U.S. Secretary of Energy Chris Wright has issued an emergency order aimed at preventing blackouts in the Mid-Atlantic region as winter approaches. The directive requires PJM Interconnection (PJM), working with Constellation Energy, to keep Units 3 and 4 of the Eddystone Generating Station in Pennsylvania operational and to focus on minimizing energy costs for consumers. These units are expected to play a key role in maintaining electricity reliability during the upcoming colder months.
“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.”
A recent Resource Adequacy Report from the Department of Energy warned that if reliable power sources are removed from service, power outages could be up to 100 times more frequent by 2030.
The two Eddystone units were previously ordered by Secretary Wright in May 2025 to remain online past their planned retirement date. Their continued operation over summer helped meet increased electricity demand during regional heat waves in June and July. Another follow-up order was issued in August 2025.
PJM’s territory experienced record winter electricity demand in January 2025, surpassing previous peaks set a decade earlier. This trend suggests ongoing stress on the region’s electric grid both now and into the future.
PJM has raised concerns about resource adequacy for several years. In a February 2023 report, PJM highlighted risks arising from differences between when old resources retire, new resources come online, and growing demand for electricity. A December 2024 filing with the Federal Energy Regulatory Commission indicated that load additions are rising sharply and that resource adequacy worries are growing quickly.
During testimony before Congress in March 2025, PJM President & CEO Manu Asthana stated there is “a growing resource adequacy concern . . . impacting a significant part of our country.”
The current emergency order takes effect November 26, 2025, through February 24, 2026.
