WASHINGTON—The U.S. Department of Energy today issued two emergency orders to mitigate blackouts in New England and Texas during Winter Storm Fern. Issued pursuant to Section 202(c) of the Federal Power Act, the orders authorize ISO New England Inc. (ISO-NE) and the Electric Reliability Council of Texas (ERCOT) to run specified resources located within the ISO-NE region and ERCOT region, regardless of limits established by environmental permits or state law. The orders will help ISO-NE and ERCOT with the extreme temperatures and storm impacts across the Northeast and Texas and reduce costs for Americans during the winter storm. This is the second emergency order issued to ERCOT during Winter Storm Fern following an order issued yesterday to leverage backup generation at data centers and other industrial sites.
“As Winter Storm Fern brings extreme cold and dangerous conditions across the country, maintaining affordable, reliable, and secure power is non-negotiable,” said U.S. Secretary of Energy Chris Wright. “The previous administration’s energy subtraction policies weakened the grid, leaving Americans more vulnerable during events like Winter Storm Fern. Thanks to President Trump’s leadership, we are reversing those failures and using every available tool to keep the lights on and Americans safe through this storm.”
On day one, President Trump declared a national energy emergency after the Biden administration’s energy subtraction agenda left behind a grid increasingly vulnerable to blackouts. According to the North American Electric Reliability Corporation (NERC), “Winter electricity demand is rising at the fastest rate in recent years,” while the premature forced closure of reliable generation such as coal and natural gas plants leaves American families vulnerable to power outages. The NERC 2025 – 2026 Winter Reliability Assessment further warns that areas across the continental United States have an elevated risk of blackouts during extreme weather conditions.
Power outages cost the American people $44 billion per year, according to data from DOE’s National Laboratories. These orders will help mitigate power outages in New England and Texas and highlights the commonsense policies of the Trump Administration to ensure an affordable and reliable energy system.
The ISO-NE order is in effect from January 25—January 31, 2026.
The ERCOT order is in effect from January 25—January 27, 2026.
BACKGROUND
Orders such as these are in accordance with President Trump’s Executive Order: Declaring a National Energy Emergency and will ensure the availability of generation needed to meet high electricity demand and minimize the risk of blackouts.
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