Heatwave pushes US power grid to the brink, emergency declared

A blistering heat wave across roughly 30 states drives electricity demand to near-record levels, prompting the U.S. Department of Energy to declare an energy emergency and urge grid operators (led by PJM) to conserve power to avert blackouts. Major regional grids expect peak demand to strain capacity as temperatures soar and humidity drives cooling needs, with the possibility of rolling outages and prioritization of critical services like hospitals during the event.