67 Million Americans Are Under a Power Grid Emergency: What This Means for Homeowners

An October heat spell has pushed North America’s largest power grid into emergency operations as near-record warmth coincides with one of the busiest periods of the year for grid repairs.U.S. Secretary of Energy Chris Wright issued the directive on Monday at the request of PJM Interconnection, which coordinates electricity for more than 67 million people across 13 states and Washington, DC.“This order will help ensure millions of American families and businesses across the mid-Atlantic have access to affordable, reliable, and secure electricity by making additional power generation, including backup power, available to use as needed,” Wright said in a statement announcing the order, which runs Oct. 13–16.What the emergency means for homeownersDespite the emergency designation, PJM hasn’t asked the general public to reduce electricity use, and rolling blackouts are not imminent.Instead, it's called on customers enrolled in demand-response programs to cut power. These customers agree ahead of time to reduce electricity use when the grid is strained in exchange for payments or other incentives.But they’re not foolproof: During six dispatches in summer 2025, participating resources del...