U.S. Secretary of Energy Chris Wright has issued an emergency order to address grid reliability issues in the Mid-Atlantic region. The order requires PJM Interconnection, L.L.C., working with Constellation Energy Corporation, to keep Units 3 and 4 of the Eddystone Generating Station in Pennsylvania available for operation. The directive also calls for economic dispatch to help minimize costs.
These units were scheduled for shutdown on May 31, 2025, but have played a key role during recent weather emergencies. According to the Department of Energy (DOE), they operated over 124 hours during Winter Storm Fern between January 26 and January 29, providing essential electricity during that period.
Secretary Wright stated, “The energy sources that perform when you need them most are inherently the most valuable—that’s why natural gas and oil were valuable during recent winter storms. Hundreds of American lives have likely been saved because of President Trump’s actions keeping critical generation online, including this Pennsylvania generating station which ran during Winter Storm Fern. This emergency order will mitigate the risk of blackouts and maintain affordable, reliable, and secure electricity access across the region.”
The DOE’s Resource Adequacy Report notes that power outages could become significantly more frequent by 2030 if reliable power sources are taken offline. In addition, NERC’s 2025 Long-Term Reliability Assessment warns about increased risks from relying more on weather-dependent resources with less fuel diversity.
The Eddystone units have remained operational under previous emergency orders issued on May 30, August 28, and November 26 of last year. Their continued use helped stabilize energy supplies not only during winter storms but also heat waves in the PJM region.
This latest emergency order will be effective from February 24 through May 24, 2026.
In related efforts to improve energy resilience and affordability nationwide, the DOE announced a $225 million program funded by President Biden’s Bipartisan Infrastructure Law aimed at implementing modern building energy codes to lower utility bills (source). The department has also outlined numerous programs supporting clean energy investments for disadvantaged communities as part of President Biden’s Justice40 Initiative (source).
Other recent initiatives include funding opportunities for decarbonizing transportation through cleaner vehicles (source) and technology development projects involving national laboratories focused on environmental cleanup (source). Additionally, innovative processes are being used at sites like Savannah River to address environmental challenges using passive energy solutions (source).
