미국 최대 전력망 운영사 PJM은 미국 에너지부가 신뢰도 유지를 위한 긴급 명령을 발령하면서 'Maximum Gen Alert'를 발동했다.

PJM Interconnection issued a Maximum Generation Alert on Monday, warning of expected tight system conditions. The alert follows a combination of unusually warm fall weather and planned equipment outages for maintenance. As the largest grid operator in the U.S., PJM issued the alert to notify transmission and generation owners to defer or cancel non-essential equipment testing and maintenance, which keeps vital transmission lines and units operational to serve critical demand.

The alert also warns neighboring grid operators that electricity exports from PJM may be curtailed, but it primarily serves as a proactive, pre-emergency measure. PJM also issued a Capacity Advisory from Monday through Wednesday, which includes recalling generation units that were previously scheduled for maintenance outages. Although these advisories do not require customer action, they coincide with a U.S. Department of Energy (DOE) federal emergency order to manage tight electricity supply across 13 states and Washington, D.C.

The emergency order, DOE Order No. 202-26-50, directs PJM on exactly which power plants (units) it must turn on or keep running. Under the federal order, PJM has the authority to dictate how much electricity those specific power operators must produce and when, in order to prevent potential widespread blackouts during this period.

The order also authorizes PJM to use direct backup generation resources as a last resort before declaring an Energy Emergency Alert (EEA) 3, the highest and most critical level of a power grid emergency, which is triggered when electricity supply and demand can no longer be balanced.

"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," said U.S. Secretary of Energy Chris Wright in a statement.

Wright added that DOE remains committed to using "every available tool to prevent blackouts," and noted that the administration estimates more than 35 GW of unused backup generation remains available nationwide. The federal order remains in effect from Oct. 13 through Oct. 16.

**FERC approves data center registry, rejects broader grid framework**

On Oct. 9, the Federal Energy Regulatory Commission (FERC) approved PJM's proposal to create a registry for large electricity users, such as data centers. The registry is part of a broader set of emergency filings PJM's board submitted to address a serious power challenge: securing enough generation to balance data center growth with the needs of everyday households and businesses.

FERC's approval will support critical reform initiatives and data center curtailment efforts. It allows PJM to better define large loads as facilities demanding 50 MW or more, and the registry will compile each facility's location, capacity supply, ramp schedule and other key operational details.

However, FERC rejected PJM's "Bring Your Own Capacity" rules and its broader Interim Resource Adequacy Service (IRAS) framework.

Under the rejected IRAS proposal, large loads could connect to the grid without matching new capacity if they agreed to be curtailed in the lead-up to grid emergencies. FERC determined, however, that this curtailment proposal would "intrude on state jurisdiction over retail rates and appear to discriminate against large loads."

"We find that several provisions of the proposed tariff appear to place obligations directly on eligible new large loads, which are, for the most part, retail customers; that certain other provisions appear to dictate which retail customers taking retail service will be curtailed; and that the proposed compensation framework appears to establish a retail rate," FERC said in its IRAS rejection filing.

To address near-term capacity shortfalls, PJM also proposed facilitating bilateral matchmaking, in which interested buyers and sellers negotiate directly through a third-party intermediary. The goal was to cure projected shortfalls and long-term needs while avoiding over-procurement.

Alongside matchmaking, PJM proposed a one-time central procurement auction running from Sept. 30 through Oct. 21, capping the total cost of accepted supply offers at $555/MW-day. FERC conditionally accepted the framework but decided to suspend that auction timeline for five months to allow for further regulatory review.

PJM's 13-state region includes residential, commercial and industrial customers across Virginia, Maryland, the District of Columbia, Pennsylvania, New Jersey, Michigan, North Carolina, West Virginia and six other Midwest states.