PJM Interconnection: US DOE Issues Order To Allow Power Plants To Run Without Regard To Air Quality Or Other Permit Limits Thru Jan. 31

On January 25, the PJM Interconnection announced it requested and received an order from the US Department of Energy to allow power plants within its service area to run without regard to air quality or other permit limits or fuel shortages through January 31.

PJM said it currently has sufficient resources to serve projected load but may implement the order as appropriate given the record electricity demand expect this week.

PJM also said as a precautionary measure, it has activated Demand Response customers in parts of the Mid-Atlantic January 25. 

PJM called on Pre-Emergency Demand Response for Baltimore Gas & Electric, Dominion Energy and Pepco areas for Sunday afternoon/evening to address localized transmission constraints and to preserve the run-time of generators that will be needed for  colder weather and higher electricity demand later in the week.

Demand response or load management customers are paid to reduce their electricity consumption to ease load during critical periods.

Click Here for the PJM announcement.

Visit the PJM Interconnection website for more information.

PA Oil & Gas Industry Public Notice Dashboards:

-- PA Oil & Gas Industrial Facilities: Permit Notices, Opportunities To Comment - January 24 [PaEN]

-- DEP Posted 61 Pages Of Permit-Related Notices In January 24 PA Bulletin  [PaEN]  

Related Articles This Week:

-- Shale Gas & Public Health Conference -- Our Work, Our Health: Building A Future Beyond Sacrifice To Be Held Feb. 19 In Pittsburgh, Online  [PaEN]  

-- PJM Interconnect Issues Cold Weather Alert For Western Region Jan. 23 Expanding To Entire PJM Area Jan. 24-27; Regional Grid Could Exceed Winter Demand Record on Jan. 27 & 30  [PaEN] 

-- PUC Urges Consumers To Prepare Ahead Of Winter Storm Fern And Prolonged Extreme Cold  [PaEN]

-- Aboveground Water Pipelines Feeding Shale Gas Drilling Operations Beginning To Freeze Due To Cold Temperatures; Range Resources Incident Reported In Washington County; Notify DEP Of Pipeline Problems  [PaEN]

-- House Energy Committee Meeting To Consider Bill Giving PUC More Authority To Regulate A.I. Data Centers Moved To Feb. 2  [PaEN]  

-- Gov. Shapiro: Major Utilities, Power Producers, Tech Companies, Experts Endorse Federal/Northeast PJM Governors’ Plan To Meet Surging A.I. Data Center Energy Demands - Will PJM Listen?  [PaEN] 

-- PA House Committees Hearing: Witnesses Agree - A.I. Data Centers - Real And Purely Speculative - Are Driving Up The Cost Of Electricity; Without Effective Action Energy Increases Will Not End   [PaEN] 

-- Concerned Residents Of Western PA To Host Feb. 1 Community Gathering On Proposed Homer City Power Plant And A.I. Data Center In Indiana County  [PaEN]   

-- Scranton Times - Chris Kelly Opinion: Momentum Builds Against A.I. Data Centers  [PDF of Article]  

-- In Case You Missed It: A.I./Data Center Articles - NewClips From Last Week - January 26  [PaEN] 

-- York Dispatch Guest Essay: Republicans Add To The Pain Of Soaring Energy Costs - By Katherine Pichardo, Latino Victory and David Kieve, Environmental Defense Fund Action  [PaEN] 

-- DEP Approves Air Quality Permit For Installation Of 53 Emergency Power Generators At The Amazon Data Center In Salem Twp., Luzerne County  [PaEN] 

-- DEP Invites Comments On Individual Stormwater Permit For The 150 Mile Mid-Atlantic Interstate Transmission, LLC Piney-Seward, Erie South Piney Transmission Line Project Thru 8 Counties  [PaEN]  

-- PUC Announces Increase In Act 13 Shale Gas Drilling Impact Fee For Calendar 2025  [PaEN] 

NewsClips - Energy:

-- WPIX:  Washington County Opens Nearly 2 Dozen Warming Shelters During Bitter Cold, Major Winter Storm [The Center Of Shale Gas Fracking, Coal Industry In PA]

-- Bloomberg: Cold Blast Threatens To Cut US Natural Gas Output By Most Since 2021 Over Next 14 Days, Energy Aspects Says

-- Reuters: US Power Grid Faces Stress Test Amid Arctic Chill, A.I. Data Center Demand; PJM Expected To Set Demand Records

-- Tribune-Democrat: Electric Grid Concerns Aired By PA Lawmakers As Frigid Weather Settles In

-- WHYY: As Electricity Rates Soar, PECO Adds $2.5 Million In Aid For Low-Income Customers 

-- Bloomberg: Natural Gas Prices Soar 75% In 3 Days As Arctic Cold Grips The US

-- Bloomberg: US DOE Calls On A.I. Data Centers To Prepare Backup Power Ahead Of Winter Storm

-- Utility Dive: US DOE Orders Diesel Generators To Be Ready As Electric Sector Prepares For Winter Storm Fern; Consumer Advocate Warns The Plan Is Unworkable 

-- WITF: PA Consumer Advocates Urge House Committees To Tax A.I. Data Centers, Offset Home Energy Spikes At Hearing

-- Post-Gazette: PA House Members Hear Warnings On A.I. Data Centers, Rising Electric Costs At Hearing

-- Morning Call: Federal, State Officials Pressure Regional Electric Grid Operator To Lower Electricity Prices; Here’s What Could Come Next

-- Wilkes-Barre Times-Leader: PJM Must Reform Now To Protect Consumers And Keep Electricity Affordable, Experts Say 

-- WHYY - Susan Phillips: NJ Governor Issues State Of Emergency On Energy Costs; Orders State Regulators To Boost Renewables, Battery Storage In Light Of Rising Electricity Prices

-- Spotlight PA: Utility And A.I. Interests Spending Millions Lobbying Congress, President To Support Data Center Boom

-- Utility Dive: PJM Considering $1.7 Billion Transmission Line Project Across PA Based On Year-Old A.I. Data Center Demand Forecasts Is A ‘Poster Child’ For Overbuilding, According To PA Consumer Advocate

-- Utility Dive: FERC Commissioners See Progress In PJM A.I. Data Center, Power Supply Plan 

-- Financial Times: EQT, Expand Energy Natural Gas Producers Are Methane Super Emitters, Environmental Groups’ Data Shows  [PDF of Article]

-- Inside Climate News: Clean Energy Advocates Criticise ‘Glaring’ Omission In White House/Northeast Governor’s Plan To Fuel A.I. Data Centers In PJM Region

-- PA Capital-Star Guest Essay: Beyond NIMBY vs. Progress: How Pennsylvania Can Secure A ‘Durable Yes’ For A.I. Data Centers [Honestly Address Issues Of Concern] - By Desmond Daley, Pittsburgh Resident

-- Reuters: US Refineries Brace For Disruptions As Arctic Blast Hits

-- Reuters: US Energy Secretary Calls For Doubling Global Oil Output In Davos

-- AP: President’s Administration Scraps Multimillion-Dollar Solar Energy Projects In Puerto Rico As Grid Crumbles

-- The Guardian: Why President Is Worried A.I. Data Centers Might Cost His Party An Election

[Posted: January 25, 2026]