Note: Single-source report; awaiting corroboration.
U.S. Secretary of Energy Chris Wright has issued an emergency order requiring Units 3 and 4 of the Eddystone Generating Station in Pennsylvania to remain available for operation through August 22, 2026. These units were previously scheduled for retirement on May 31, 2025, but the order extends their availability to address grid reliability challenges in the Mid-Atlantic region. The directive instructs PJM Interconnection (PJM), in coordination with Constellation Energy Corporation, to maintain the units and use economic dispatch to minimize costs for consumers.
Secretary Wright emphasized the value of reliable energy sources during periods of peak demand. He noted that keeping these units online likely saved hundreds of lives during Winter Storm Fern and helped maintain affordable, reliable, and secure electricity in the region. According to the Department of Energy’s Resource Adequacy Report, the risk of power outages could grow significantly by 2030 if such resources continue to retire.
PJM expressed support for the emergency order, citing concerns over supply and demand imbalance driven by generator retirements and increasing demand. Such imbalance could threaten both reliability and consumer affordability. Secretary Wright first extended the operational dates of the Eddystone units in a May 2025 emergency order and has issued additional extensions through 2026.
According to the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency, Eddystone Generating Station units produced 26,971 MWh from June to December 2025. Their continued operation has strengthened energy security in the PJM region, with the units generating electricity during both regional heat waves and Winter Storm Fern.