A Hot Weather Alert is an established procedure PJM issues ahead of forecasted hot weather and/or high humidity to prepare transmission and generation personnel and facilities for expected increases in electricity demand, or load.
Reducing July 2 Peak
During the July 2 evening peak, PJM executed a series of procedures to manage demand and maximize supply when some generation tripped offline, including calling on emergency demand response.
PJM also issued a warning to prepare some transmission owners and utilities for the possibility of curtailing data centers and other large loads in their regions and moving them to backup generation.
Ultimately, that action was not required and service was not impacted.
On July 2, PJM’s peak instantaneous load was approximately 162,700 MW between 5 and 6 p.m., according to preliminary figures, but that figure was suppressed by the use of demand response programs.
The peak load is likely to have surpassed the all-time PJM record of 165,600 MW set in 2006.
Forecast Peak
As of 1 p.m. on July 3, 2026, PJM expects to serve the following peak loads through July 5:
-- July 3 - 157,480 MW
-- July 4 - 152,039 MW
-- July 5 - 139,217 MW
These numbers are subject to change and will be updated periodically. PJM publishes load forecasts out to seven days on Data Miner.
Still In Place
-- Data Center Backup Generation: PJM requested and received approval of an emergency 202c order by the U.S. Department of Energy to direct transmission owners, if required as a last resort prior to voltage reduction or load shed, to curtail data centers and other large loads that have backup generation.
-- Relief From Environmental Limits: PJM has also requested and received approval of a DOE 202c emergency order for temporary relief from environmental permit restrictions for generating units, effective July 1 through July 3.
Click Here for the PJM announcement.
The PJM Interconnection coordinates the wholesale electricity grid and markets for all or parts of 13 states—Delaware, Illinois, Indiana, Kentucky, Maryland, Michigan, New Jersey, North Carolina, Ohio, Pennsylvania, Tennessee, Virginia, and West Virginia—plus the District of Columbia.
Related Articles This Week:
-- Senate Committee Moves Bills Authorizing Individual Municipalities To Enact Moratoriums On Consideration Of A.I. Data Center Proposals-- After Voting Down A Statewide 3-Year Moratorium [PaEN]
-- House Committee Amends Senate-Passed Tax Code Bill On Data Centers, Then Adjourned To Sept. 28 [PaEN]
-- The Center Square: House Passes [3rd] Bill Putting Conditions On Qualifying For State Sales Tax Exemption For Data Centers, Including A Ban On Nondisclosure Agreements
-- PennLive: With A.I. Data Centers In Mind, PA House Votes 193-9 To Close Sunshine Act Public Meeting Notice Loophole After PA Supreme Court Ruling [House Bill 2146] [Senate Passed Senate Bill 1150 In June]
-- PA House Republicans Unveil Energy Package To Eliminate Alternative Energy Portfolio Standards; Take Away Citizen Appeal Rights; Eliminate Right Of Citizens To Petition For Rule Changes; Limit Environmental Standards To Federal Standards [PaEN]
-- PJM Activated Pre-Emergency Demand Response Program To Increase Reserve Generation; Again Extends Maximum Generation And Load Management Alerts To July 3 [PaEN]
-- PJM Extends Maximum Generation And Load Management Alerts To July 2; Forecast Power Peak On July 2 Still Above All Time Record [PaEN]
-- PJM Interconnection Issues Maximum Generation, Load Management, Low Voltage Alerts For July 1; Received Emergency Order To Put Data Centers On Backup Generators; Forecasts Peak Power Above 2006 Record For July 2 [PaEN]
-- NRDC: PJM Membership Votes On Recommendations To Help Prevent A.I. Data Centers From Overloading The Electric Grid; PJM Board Will Have Final Say [PaEN]
-- DEP Invites Comments On Renewal Of Title V Air Quality Permit For Keystone Coal-Fired Power Plant In Armstrong County [PaEN]
-- DEP Issues 2 Chapter 105 Permits For Project Hazelnut A.I. Data Centers Offsite Utilities In West Hazleton Borough, Luzerne County [PaEN]
NewsClips:
-- York Daily Record: Firefighters Battle Blaze At The 839 MW Hunterstown Natural Gas Power Plant In Adams County
-- Spotlight PA: State Lawmakers Want To Lower Electric Bills By Cutting Gross Receipts Tax, But The Budget Impact Might Be Too Big To Swallow
-- PA Capital-Star: Garrity And Shapiro Have Accused Each Other Of Flip-Flopping On A.I. Data Centers - Are They Both Right?
-- Inquirer Guest Essay: Instead Of Diving Headfirst - PA Lawmakers Must Pass A Full Moratorium On Considering Hyperscale A.I. Data Center Proposals - By Ginny Marcille-Kerrslake, Food and Water Watch In West Whiteland Twp.
-- TribLive Guest Essay: Pennsylvania Natural Gas Powers The Region, So Why Are Pennsylvanians Paying More? - By Sen. Kim Ward [Reality - Data Center Demand Spikes, 60% Of Electric Comes From Natural Gas And Its Price Spikes]
[Posted: July 3, 2026] PA Environment Digest
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