U.S. Secretary of Energy Chris Wright has issued an emergency order aimed at maintaining grid reliability in the Mid-Atlantic region. The directive instructs PJM Interconnection, L.L.C. (PJM), working with Constellation Energy Corporation, to keep Units 3 and 4 of the Eddystone Generating Station in Pennsylvania available for operation. These units were originally scheduled to be retired on May 31, 2025.
“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,” Secretary Wright said. “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 Eddystone units played a significant role in stabilizing the power grid during Winter Storm Fern by operating for over 124 cumulative hours between January 26-29 during the emergency period.
Recent reports highlight concerns about grid reliability as more dependable power sources are taken offline. According to DOE’s Resource Adequacy Report, there is a possibility that power outages could become much more frequent by 2030 if current trends continue. The North American Electric Reliability Corporation (NERC) also cautioned that increasing reliance on weather-dependent resources and reduced fuel diversity heighten supply risks during winter months.
Secretary Wright previously ordered the Eddystone units to stay operational past their planned shutdown date through a May 30, 2025 emergency order, followed by additional orders on August 28 and November 26 of the same year. These actions ensured energy security for the PJM region during both summer heat waves and winter storms.
The latest order will remain effective from February 24 through May 24, 2026.
The Department of Energy continues efforts to improve energy resilience nationwide through various initiatives. For example, it announced a $225 million program funded by President Biden’s Bipartisan Infrastructure Law to help implement modern building energy codes and increase efficiency across U.S. communities (source). The agency also supports clean vehicle technology development with a $96 million funding opportunity aimed at decarbonizing transportation (source).
Additionally, over 140 programs have been established under President Biden’s Justice40 Initiative to ensure that disadvantaged communities benefit from federal investments in clean energy (source).
Further collaboration between national laboratories and other stakeholders is ongoing to develop technology supporting environmental cleanup missions (source) and address issues such as groundwater contamination using innovative passive energy processes (source).
U.S. officials have also encouraged international cooperation on clean energy transitions through events like the Global Clean Energy Action Forum (source).
