U.S. Secretary of Energy Chris Wright has issued an emergency order to address the risk of blackouts in the Mid-Atlantic region ahead of winter. The directive requires PJM Interconnection, working with Constellation Energy, to keep Units 3 and 4 at the Eddystone Generating Station in Pennsylvania operational. This move aims to maintain grid reliability during the colder months and minimize costs for consumers.
“Thanks to President Trump’s leadership, the Department of Energy is using all tools available to keep the lights on and heat running for the American people,” said Energy Secretary Wright. “This emergency order is needed to strengthen grid reliability and will help provide affordable, reliable, and secure power when Americans need it most.”
The Department of Energy’s Resource Adequacy Report warns that power outages could become much more frequent by 2030 if dependable sources are retired too quickly.
Earlier this year, Secretary Wright had already extended the operation of these two units beyond their planned retirement date through a May 30 emergency order. Their continued operation over summer helped support energy security in PJM’s service area, particularly during periods of high demand caused by heat waves in June and July. Another related order was issued on August 28.
PJM has faced ongoing concerns about having enough resources to meet demand. In January 2025, PJM experienced a new record peak for winter electricity use, surpassing its previous high from 2015.
The current emergency order will be effective from November 26, 2025 until February 24, 2026.
Reports from PJM have highlighted growing worries about resource adequacy due to delays between retiring old power plants and bringing new ones online. In a December 2024 filing with the Federal Energy Regulatory Commission (FERC), PJM noted substantial increases in expected demand and described its concerns as rising rapidly. During a March 2025 congressional hearing, Manu Asthana, President & CEO of PJM Interconnection, testified that there is a “growing resource adequacy concern . . . impacting a significant part of our country.”
