a serious shortage of available electricity reserves that could require emergency measures to prevent widespread outages.

Under the order, PJM can call on transmission owners and electric distribution companies to help implement emergency measures.

The action followed an October 11 request from PJM seeking federal authorization to respond to the anticipated conditions.

The emergency order does not mean rolling blackouts have been scheduled. Instead, it gives grid operators additional options if electricity supplies become dangerously tight.

What It Means for Virginia

Virginia is part of the PJM regional electricity system, which coordinates electricity movement across multiple states and the District of Columbia.

The interconnected system lets power move between areas based on demand and available generating capacity.

For residents and businesses in the Shenandoah Valley and Northern Virginia, the order is a precautionary measure intended to help maintain reliable service during the four-day period.

Although the order addresses the broader Mid-Atlantic grid, problems in one portion of an interconnected electricity system can affect operations elsewhere.

The additional authority gives PJM more flexibility to respond before electricity shortages become severe enough to threaten customers.

The Department of Energy has not announced any scheduled outages or mandatory conservation measures in connection with the order.

Backup Generators Could Help Prevent Blackouts

One key provision allows PJM to use backup generation resources when other measures are insufficient.

Backup generators typically provide electricity during emergencies or when normal utility service is interrupted. Under the federal order, certain backup resources could be directed to operate to support the larger electricity system.

The Department of Energy estimates that more than 35 gigawatts of unused backup generation capacity is available nationwide.

For perspective, one gigawatt equals 1,000 megawatts, so 35 gigawatts equals 35,000 megawatts of generating capacity.

However, that nationwide estimate does not mean all of that power is available to the PJM system or could be brought online immediately.

The emergency authorization is intended to provide additional resources if normal electricity generation becomes insufficient to meet demand.

Energy Secretary Cites Reliability Concerns

Wright said the order is designed to protect families and businesses from electric service interruptions.

“This order will help ensure millions of American families and businesses across the mid-Atlantic have access to affordable, reliable, and secure electricity by making additional power generation, including backup power, available to use as needed,” Wright said.

He also criticized previous federal energy policies, arguing they increased the grid’s vulnerability when wind and solar generation is unavailable.

The secretary said the administration intends to use available federal authority to prevent blackouts.

The order was issued under Section 202(c) of the Federal Power Act, which allows the federal government to direct certain electricity operations during emergencies when necessary to protect the reliability of the power system.

A Short-Term Measure to Protect the Grid

The emergency order is scheduled to expire October 16, unless federal officials take further action.

During that period, PJM will have additional authority to dispatch specified generating units and use qualifying backup generation resources when necessary.

For electricity customers, the immediate message is that federal and regional grid officials are taking precautionary steps to prevent service disruptions, not announcing that blackouts are inevitable.

The Department of Energy’s action reflects concerns about maintaining enough available electricity while power plants and transmission facilities undergo scheduled maintenance.

Whether PJM will need to use the additional emergency authority will depend on actual electricity demand, available generating capacity, and grid conditions during the order’s effective period.

The full federal order is available through the U.S. Department of Energy.