WASHINGTON, D.C. — The U.S. Department of Energy has issued an emergency order under Section 202(c) of the Federal Power Act to ensure the reliability of electricity supply for 65 million Americans served by the PJM Interconnection. The order, signed by Energy Secretary Chris Wright, authorizes continued operation of the H.A. Wagner Generating Station Unit 4 in Maryland beyond its environmental operating limits through the end of 2025.
The order follows PJM’s October 10 request for an 80-day renewal of its July emergency authorization, citing ongoing “resource adequacy” concerns as the regional grid operator prepares for winter. PJM warned that without the waiver, residents and critical infrastructure in the Baltimore Gas and Electric zone could face power outages during periods of high demand or severe cold.
“The Trump administration is committed to keeping your families safe and restoring access to affordable, reliable, and secure electricity,” Wright said in announcing the order. “To ensure 65 million Americans in 13 states and D.C. do not experience blackouts in the coming winter months, I am issuing an emergency order for PJM Interconnection.”
PJM, which manages power for parts of 13 states and the District of Columbia, said the Wagner plant’s 397-megawatt Unit 4 had only 80 operating hours remaining this year under state environmental limits. Without an exemption, PJM warned that the inability to run the unit could create “adverse reliability impacts” and lead to forced outages across its network.
The order allows PJM to dispatch the unit whenever it anticipates maximum generation alerts or transmission security emergencies. While the Wagner plant must remain within its permitted emissions limits, the order temporarily overrides Maryland’s annual operating cap of 438 hours when burning fuel oil.
DOE’s authorization is effective October 26 through December 31, 2025, and may be renewed if conditions persist. PJM must notify the department after each emergency use and continue monitoring environmental impacts.
The Wagner order highlights federal concern over grid stability in the face of constrained generation capacity. PJM has repeatedly warned of a “growing resource adequacy concern,” driven by the retirement of conventional power plants outpacing the addition of new generation. Wright emphasized that the Department’s action is part of the administration’s broader effort to secure the nation’s energy infrastructure heading into the winter season.
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