PJM Readies for Winter with Focus on Generator Performance As colder temperatures approach and daylight hours decrease, the U.S. Bulk Power System anticipates a relatively mild winter across much of the nation. Nevertheless, PJM, the grid operator overseeing 13 states and the District of Columbia, is intensifying its preparations, drawing lessons from past weather-related disruptions.

Google and Voltus Announce Virtual Power Plant Agreement Google has entered into an agreement with Voltus to establish a virtual power plant (VPP) with a potential capacity of up to 1,070 megawatts within the PJM region. This initiative, which could rival the output of a substantial nuclear power plant, will incentivize homes and businesses to

PJM Interconnection Reports Sufficient Power Resources for Winter The PJM Interconnection has released its winter power outlook, indicating it anticipates having enough resources to reliably meet electricity demand this winter under expected conditions. The organization projects 182,426 megawatts of operational capacity to serve an anticipated peak electricity demand of approximately 147,500 megawatts, plus an anticipated

PJM Interconnection announced Thursday its preparedness for the upcoming winter season, stating it anticipates having sufficient resources to meet anticipated demand under typical conditions. The organization noted a continuing decline in reserve capacity due to rising electricity use outstripping the introduction of new power sources. Reliable operations throughout the winter will require sustained preparation and

Constellation Energy’s chief executive, Joseph Dominguez, stated on November 9th that the United States possesses a substantial surplus of electricity capacity, potentially enough to cover six to seven years of demand. This excess power, largely derived from gas plants operating below full capacity within the Texas Electric Reliability Council (ERCOT) market, has the ability to

GridPoint is planning a significant expansion of battery storage capabilities, aiming to integrate 2 gigawatts (GW) of distributed storage capacity across more than 20,000 buildings within its existing customer base. Adrian De Luca, a co-founder of the company, has returned as CEO to lead this initiative. The announcement comes as projections indicate record electricity demand

PJM, the electrical grid operator for 13 states and the District of Columbia, forecasts sufficient power resources to meet electricity needs this winter. The organization projects an operational capacity of 182,426 megawatts, capable of satisfying an anticipated peak electricity demand of roughly 147,500 megawatts. Additionally, PJM expects to export approximately 3,200 megawatts of electricity to

PJM anticipates having sufficient electrical resources to handle expected cold weather conditions this winter. The organization, which manages the electric grid for 13 states and the District of Columbia, projects 182,426 megawatts (MW) of operational capacity to meet an estimated peak demand of roughly 147,500 MW, plus an anticipated average of approximately 3,200 MW of

ERCOT Begins Development of Large-Load Curtailment Framework Under New Law The Electric Reliability Council of Texas (ERCOT) initiated a series of workshops on October 6th to develop procedures for curtailing large electricity consumers. This effort is enabled by Texas Senate Bill 6, which grants ERCOT the authority to instruct significant electricity users to reduce their

Staff outlined three PJM pathways for DERs — demand-response participation, DER aggregations as supply resources via Order 2222, and a peak-shaving adjustment for load-serving entities — and flagged data centers as a near-term opportunity to reduce capacity obligations and system costs.

Google and Voltus Expand Partnership for 1-Gigawatt Virtual Power Plant Google and Voltus have finalized an agreement to develop a 1-gigawatt (GW) virtual power plant across the PJM electricity grid in the United States, representing a tenfold expansion of a previous 100-megawatt (MW) commitment. This initiative aims to alleviate stress on the power network during

Federal Energy Regulatory Commission Approves Stricter Penalties for Demand-Side Resources in MISO Market The Federal Energy Regulatory Commission has approved a revised penalty framework for demand-side resources that fail to perform when called upon by the Midcontinent Independent System Operator (MISO) during grid emergencies. The changes, which will go into effect on June 1, are

Southern Maryland Electric Cooperative told the commission its 'balanced' scenario reduces costs and administrative burden while expanding selective electrification and demand-response pathways; SMECO urged timely Commission decisions to allow billing and program readiness for 2027.

Google Expands Agreement to Build a 1-Gigawatt Virtual Power Plant Google is increasing its efforts to secure electricity for its data centers by expanding an agreement with energy technology firm Voltus. The agreement will construct a 1-gigawatt (GW) virtual power plant across the PJM electricity grid in the United States. This project will integrate flexible

**Google, Voltus Expand Virtual Power Plant Collaboration to 1 Gigawatt in PJM Grid** Virtual power plants utilize control systems and software to redistribute power generation from numerous distributed energy resources, addressing grid capacity needs during peak demand or supply shortages. Voltus, a distributed energy aggregator, and Google, a digital infrastructure provider, are significantly expanding their

Rising Electricity Bills Misattributed, Data Suggests A narrative of “utility greed” driving up electricity bills lacks factual support, according to Guy Caruso, former administrator for the U.S. Energy Information Administration. Caruso’s commentary follows recent assertions suggesting utility companies are primarily responsible for increasing costs. Caruso, who previously served with the Center for Strategic and International

Google and Voltus have announced an expanded agreement to construct a 1-gigawatt virtual power plant across the PJM electric grid region, encompassing 13 states and Washington, D.C. The project builds upon a previous 100-megawatt agreement signed in June. Google is financing the virtual power plant, while Voltus is responsible for aggregating energy resources from homes

Virtual power plants are rapidly expanding, offering a potential solution to delays and interconnection challenges facing large-scale energy projects. Recently, Sunrun and Tesla jointly dispatched a record 669 megawatts (MW) of power, followed by 745 MW the subsequent evening, marking the largest residential distributed power plant dispatches ever recorded in the United States. These dispatches

Google significantly expands its virtual power plant agreement within the PJM Interconnection, increasing the capacity from 100 MW to 1,070 MW. The agreement, announced Thursday, will utilize aggregated distributed resources from residential, commercial, and industrial customers, including batteries, smart thermostats, on-site power generation, and adjustments to industrial processes. Google will compensate Voltus for consolidating these

Regional electricity providers are advocating for a unified strategy to accelerate the addition of power generation following the extension of two alerts by PJM Interconnection through October 14th. This is the fourth such alert this year, highlighting evolving grid vulnerabilities that extend beyond the typical summer months. BGE, Delmarva Power, and Pepco, subsidiaries of Exelon

Google and Voltus have broadened their virtual power plant initiative within the PJM Interconnection grid. The agreement, announced October 22nd, aims to develop a 1-gigawatt (GW) virtual power plant and involves payments to homes and businesses that curtail electricity usage when grid conditions require it. This expansion adds 1,070 megawatts (MW) to the initial 100-MW

Google Significantly Expands Virtual Power Plant in PJM Google is increasing its investment in distributed capacity within the PJM Interconnection, adding 1,070 MW to its existing agreement with Voltus. This expansion builds upon a previous 100-MW virtual power plant agreement announced in June, bringing the total commitment to 1,170 MW. The announcement was made on

PJM Interconnection has requested demand response measures for October 13 and 14, and suspended maintenance outages for active generator units, citing unseasonably warm temperatures and planned maintenance work ahead of winter. The U.S. Department of Energy (DOE) issued an emergency directive on October 12, granting PJM temporary dispatch authority and declaring a statutory emergency across

PJM has extended a Maximum Generation Alert and Load Management Alert through October 14, initially announced for October 13. The alert does not require action from customers. PJM is taking proactive steps to maintain reliable electricity service due to increased demand caused by unseasonably warm weather and scheduled equipment maintenance and construction. A PJM Capacity

PJM Interconnection Demand Response Programs to Operate Around the Clock Starting June 1, 2027, demand response programs within the PJM Interconnection will require participation during all hours of the day, extending commitments to include nighttime and pre-dawn periods. Demand response programs compensate large electricity consumers for reducing consumption when requested by the grid operator. The