PJM’s Fall Maintenance Window Tightens as Data Center Load Grows

PJM Interconnection, LLC (PJM) used load-management procedures Oct. 13-14 as unusually warm weather and planned outages tightened operating conditions, while data centers added steady demand during the fall maintenance season.

The Oct. 13-14 grid alert covered the same operating period. PJM maintained reliable operations through it. About 11,000 megawatts of data-center load was connected to PJM’s system as of Oct. 15, and demand response was activated on nine days in 2026 through that date, compared with eight days across all of 2015-24. PJM coordinates electricity across all or parts of 13 states and Washington, D.C.

Spring and fall generally offer lower-demand periods for work on generators and transmission lines. Data centers use electricity throughout the year. David Souder, PJM’s executive director of system operations, wrote that data centers and other large users have consumption that “does not fluctuate significantly with the weather; it is a 12-month 24/7 phenomenon.”

Across North American assessment areas, summer peak demand is projected to grow by more than 224 gigawatts from 2025 to 2035, while winter peak demand is projected to rise by more than 245 gigawatts. These projections cover demand growth from all sources, with AI and other digital-economy data centers accounting for most of the projected increase. The estimates use plans supplied in mid-2025; some proposed projects may not be built.

Cryptocurrency miners can reduce electricity use during grid stress. At the Jan. 26 morning peak during Winter Storm Fern in Texas, estimated demand reductions were about 4,100 megawatts for cryptocurrency mining and 170 megawatts for data centers. The estimate covers that event and does not identify why usage fell or establish that the grid operator directed the reductions.

The Federal Energy Regulatory Commission (FERC) directed six regional grid operators on June 18 to justify or revise their rules for connecting large electricity users. Responses are due Nov. 16, except for Southwest Power Pool, which has until Nov. 20. The orders did not set final new rates.