The U.S. Department of Energy (DOE) has issued an emergency order to deploy backup generation resources in Texas as Winter Storm Fern impacts the region. The order, made under Section 202(c) of the Federal Power Act, gives the Electric Reliability Council of Texas (ERCOT) authority to use backup power at data centers and other major facilities to help prevent blackouts.
This action comes after Energy Secretary Wright sent a letter to grid operators on Thursday, advising them to prepare for potential blackouts by utilizing available backup generation. DOE estimates that more than 35 gigawatts of unused backup generation is available across the country. The order aims to support ERCOT during extreme temperatures and storm damage in Texas while helping reduce costs for consumers.
Energy Secretary Wright stated, “The Trump administration is committed to unleashing all available power generation needed to keep Americans safe during Winter Storm Fern. Unfortunately, the last administration had the nation on track to lose significant amounts of baseload power, but we are doing everything in our power to reverse those reckless decisions. The Trump administration will continue taking action to ensure that the 35 GW of untapped backup generation that exists across the country can be deployed as needed during Winter Storm Fern and in the future.”
President Trump previously declared a national energy emergency, citing concerns over grid vulnerability due to what he described as policy decisions from the previous administration. The North American Electric Reliability Corporation (NERC) has noted a rapid increase in winter electricity demand and warned that closures of coal and natural gas plants have increased risks for outages nationwide.
NERC’s latest assessment indicates that much of the continental United States faces higher blackout risks during severe weather events, with Texas identified as an area at elevated risk this winter. NERC’s 2025–2026 Winter Reliability Assessment states that above-normal peak demand or outage conditions could require operational mitigations and trigger Energy Emergency Alerts.
According to DOE’s National Laboratories, annual costs related to power outages amount to $44 billion for Americans. Officials say this emergency order seeks both to limit these costs and provide reliable electricity throughout Winter Storm Fern.
The order will remain in effect from January 24 through January 27, 2026.
