DOE Issues Emergency Order to Alleviate Power Grid Stress
The U.S. Department of Energy (DOE) has implemented an emergency order aimed at easing the considerable strain on the power grid affecting 17 states, primarily due to severe summer heat.
In a statement released on Sunday, the DOE indicated that utilizing backup energy sources would help mitigate the pressure on the power grid and lower the likelihood of blackouts—an issue that, according to the DOE’s National Laboratories, costs Americans around $44 billion each year.
This emergency directive, which went into effect on July 26th and will last until August 3rd, instructs the Southwest Power Pool (SPP), the regional grid operator for parts of the central U.S., to activate specified power plants as necessary to ensure reliability.
U.S. Secretary of Energy Chris Wright highlighted the Trump Administration’s plan to leverage the “abundant” supply of backup energy to provide power for the impacted regions.
“The Trump Administration is tapping into an abundant supply of unused backup generation to maintain affordable, reliable, and secure power for hardworking American families and businesses,” said Wright. “The previous administration’s energy policies had weakened the grid, making Americans more vulnerable during emergencies. Thanks to President Trump’s leadership, we are correcting those mistakes and using every available resource to ensure that Americans have continued access to affordable, reliable, and secure energy for their homes.”
The states impacted by this emergency order include Arizona, Arkansas, Colorado, Iowa, Kansas, Louisiana, Minnesota, Missouri, Montana, Nebraska, New Mexico, North Dakota, Oklahoma, South Dakota, Texas, Utah, and Wyoming.
The DOE’s authorization permits SPP to activate backup power as a last resort right before or during a Level 3 energy emergency.
According to the DOE, over 35 gigawatts (GW) of unused energy is available throughout the country.
This directive arrives as approximately 40 million people face extreme heat warnings in central and southern areas of the U.S.
The National Weather Service has reported heat index values soaring above 100°F, stretching from Minnesota to Mississippi and extending into Southern California and Nevada, with some parts of the Southwest expecting temperatures up to 120°F.
