Why Is Pjm Asking Millions To Cut Electricity Use Us Power Grid Faces Emergency

The grid operator said it is working under a federal emergency alert to reduce electricity demand across its service area.

PJM said several problems are happening at the same time. Many electricity generators are currently out of service, reducing the amount of power available. High-voltage transmission lines are heavily overloaded, making it difficult to move electricity where it is needed, according to the report by Reuters. A long spell of extremely hot weather has led millions of people to run air conditioners, pushing electricity demand much higher than normal.

PJM has told utility companies to reduce electricity use among customers who have signed contracts to lower their power consumption during emergencies. These customers are usually large businesses or industrial users that agree in advance to cut electricity use when the grid is under stress.

PJM supplies electricity to about 67 million people, as per Reuters. Its power grid covers the Mid-Atlantic states, parts of the South, and the Washington, D.C., region.

PJM said it is unable to fully meet the expected electricity needs because of the current pressure on the grid, as stated by Devdiscourse. The company has started plans to manage and reduce electricity demand to keep the power system stable.

PJM said it is working closely with utility companies to reduce electricity use in a controlled way. The goal is to prevent the grid from becoming unstable and to keep electricity flowing safely across the region.

Residents and businesses in the affected areas have been advised to be ready for possible changes in electricity usage as PJM carries out its demand reduction plan. The company said these measures are aimed at protecting the reliability of the power grid.

Spot wholesale electricity prices in northern Virginia have climbed above $2,000 per megawatt-hour this week, as per Reuters. Under normal conditions, wholesale electricity prices in the PJM market are around $40 per megawatt-hour.

PJM's operational data say the biggest reason is congestion on high-voltage transmission lines. Because these transmission lines are crowded, it has become much more expensive to deliver electricity across the grid.

Prolonged hot weather has sharply increased the use of air conditioners across the region. This surge in electricity demand is adding more pressure to an already stressed power system.

To avoid bigger problems, the grid operator has started emergency demand reduction measures while wholesale electricity prices have jumped to unusually high levels.

Durva More is a Senior Content Producer at Hindustan Times, where she covers finance, and global news. She brings experience across digital and television journalism, with a strong focus on breaking news, business reporting, and international affairs. Before joining Hindustan Times, Durva worked as an International News Writer at The Economic Times, covering a diverse range of subjects including global politics, business, sports, entertainment, and major world events. She also worked as a Business Reporter with NDTV Profit. A postgraduate diploma holder in Journalism from the Asian College of Journalism, Durva is passionate about field reporting and storytelling. She thrives on the adrenaline of chasing stories, speaking with people from different walks of life, and amplifying voices that deserve to be heard. Her reporting is driven by curiosity, accuracy, and a commitment to making complex subjects accessible to readers. When she is not chasing stories or covering breaking news, Durva enjoys reading books and painting. She loves exploring new ideas, meeting people, and learning about different perspectives. For her, both journalism and art are ways to understand the world and tell stories that matter.Read More