Department of Energy
Every DataCenterFeed story on Department of Energy — across projects, zoning, power and grid, deals, policy, and cooling, newest first.
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Power & Grid
PJM Calls Demand Response in October Heat; DOE Order Let It Shift Data Centers to Backup Power
PJM issued a Maximum Generation Alert for Oct. 13–14, 2026, called demand response and recalled maintenance outages. It said a DOE order for Oct. 13–16 authorized it to direct data centers to switch to backup generation, which it had not had to use, and it then issued a Capacity Advisory for Oct. 19.
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Power & Grid
DOE Plans Up to $50M in Defense Production Act Funds for Virginia Grid; Appalachian Power Leads $40M SPARK Work
DOE said Oct. 16, 2026, that it intends to use up to $50 million in Defense Production Act funds for grid-enhancing technologies in Virginia and West Virginia, adding an estimated 290 MW across Appalachian Power's Virginia system. The same day, APCo said it is primary subrecipient of a separate $40 million SPARK award to Virginia.
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Power & Grid
FERC Suspends PJM's 6.8-GW Reliability Backstop Procurement as DOE Presses for Large-Load Cost Protections
FERC accepted but suspended PJM's one-time Reliability Backstop Procurement until Feb. 28, 2027, and opened a hearing on cost allocation. DOE has since urged PJM to make large loads, not households, pay. PJM plans a revised filing by Oct. 29.
