PJM continues to implement alerts and actions to maintain reliable system operations throughout this week’s extreme heat and humidity.
A Hot Weather Alert remains in effect for the entire region PJM serves through at least July 3. 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.
A Maximum Generation Alert and Load Management Alert is currently in effect for July 1 and has been issued for July 2 for across its footprint. This alert does not require any action from customers.
A Maximum Generation Alert is targeted at transmission/generation owners, who then determine if any maintenance or testing on equipment can be deferred or canceled. By deferring maintenance, the units stay online and continue to produce energy that is needed to serve electricity demand within the PJM region. This alert is also used to notify neighboring systems that electricity exports from PJM may be curtailed, serving as a procedural step that allows those neighboring regions to plan accordingly.
PJM issues this alert at the same time as a Load Management Alert, which gives advance notification that load management action may be declared, including Pre-Emergency and Emergency Demand Response. Demand Response programs pay customers in advance who sign up to allow reduction of their electricity use in emergencies.
A Low Voltage Alert is currently in effect for July 1. PJM has issued a Heavy Load Voltage Schedule Warning for July 1 to request members to coordinate switching distribution capacitors in-service and to remove reactors. The purpose of these procedures is to increase bulk electric system voltage to allow for additional transfer capability across critical transmission interfaces. They do not require any action from customers.
Preliminary and Forecasted Peaks
PJM served a preliminary hourly integrated peak of approximately 150,000 MW on June 30.
As of 4 p.m. on July 1, 2026, PJM is expecting to serve the following approximate peak loads through July 5:
| Date | Forecasted Peak Load |
| July 1 | 161,908 MW |
| July 2 | 166,147 MW |
| July 3 | 157,878 MW |
| July 4 | 150,069 MW |
| July 5 | 142,913 MW |
PJM’s forecast for July 2 could exceed PJM’s existing all-time summer hourly integrated peak of 165,563 MW, which was set in 2006.
These numbers are subject to change and will be updated periodically. PJM publishes load forecasts out to seven days on Data Miner.
Additional Actions
PJM has also taken the following actions to prepare for the extreme heat and humidity:
- PJM issued a Maintenance Outage Recall on June 25 ahead of the week’s forecasted hot weather. The recall requests for all maintenance outages to be returned to service by today to increase the amount of generation available to meet customer demand.
- 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.
- 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.