The U.S. Department of Energy reported that it took emergency actions to prevent widespread blackouts during Winter Storm Fern, which struck the country in late January 2026. According to the department, these measures were intended to maintain reliable electricity for American households and businesses during extreme cold.
“We will not allow reckless energy subtraction policies and bureaucratic red tape to put American lives at risk. These orders will mitigate blackouts and help restore affordable and reliable electricity, so American families thrive and America’s manufacturing industries can once again boom,” said U.S. Secretary of Energy Chris Wright.
President Trump declared a national energy emergency on his first day in office, leading the Energy Department to reverse previous policies related to grid reliability and affordability. The department stated that its actions included saving coal plants from closure, suspending certain generation regulations, and deploying backup power sources during recent storms.
The department compared Winter Storm Fern with Texas’ Winter Storm Uri in 2021. During Uri, over 4.5 million people lost power after renewable generation failed; by contrast, about one million people lost power during Fern despite its greater severity.
In response to the storm and a prolonged cold snap in Florida, the Energy Department issued 39 emergency orders and extensions—20 of which aimed specifically at keeping reliable power online. “Beautiful, clean coal was the MVP of the huge cold snap we’re in right now. I can say with some confidence, hundreds of American lives have been saved because of President Trump’s actions saving America’s coal industry,” Wright added.
Five coal plants were kept operational ahead of Winter Storm Fern; three were located within regions affected by the storm. For example, Michigan’s J.H. Campbell Coal Plant ran at over 650 MW daily between January 21 and February 1; Indiana’s Schahfer Coal Plant operated above 285 MW each day over this period; Culley Coal Plant also contributed steady output.
During peak demand across impacted regions—including ERCOT, MISO, SPP, PJM, ISONE, NYISO—hydrocarbons provided 71% of electricity while nuclear sources brought the total up to 86%. Solar accounted for just 2%, wind for 8%. In New England—a region where many coal plants have closed—hydrocarbons still supplied two-thirds of peak demand needs.
Electricity generation from fossil fuels increased significantly compared to last year: coal rose by 25%, natural gas by 47%, oil by nearly twenty times (1,953%). Wind output dropped by about 40%.
To further support grid stability during emergencies like Fern or Florida’s cold snap, Secretary Wright instructed grid operators nationwide to prepare backup systems at data centers and other facilities. The department authorized five such deployments across several states within three days—the largest demand response program ever conducted in the U.S., according to officials.
On February 2 alone, roughly 300 MW of backup generation stabilized Florida’s grid following DOE orders. Over one hundred local entities used backup generators as permitted under these directives; a major utility confirmed that hundreds of Publix grocery stores relied on their own generators during this period.
Recent years have seen federal efforts focused on both traditional energy security measures as well as clean energy initiatives funded through laws like President Biden’s Bipartisan Infrastructure Law—which established a $225 million program for implementing new building energy codes aimed at improving efficiency (https://www.energy.gov/articles/biden-harris-administration-launches-225-million-program-lower-utility-bills-through-more). Additionally, more than one hundred programs support goals such as delivering clean energy investments to disadvantaged communities (https://www.energy.gov/articles/doe-announces-more-140-programs-supporting-president-bidens-justice40-initiative).
While technology development remains an ongoing priority for environmental management projects (https://www.energy.gov/em/articles/technology-development-aiding-em-mission-senior-advisor-white-tells-congress), officials say that ensuring access to reliable electricity remains essential—especially during periods of severe weather.
