PJM Interconnection, the operator of the largest U.S. electric grid, has issued a maximum generation alert for July 3 asking power producers to maximize electricity generation amid soaring demand in the current extreme heat wave.
PJM had a Maximum Generation Alert and Load Management Alert in effect for July 2 across its footprint in the eastern U.S. and Midwest.
These alerts have now been issued for the PJM footprint for July 3, too. While the alert does not require any action from customers, generators and transmission owners are asked to maximize output and determine if any maintenance or testing on equipment can be deferred or canceled. By deferring maintenance, the units stay online and continue to produce energy that is needed to serve electricity demand within the PJM region, the grid operator said.
The U.S. is baking in heat wave set to last into the July 4 weekend as extreme heat has gripped more than two dozen states across the Midwest, the South, and the East Coast.
As a result of the soaring demand for cooling in the extreme heat, “PJM continues to take proactive measures to maintain reliable operations as this week’s extreme heat pushes electricity demand to near record levels,” the biggest grid operator in the U.S. said.
A Hot Weather Alert from PJM remains in effect through July 4, while the Maximum Generation Alert has been issued for July 3. These alerts do not require any actions from customers, said PJM, whose area covers 13 mid-Atlantic and Midwest states and the District of Columbia, serving about 67 million people.
In the 2026 Summer Reliability Assessment from May, the North American Electric Reliability Corp (NERC) said that while strong load growth continues in nearly all assessment areas, large computational and other large loads pose operational challenges for the upcoming summer.
By Tsvetana Paraskova for Oilprice.com
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