July 1, 2026 | Source: U.S. Department of Energy, Office of Cybersecurity, Energy Security, and Emergency Response (CESER) — Emergency Orders under FPA Section 202(c)
DOE Orders PJM to Dispatch Reserves Ahead of Record Summer Peak
On June 30, 2026, DOE issued two emergency orders under Section 202(c) of the Federal Power Act directing PJM Interconnection to stabilize the Mid-Atlantic grid through a stretch of record-breaking summer peak demand.
The first order directs PJM to dispatch specified generating units and order their operation as needed to maintain reliability. The second authorizes PJM, working with its Transmission Owners and Electric Distribution Companies, to call on backup generation as a last resort before declaring — or during — an Energy Emergency Alert Level 3.
Both orders followed PJM applications filed June 27 and June 29, and are in effect from 11:59 PM EDT June 30 through 11:59 PM EDT July 3, 2026. DOE estimates more than 35 GW of unused backup generation remains available nationwide.
What This Means for Operators and Compliance Teams
This is becoming a pattern, not an outlier. DOE has issued more than two dozen 202(c) emergency orders in 2026 alone — across PJM, MISO, ERCOT, Duke, and others — a sign that summer margins are thinner than seasonal assessments alone suggest.
For RCs and TOPs inside PJM, this order effectively lowers the threshold for pre-EEA3 backup generation dispatch. Confirm which facilities in your footprint are covered, and verify those units can be brought online inside the order's compressed timeline.
For compliance teams, a 202(c) order doesn't waive NERC obligations — EOP-011, IRO-010, and TOP-001 data and operating requirements still apply. Document everything dispatched under this order now, while the paper trail is fresh.
EPG Solutions Can Help
Emergency orders like this one are exactly the moments RTDMS/PGDA real-time situational awareness earns its keep — giving operators live visibility into unit status and backup generation availability as EEA levels shift hour to hour. If your team is heading into peak season without that picture, now's the time to close the gap.