PJM issues a capacity advisory for October 19

October 17 review: the operating window has ended

DOE Order 202-26-50 specifies an October 13–16 operating window. That window has ended. Paragraph L retains the reporting requirements in paragraph E and applicable compliance obligations in paragraph F. The order-specific DOE listing reviewed October 17 still shows the original order and resource-list updates through October 14, with no renewal posted there. This is a review of that listing, not proof that no later instruction exists elsewhere. (Sources 1–2)

PJM's October 19 advisory does not itself extend that authority. Its forecast concerns tightening capacity and preparatory choices, not measured household outages or proof that backup units ran. PJM's October 15 non-use account is not an assurance about later operations. Check later operator and local-utility instructions. (Sources 11–12)

October 16 notice: preparing for October 19

PJM's new advisory forecasts demand of about 94,573 MW on October 19, alongside about 72,000 MW of generation outages and planned transmission outages. Those are forecast demand and unavailable capacity, not the remaining available supply or an amount of power already cut. The notice does not quantify data centers' contribution. (Sources 12)

PJM may recall or reschedule generation outages, call generation out of market, recall transmission outages or tell neighbors to expect lower exports. These are preparations for tightening capacity, not a record that households lost power. Later instructions can differ. (Sources 12)

The inspected DOE order authorizes operation October 13–16. The October 19 advisory does not itself extend that authority. PJM's October 15 account of unused large-load backup authority remains an account as of that date, not an assurance about later operations. (Sources 1–2 and 11–12)

October 15 account: maintenance matters too

PJM's system-operations director says the large-load backup authority went unused as of October 15. That is a dated operator account, not a generator-by-generator audit or an account of routine testing. (Sources 11)

PJM reports more than 61,000 MW of generation outages, over two-thirds planned for maintenance or construction, after about 10,000 MW had been returned to service. These preliminary regional capacity figures are not electricity generated or data centers' share of the strain. PJM argues that canceling more maintenance could impair winter preparation. That rationale is not an independently tested comparison of alternatives. (Sources 11)

October 14 account: demand response on both days

PJM's article marks an update at 3 p.m. October 14. It reports load-management actions on October 13 and 14. Posting 105561 separately confirms October 13 only; it does not independently verify the second day or an achieved reduction. (Sources 7–8)

October 14 list update: a constraint is not a reading

DOE posted PJM's version 4 Exhibit A, submitted October 14. In the BC WAGNER 1 F row, the restriction/constraint column now includes opacity; version 3 listed an interconnection emergency there. This is a revision to the resource record, not proof that the unit ran or that a particular emissions level occurred. The operator account was posted October 13 and updated October 14; it is not a current assurance about later backup use. (Sources 7, 9 and 10)

October 13 update: a longer list, not a run log

DOE posted PJM's version 2 resource list on October 13. The document says it was submitted October 12. It adds entries including BC WAGNER CT in Maryland (oil) and DPL INDIAN RIVER 10 CT in Delaware (fuel oil). The order permits resource-list updates and dispatch as needed for reliability. A new entry is not proof that a unit operated or emitted a given amount. (Sources 2 and 6)

October 13 operations update: participants were called

PJM says it issued a pre-emergency load-management action on October 13 and extended the alert through October 14. Posting 105561 confirms an action effective October 13; reductions are mandatory for the dispatched demand-response product. That is different from the alert's no-action message to customers generally. (Sources 7–8)

PJM's update says it had not used large-load backup generation to date. That dated operator account is not a complete generator or emissions log. The permission and the reported demand-response action are different records. (Sources 7)

An alert asks operators to prepare

PJM's October 12 notice describes unusually warm fall weather and planned maintenance and construction outages. It says the October 13 alert requires no customer action. Operators can recall outages, change exports and call on contracted demand-response programs. These are choices intended to preserve service, not proof that every customer will lose power. Later instructions may differ. (Sources 5)

Backup has a last-resort threshold

Backup dispatch is reserved for the last-resort period before or during Energy Emergency Alert 3. Resources serving critical backup needs are excluded. The order's operating window is October 13–16; reporting and compliance duties continue afterward. This is not routine permission to run every standby unit. (Sources 2)

A relaxed limit is not a pollution reading

Operation under the order is excluded from applicable rolling-average environmental-limit calculations. Reliability-based operating limits and environmental compliance “to the maximum extent practicable” still apply. PJM must report daily which resources operated under its allowance. Neither an authorization nor a dispatch list establishes a neighbor's exposure or illness. (Sources 2)

Ask which resource actually ran

The original and version 2 Exhibit A lists name coal, natural-gas, oil and dual-fuel generating units; those lists are not a count of diesel backups at data centers. Their nameplate capacities are not electricity generated. PJM's application describes demand, equipment outages and transmission constraints without calculating a data-center share. For a local impact, request fuel, operating hours and emissions where people live. Preventing an outage and protecting air quality both belong in the ledger. (Sources 3 and 4 and 6)