Stretched to the limit – As sweltering heat waves intensify across the United States, authorities are sounding alarms over the potential strain on the nation’s electrical infrastructure. With more than 160 million residents in 30 states facing extreme heat conditions, the Department of Energy has activated an emergency alert to safeguard critical power supply during the peak of the July 2026 holiday period. The situation is particularly dire for the Mid-Atlantic region, where PJM Interconnections—a key energy grid operator—has been directed to implement urgent measures to avert widespread outages and maintain functionality for essential services such as hospitals.

U.S. Secretary of Energy Chris Wright issued the Energy Emergency Alert on Tuesday, marking the beginning of a four-day crisis period that will last until Friday. This declaration emphasizes the gravity of the situation, urging immediate action to stabilize the grid. Wright stressed that “maintaining affordable, reliable, and secure power in the…