DOE announces winter storm blackout preparations
The U.S. Department of Energy (DOE) announced on Jan. 22, 2026, that it is prepared to take emergency action to prevent blackouts during winter storm Fern. In a letter, U.S. Secretary of Energy Chris Wright asked the nation’s grid operators to maintain communication with DOE during the storm and to be prepared to make backup generation resources at data centers and other major facilities available as needed.
DOE estimated more than 35 GW of unused backup generation remains available nationwide. These actions could mitigate blackouts and reduce costs for potentially hundreds of millions of Americans during the winter storm.
“We have identified more than 35 GW of unused backup generation that exists across the country and are taking action to ensure that if the nation needs it, the generation will be made available,” said Secretary Wright. “The Energy Department [remains] committed to doing everything in our power to mitigate blackouts and lower energy costs for the American people.”
