tldrdailynews.com logo
Tag

Pjm

All articles tagged with #pjm

PJM eyes ride-through rules for data centers after 3.8 GW outage
energy16 days ago

PJM eyes ride-through rules for data centers after 3.8 GW outage

After roughly 3,800 MW of data-center load tripped offline in northern Virginia on July 22—the largest PJM event—PJM is weighing ride-through standards and other reliability rules for 'computational loads' like data centers and crypto-mining facilities. The disturbance caused voltage and frequency swings; PJM recovered the balancing error in nine minutes (versus the 30-minute NERC target) and deployed reactive power. Similar 1,500 MW transfers occurred in Dominion's zone in 2024 and 2025. With NERC moving to set standards for computational loads and FERC directing finalization of criteria by year-end and a plan by March, PJM says these requirements should be in place before new loads come online.

via Utility Dive|
#crypto-mining#data-centers#energy
PJM capacity auction hits price cap as data-center demand widens reserve shortfall
regulation-and-policy1 month ago

PJM capacity auction hits price cap as data-center demand widens reserve shortfall

PJM’s 2028-2029 capacity auction cleared at the $325/MW-day price cap, leaving about a 6.8 GW shortfall versus its 20% installed reserve margin (up from 6.5 GW), with only roughly 525 MW of new resources and nearly 2 GW of additional forecast demand driven by data centers. The grid operator plans a backstop capacity auction and a ‘connect and manage’ framework for data centers, with a filing due this month for a September auction. Without the cap, clearing prices would have run about $555/MW-day across PJM and $777/MW-day in the ComEd zone, implying about $29.7B in potential costs versus the actual $16.4B spent. Demand response fell by about 277 MW, and while ratepayers may see little bill change in 2028, large industrial customers could face sharply higher capacity charges. Analysts expect reforms to lower prices and address resource adequacy, while stakeholders debate data-center costs and permitting barriers.

via Utility Dive|
#capacity-auction#data-centers#pjm
DOE taps backup generators to ease grid strain during heat wave
energy1 month ago

DOE taps backup generators to ease grid strain during heat wave

As a brutal heat wave drives air-conditioning use, Energy Secretary directs mid-Atlantic data centers served by PJM to run on backup generators instead of drawing power from the grid, freeing capacity for residents. DOE estimates more than 35 GW of available backup generation nationwide; New York City is not part of PJM. While this can relieve grid stress, it raises emissions and air-quality concerns, and the PJM region has fewer large batteries to store peak energy.

via CNN|
#backup-generators#data-centers#energy
DOE Clears Backup Power Route for Data Centers Amid Heat Wave
technology1 month ago

DOE Clears Backup Power Route for Data Centers Amid Heat Wave

Amid a brutal heat wave, the Energy Department authorized PJM to direct large-load customers, including data centers, to rely on their own backup power as a last resort to prevent blackouts, tapping an estimated 35 GW of unused backup generation (enough to power ~26 million homes) while exempting critical facilities; the measure is limited to emergency conditions through Friday and has raised concerns about emissions from backup generators.

via Gizmodo|
#backup-generation#data-centers#energy
PJM maps three pathways to reshape its capacity market
energy3 months ago

PJM maps three pathways to reshape its capacity market

PJM Interconnection proposed three broad frameworks to reform its markets to ensure adequate future power supplies: Path A would stabilize the capacity market with long-term contracts, Path B would formalize reliability differentiation across customer classes or regions, and Path C would pivot toward an energy-and-ancillary-services market with capacity acting as a backstop. Stakeholders will discuss these options through 2026 to build regional consensus, with a multi-track rollout possible (A in 2026–2029, B 2027–2030, C 2028+). Analysts expect reforms before the May 2027 capacity auction, amid pressures from rising load (notably data centers) and regulatory price caps.

via Utility Dive|
#capacity-market#data-centers#energy
energy-and-climate7 months ago

Cold snap tests US power grid as outages spread

Winter Storm Fern knocked out power for more than a million customers across the South as frigid conditions loom, pressuring the electric grid. PJM projected record winter demand and the Energy Department allowed full operation of grid resources while utilities mobilized tens of thousands of workers; gas prices surged and authorities warned the system could remain stressed through the week amid ice and falling temps.

via Politico|
#doe#electric-grid#energy-and-climate
energy7 months ago

PJM Issues Precautionary Alerts as Arctic Cold Weekend Looms

PJM, which runs the grid for 13 states and DC, issued Cold Weather Alerts and Advisories ahead of a weekend Arctic cold front that could push temperatures into single digits (and possibly below zero in its Western Region). The surge could drive peak demand above 130,000 MW for seven straight days, with a potential new winter peak on Jan. 27. PJM also declared Conservative Operations for Jan. 24–27 and ordered a generator maintenance outage recall to boost available capacity. Forecasts for Jan. 23–30 show rising loads (roughly 125,900 MW to 146,000 MW), and PJM outlines winter-preparedness steps under its Manual 14D guidelines, citing cross-region impacts and ongoing winter operations planning.

via PJM Inside Lines|
#cold-weather-alert#conservative-operations#energy
AI Data Centers Push the U.S. Power Grid to the Limit
technology7 months ago

AI Data Centers Push the U.S. Power Grid to the Limit

AI data centers are expanding rapidly, with Virginia hosting the world’s largest cluster and major investments from Meta, Microsoft, and Amazon, but the U.S. electrical grid is aging and may struggle to meet rising energy demand. Officials have floated an emergency electricity auction through PJM to cover growing costs from these centers, while residential rates have climbed and utilities are exploring higher charges for large customers. Projections suggest data centers could consume about 6.7%–12% of US electricity by 2028, and cooling needs could push water use up by about 170% by 2030, highlighting the challenge of coexisting data centers and households.

via CNN|
#ai-data-centers#electricity-prices#pjm
Trump Admin Proposes Emergency Auction to Fast-Track Mid-Atlantic Baseload Plants
energy7 months ago

Trump Admin Proposes Emergency Auction to Fast-Track Mid-Atlantic Baseload Plants

The Trump administration, citing reliability concerns and rising electricity costs in the Mid-Atlantic, urges PJM to temporarily overhaul market rules and hold an emergency procurement auction to finance more than $15 billion of new baseload power, offering 15-year revenue certainty, rate protections for residential customers, and data-center cost allocations to speed reliable, affordable power for industry and families.

via Department of Energy (.gov)|
#baseload-generation#electricity-prices#energy
energy7 months ago

PJM Unveils 2026 Roadmap to Safely Add Big Loads Without Hurting Reliability

PJM’s Board outlined a 2026 package of proposals to integrate large-load customers (including data centers) while preserving reliability and affordability. The plan includes load-forecast improvements, options for loads to own a generation or participate in a connect-and-manage framework, an accelerated interconnection track for state-backed projects, a backstop generation procurement process, and a market-review to guide investments. Several actions would be filed with FERC and implemented with ongoing stakeholder input as the region’s supply-demand balance evolves.

via PJM Inside Lines|
#data-centers#energy#grid-reliability
Trump and Northeastern Governors Push for 15-Year Power Auction to Fund Data-Center Grid Upgrades
politics7 months ago

Trump and Northeastern Governors Push for 15-Year Power Auction to Fund Data-Center Grid Upgrades

The White House and a bipartisan group of Northeastern governors are pressuring PJM, the region’s power-grid operator, to hold an emergency 15-year electricity auction limited to technology companies building data centers. Proceeds would fund new power plants to meet data-center-driven demand over the next decade and a half, aiming to curb rising costs for consumers. PJM says it wasn’t invited to the plan and warned it cannot guarantee supply, highlighting an industry-wide surge in power use as AI infrastructure expands. Some tech firms, like Microsoft, have signaled willingness to cover grid upgrades and higher bills to support the system.

via CNN|
#data-centers#electricity#energy-policy