Energy Department Orders Backup Power to Prevent 17-State Blackouts

The U.S. Department of Energy issued an emergency order on July 27, 2026, authorizing the Southwest Power Pool (SPP) to deploy idle backup generation resources to prevent blackouts. The order, effective through August 3, targets 17 states, including Texas, Louisiana, Arizona, and Colorado, where a heat dome has pushed temperatures above 110°F and surged demand for air conditioning.

The measure allows the SPP to dispatch generation units as a last resort before declaring a level three emergency alert, which precedes rotating outages. The risk escalated after a sudden loss of imported electricity on July 25, leaving reserves razor-thin across several western states. This followed an emergency flag raised by the SPP on July 19, warning that high peak usage and declining wind generation could trigger outages.

Secretary of Energy Chris Wright stated that the administration is tapping into unused backup generation to maintain reliable and secure power, arguing that previous "energy subtraction policies" had weakened the grid. While the SPP issued resource advisories for its eastern territory, the Omaha Public Power District reported that its generation fleet is currently meeting customer demands without requiring power conservation.