PJM has issued a Maximum Generation Alert and Load Management Alert for Sept. 17 ahead of unusually warm September weather and planned maintenance outages for both generation resources and transmission.
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 a Maximum Generation Emergency 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.
Above-normal temperatures are forecast across much of the PJM footprint, with load expected to peak at 133,355 MW on Sept. 17 (forecast as of 1 p.m., Sept. 16), driving elevated electricity demand.
Tighter system conditions are also being driven by exports needed by regions to the south and west, which are experiencing even hotter weather; planned transmission outages; and over 35,000 MW in planned generation outages scheduled for the beginning of maintenance season. For perspective, during the peak heat of summer, when planned outages are restricted, generation outages peaked at about 19,000 MW on July 5.
Additional Actions
PJM has also requested a combined emergency order, to be effective through Sept. 18, from the U.S. Department of Energy. The order gives PJM operators additional flexibility to respond to changing system conditions by:
- Providing temporary relief from environmental permit restrictions for generating units
- Authorizing PJM to direct data centers and other large load customers to switch to backup generation resources, if necessary
A dedicated team of operators uses sophisticated technology to balance supply and demand and direct the power grid 24/7 from PJM’s control rooms. They prepare multiple potential scenarios that could be impacted by weather, emergency conditions or equipment failure. They adjust resource output with changes in demand and ensure that no transmission lines or facilities are overloaded. The team also watches for unusual conditions and reacts to them to protect the electricity supply.
Read more about PJM’s emergency procedures and messages (PDF).