US DOE Authorizes PJM to Access Data Center Backup Generation
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On June 30, 2026, the U.S. Department of Energy (“US DOE”) issued an order in response to a request by PJM Interconnection, LLC (“PJM”), which authorized PJM to access backup power generation at large-load sites, including artificial intelligence (“AI”) data centers. The order lasted from June 30th to the end of July 3rd. It was the second such order issued this year by US DOE. The first order was issued on May 18th and lasted until the end of May 20th.
The impetus for both US DOE orders was extreme heat. Per the June 30 order:
The current hot weather conditions pose significant risks to electric reliability in the Reliability Coordinator’s footprint… this order seeks to unlock and deploy backup generation resources… as another tool to mitigate any undue risk to the bulk-power system. The employment of this backup generation is expected to reduce stress on the grid. This will permit orderly, safe, and secure operations during the hot weather conditions.
Read the May 18, 2026, order here:
Read the June 30, 2026, order here:
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