Overview
Power demand on the PJM Interconnection - the largest U.S. electric grid covering 13 Midwest and Mid-Atlantic states and affecting roughly 67 million people - is forecast to climb to 141 gigawatts on Friday as an unusually severe and sustained cold spell presses into the region. PJM projected continued Arctic weather would likely keep electricity consumption elevated through February 2.
Operational stress and current conditions
PJM has navigated a snowstorm and 10 days of frigid weather without calling for rolling blackouts. The grid operator said in a statement: "PJM continues to work with its generation and transmission owners to prepare for frigid operating conditions." Icy, windy weather this week has pushed up demand while also restricting supplies of natural gas that fuel many generators, forcing electricity producers and transmitters to scramble to keep the system running.
Generation outages on PJM were expected to be about 15 gigawatts on Friday, representing roughly 11% of total committed capacity. Earlier in the week, outages peaked at over 22 gigawatts on Monday. For the upcoming weekend, PJM forecast outages in a range between 11 gigawatts and 14 gigawatts.
Forecast revisions and demand records
Earlier this week PJM had forecast a far higher peak for Friday, projecting 148 gigawatts and indicating the all-time winter record would be exceeded. That season record stands at 143.7 gigawatts, set in January 2025. PJM lowered its most recent forecast after temperatures in portions of its territory were not as cold as expected and after operators worked to reduce strain on the system.
Operators and federal authorities also took steps to ease load. The U.S. Department of Energy encouraged data centers to use back-up generators, which would relieve some of the burden on PJM's resources. PJM's territory contains a heavy concentration of data centers, whose rising energy consumption is exerting additional upward pressure on demand and contributing to higher power prices.
Market impacts and grid constraints
Spot wholesale electricity prices in PJM were about $173 per megawatt-hour on Friday, a level well below price spikes earlier in the week that topped $3,000 per megawatt-hour. PJM, along with the electric grids in New York and New England, has had to manage congestion on high-voltage transmission lines across their regions.
Temperatures hovering above 0 degrees Fahrenheit (-18 Celsius) during the week have produced line overloads as a result of surging electricity demand. The deep cold has also reduced the capacity of power plants within PJM's footprint, compounding operational challenges.
Concluding summary
PJM is approaching a winter peak demand near its seasonal record as sustained Arctic weather elevates electricity usage and stresses system resources. The operator reports sizable generation outages, ongoing transmission congestion and colder-than-normal conditions that have together pushed markets and grid operators to take contingency actions while avoiding rolling blackouts so far.