Source Google: The U.S. Department of Energy (DOE) issued emergency orders (Jan 24-25, 2026) authorizing grid operators (ERCOT, PJM) to maximize power generation and use backup, non-grid resources during Winter Storm Fern. These 202(c) orders, effective through late January/February 2026, allow waiving environmental regulations to prevent blackouts. Key Details of the Emergency Orders: Action Taken: The DOE authorized grid operators to run all available power generation at full capacity, including tapping into over 35 GW of "untapped" backup generation, such as those at data centers. Affected Areas: The orders specifically targeted the Texas grid (ERCOT) and the mid-Atlantic/Midwest region (PJM) during severe cold, snow, and freezing rain. Purpose: The orders, under Section 202(c) of the Federal Power Act, are designed to prevent catastrophic, long-term grid failure and protect human life by ensuring reliable electricity, even if it means temporary environmental waivers. Duration: The emergency orders are in effect for specific periods, such as Jan 25–Jan 31, 2026, for the Mid-Atlantic. These actions are part of a broader push to manage high energy demand during extreme weather conditions. So my humble home: upper right - grid 200 A, up to 48 kW lower right - 16 kW automatic natural gas fueled generator that self test weekly middle right - 13 kWh battery stores any excess solar power before dumping excess into grid middle top - 4.8 kW solar panels, cuts electrical load on grid in half upper left - total house load for EV cars, high efficiency gas furnace, hybrid hot water heater, heat pump clothes dryer, and modern electrical loads Bob Wilson
Thanks!! I'll let my 3 severe weather heat pumps burn up all that electricity you're saving. at 13c / kwh, I appreciate it.
Or you can just fly to Mexico with your family and let your constituents suffer multi-day/week power outages. The really sad part is that those same companies was told to weather proof their facilities at least 6 years prior, when the same thing happened then. Didn't hear anything this time around, so they probably fixed it this time around.
I have read freezing rain accumulation of half inch in Tennessee. Power lines get very heavy as any branches among them also do. Power out customers were about 1 million, now down to 672K: https://poweroutage.us/ This seems very rapid repair.
The images on the news are brutal. One claim new to me, sap freezing with the trunk effectively splaying the fragments and limbs around the core. Never heard of that before, Now if the trunk were hollow and held water, it would make mechanical sense but "sap"? Bob Wilson
My local rate is roughly $0.12/kWh and I'm offset by the solar panels, 25.5 kWh today. Best of all, my high efficiency gas furnace is during it's burst of heat: Bbb Wilson
"Now if the trunk were hollow and held water, it would make mechanical sense but "sap"?" Tree stems are hollow and hold water, but not super-duper hollow. Rapid freezing can happen faster than water can move to roots in soil, which are in a warmer safe place. Stranded water freezes and expands and sometimes cracks tree stem. Can make a noise but usually does not kill tree. As one can imagine, over 100s millions years, trees have seen all this before. And yet they persist. Let me assure you that worse things happen to trees.
