DOE issues emergency alert to curb PJM power use amid heat wave

The U. S. Department of Energy declared an energy emergency and ordered PJM Interconnection to cut electricity use as a heat wave threatened the power grid, ABC News reported. The emergency alert was issued because forecasts indicated that the soaring temperatures could drive demand to record levels for PJM and several other regional operators.

The directive required PJM to implement conservation measures aimed at reducing load across its service area, which spans much of the East Coast, Midwest and South. Energy officials warned that without rapid reductions, the grid could face widespread outages as demand approached or exceeded available capacity. The action represented a coordinated effort to avert blackouts amid one of the most intense heat events of the season.